I thought for sure I could balance that way...
October 20, 2010 11:51 PM Subscribe
After an unfortunate meeting between my face and the floor a couple of nights ago, my teeth are tingly. Is this a bad sign?
I'm not the most gazelle among us, and I accept that. A couple of nights ago I performed a perfect faceplant and ended up with a smallish bump on one eyebrow/temple and a sort-of-ugly gash that separated my lower lip from my gumline a bit. (When I fell I landed on my chin, and the forward momentum caused the tear.)
The wound itself doesn't seem to be too worrisome; I've been using a rinse of 1:1 hydrogen peroxide and water, swirling it about, and spitting. I've kept it super clean, and it looks to be healing pretty quickly. It's no longer an angry red, there's no swelling, no ick going on, and it's not warm.
The part that has me parannoying is that my front teeth on the bottom are still very tingly/itchy. They don't wiggle at all, and they don't ache, and there's no shooting pain (nor in my jaw), but it's definitely tingling non-stop.
Is this normal? Is it a Bad Sign? I honestly can't tell if it's my teeth, or if it's the open wound just below them that I'm feeling. It feels like it's my teeth. My fear is that I've possibly done some crazy nerve damage that is triggering this itchy feeling, or -- if it's possible -- that there may be an infection causing it that isn't presenting the normal set of symptoms. Is the itching/tingling sensation normal after 48 hours? What is causing that?
I'm not the most gazelle among us, and I accept that. A couple of nights ago I performed a perfect faceplant and ended up with a smallish bump on one eyebrow/temple and a sort-of-ugly gash that separated my lower lip from my gumline a bit. (When I fell I landed on my chin, and the forward momentum caused the tear.)
The wound itself doesn't seem to be too worrisome; I've been using a rinse of 1:1 hydrogen peroxide and water, swirling it about, and spitting. I've kept it super clean, and it looks to be healing pretty quickly. It's no longer an angry red, there's no swelling, no ick going on, and it's not warm.
The part that has me parannoying is that my front teeth on the bottom are still very tingly/itchy. They don't wiggle at all, and they don't ache, and there's no shooting pain (nor in my jaw), but it's definitely tingling non-stop.
Is this normal? Is it a Bad Sign? I honestly can't tell if it's my teeth, or if it's the open wound just below them that I'm feeling. It feels like it's my teeth. My fear is that I've possibly done some crazy nerve damage that is triggering this itchy feeling, or -- if it's possible -- that there may be an infection causing it that isn't presenting the normal set of symptoms. Is the itching/tingling sensation normal after 48 hours? What is causing that?
Go to the dentist. You may have loosened them; there might be small fractures you can't actually see. You'll need an X-ray and a pro.
(Been here, done this, 13 stitches in my lip, a few in the bridge of my nose, and a temporary splint on my two front teeth and much careful attention from the awesome hospital dentists at UCLA. Teeth're still hanging in fine almost two years later-- but that's because I sucked it up and insisted that they get examined.)
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 1:50 AM on October 21, 2010
(Been here, done this, 13 stitches in my lip, a few in the bridge of my nose, and a temporary splint on my two front teeth and much careful attention from the awesome hospital dentists at UCLA. Teeth're still hanging in fine almost two years later-- but that's because I sucked it up and insisted that they get examined.)
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 1:50 AM on October 21, 2010
Best answer: Hydrogen peroxide is not a great thing to be using to clean a gash, even in your mouth. It actually damages the healthy cells that are trying to grow in the healing space, as much as it damages bacteria that you're trying to get rid of. It's not like it will prevent the cut from healing, but it might slow things down (and maybe cause tingling/pain? I don't know...). Try a mix of baking soda and salt in water -- you might have to mess with the concentrations to find the right level, but you don't need too much. Shoot for about what you'd mix into a neti pot, if you're familiar with that.
posted by vytae at 6:10 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by vytae at 6:10 AM on October 21, 2010
Here are some of the things I would ask you about your symptoms.
Has your bite changed?
Does pain/tingling/itching radiate in any direction?
Are the teeth hyper-sensitive to hot or cold?
Do the teeth move? (which you have answered)
The most likely circumstance is that you may have compressed one or several of your lower teeth into the ligament space, or you may have traumatized your mental nerve. Good chance your symptoms are temporary, but if you compressed the teeth you may have amputated the blood supply to one or several and they may eventually lose their vitality (the pulp may die and require removal, i.e. a root canal).
The thing is that this kind of change is not often detectable on an x-ray right after the trauma and may, in fact, take years to manifest, if it ever does. Years from now you may notice a tooth that is darker than its fellows, and that might be the only sign you have that the pulp was compromised.
It's a good idea to have the teeth and your jaw checked for fracture.
IANYD of course. Good luck.
posted by OHenryPacey at 8:16 AM on October 21, 2010
Has your bite changed?
Does pain/tingling/itching radiate in any direction?
Are the teeth hyper-sensitive to hot or cold?
Do the teeth move? (which you have answered)
The most likely circumstance is that you may have compressed one or several of your lower teeth into the ligament space, or you may have traumatized your mental nerve. Good chance your symptoms are temporary, but if you compressed the teeth you may have amputated the blood supply to one or several and they may eventually lose their vitality (the pulp may die and require removal, i.e. a root canal).
The thing is that this kind of change is not often detectable on an x-ray right after the trauma and may, in fact, take years to manifest, if it ever does. Years from now you may notice a tooth that is darker than its fellows, and that might be the only sign you have that the pulp was compromised.
It's a good idea to have the teeth and your jaw checked for fracture.
IANYD of course. Good luck.
posted by OHenryPacey at 8:16 AM on October 21, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks to everyone so far for the info and suggestions.
vytae, thank you for the heads-up regarding the use of hydrogen peroxide on a wound, which was recommended to me by friends. I googled about and found a good deal of information supporting what you said about it inhibiting healing. I appreciate it; it wasn't something I'd even considered.
OHP, my bite has not changed, and now the tingling/itchy feeling seems to have dissipated just slightly, which is good news. This sensation hasn't radiated outward.
I also tested my teeth for heat/cold sensitivity per the suggestions in this thread, and there is none, so I'm encouraged.
posted by heyho at 11:07 AM on October 21, 2010
vytae, thank you for the heads-up regarding the use of hydrogen peroxide on a wound, which was recommended to me by friends. I googled about and found a good deal of information supporting what you said about it inhibiting healing. I appreciate it; it wasn't something I'd even considered.
OHP, my bite has not changed, and now the tingling/itchy feeling seems to have dissipated just slightly, which is good news. This sensation hasn't radiated outward.
I also tested my teeth for heat/cold sensitivity per the suggestions in this thread, and there is none, so I'm encouraged.
posted by heyho at 11:07 AM on October 21, 2010
It's probably just the gash healing. In my experience, mouth pain has a tendency to travel. I had an abscessed tooth in the back once, and felt the pain in the front. My dentist told me this sensation is not uncommon.
You should see a dentist though. You should also be rinsing with a salt & water solution (add a little baking soda to ease any stinging) to keep it clean while it heals. Not hydrogen peroxide.
posted by Koko at 11:25 AM on October 21, 2010
You should see a dentist though. You should also be rinsing with a salt & water solution (add a little baking soda to ease any stinging) to keep it clean while it heals. Not hydrogen peroxide.
posted by Koko at 11:25 AM on October 21, 2010
vytae: "Shoot for about what you'd mix into a neti pot, if you're familiar with that."
The standard mixture (at least, it's what I read online & what I use) is 1/2 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp baking soda per cup of water.
posted by IndigoRain at 2:05 PM on October 21, 2010
The standard mixture (at least, it's what I read online & what I use) is 1/2 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp baking soda per cup of water.
posted by IndigoRain at 2:05 PM on October 21, 2010
Response by poster: What a difference a day and a tweak makes. The first time I rinsed with the saltwater solution, I noticed a big difference -- the tingling (minutes and hours) afterward was reduced by about 50%. It was immediately clear that the hydrogen peroxide was, at least in part, responsible for the sensation.
Today it's much less pronounced, but what I do feel is definitely the wound itself, not my teeth. Whew. Thanks, AskMe! Every comment helped in some way. You guys are surprisingly good at what you do. I need to start hanging out on the green more often.
posted by heyho at 12:06 PM on October 22, 2010
Today it's much less pronounced, but what I do feel is definitely the wound itself, not my teeth. Whew. Thanks, AskMe! Every comment helped in some way. You guys are surprisingly good at what you do. I need to start hanging out on the green more often.
posted by heyho at 12:06 PM on October 22, 2010
Response by poster: The lowdown nearly three months later:
The tingling sensation, which lessened in severity over time, lasted through December, so for about 10 weeks altogether. The gash itself, which looked really bad at first (an angry, deep red color) healed, leaving just a thin white line within a week. There's a faint scar there now, and I need a bright light to even find it.
It did concern me that I was still feeling it at all around the holidays, and there was some lingering fear that perhaps I had done some nerve damage that could cause my teeth to suddenly tumble out of my mouth, but of course that didn't happen.
If you're reading this because something very similar is happening to you, be patient and try not to freak out. Stay away from the hydrogen peroxide, make sure your teeth aren't loose or sensitive to cold, and do the warm saltwater thing. And I really do tend to heal extra-quickly for a humanoid, so don't be too concerned if your healing doesn't occur along the same timeline as mine.
posted by heyho at 3:03 PM on January 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
The tingling sensation, which lessened in severity over time, lasted through December, so for about 10 weeks altogether. The gash itself, which looked really bad at first (an angry, deep red color) healed, leaving just a thin white line within a week. There's a faint scar there now, and I need a bright light to even find it.
It did concern me that I was still feeling it at all around the holidays, and there was some lingering fear that perhaps I had done some nerve damage that could cause my teeth to suddenly tumble out of my mouth, but of course that didn't happen.
If you're reading this because something very similar is happening to you, be patient and try not to freak out. Stay away from the hydrogen peroxide, make sure your teeth aren't loose or sensitive to cold, and do the warm saltwater thing. And I really do tend to heal extra-quickly for a humanoid, so don't be too concerned if your healing doesn't occur along the same timeline as mine.
posted by heyho at 3:03 PM on January 15, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also, go to your dentist, you could just get a cleaning if nothing else.
Sorry about the faceplant, sounds nasty.
posted by copperbleu at 1:01 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]