OK, I'm a veteran of the beast but have been in remission for about 2 yrs. Started when I was 17 I'm now 50 with remissions in between.

I started about 10 days ago with tooth pain and of course it's on the side of the cluster's (my left side)  I went to the dentist yesterday and he said that I have two small cavities unrelated and a tooth that is very sensitive that needs a root canal.  No cavity in the tooth just very sensitive.  Never had a root canal before.

Now here's the question.  Can the tooth cause the trigger or did the trigger cause the tooth?  It's not pain it more pressure behind my left eye and my lower jaw.

I don't want to make a mistake because I don't have insurance and this is going to cost me 2000.00 dollars to have this done.

I started a dose pack this morning but nothing else.  The pain/pressure is not going away it's been constant.

I've never been on a preventive because they don't work for me.  I take imitrex and O2.  Cycle normally lasts 6 weeks.

Please give me your input.

Not a clue. :-/ 53, haven't ever had a root canal. Obviousy you've considered it, but unneeded dental work is a common occurence with CH'ers. Would want to make sure you've isolated that specific pain as a bad tooth and not the trigeminal ringing your phone......which still leaves the question of which came first right? Wishing you some pain free time soon.

Joe

Joe

I've had several root canals.  A few of which we're after becoming a CH'er.  None had any effect of triggering a cycle, but both were associated with gum abscess and a very similar pain to CH, only focused around my sinuses, and not my temple/eye.

(I often describe CH pain as very similar in quality to a severe abscessed tooth, only more intense)

I'd probably go ahead and get your teeth fixed up.  That being said, YMMV.

It's common for somone who is just developing Cluster to end up at the dentist's because of tooth pain only to be surprised when they are told, no dental problems.

Dealing with a complex nerve system which serves much of our head and so leads to incorrect assumptions about the source of the pain. This is why Cluster eye pain is assumed to be a vision/eyeball problem and, having seen the eye doc, are told, no problem.

But Cluster isn't causing the infection or hypersensitivity which the dentist says is the source of the dental presentation.

Yes, it's confusing and frustrating!

No infection or abscess.  Lower molar no cavity had x-rays.  Went to MD and he feels that it may be the Cluster's starting.  Since there is no infection or breakage,crack or cavity he said I could wait to see what develops.

I got a script for Imitrex nasal and pills along with two small bottles of O2 that I kept on hand just in case.  I'm also on a steroid dose pack he called in this morning so I started that today.

I've been down the route of having my impacted teeth pulled years ago because they said that was causing the problem but it never did a thing.

Two years ago I started the day after Christmas and full blown by Jan 4th.  My gut is telling me this has nothing to do with my tooth and more to do with clusters starting.  The MD also said there was a large knot on the back of my neck. 

Hmmm....the dreaded knot!! Have you checked out The Batch Regimen??? Newest latest and greatest around here, worth a quick read for sure.

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Joe

Already there Joe,  I see a lot of familiar names still here.  I will be upping my dose tonight.  I already take 5000 of D3 and try to keep my D levels over 70.  Didn't know about the Omega 3 even though I take that daily also maybe just not enough.  I did slack off of the magnesium will get back on that tonight.  So far I'm getting strong shadows buy nothing hardcore yet.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  I see in 2011 my cycle lasted 4 weeks heres to hoping that is the case here if I gotta have them.

;)

My opinion (i've had 3 root canals on the affected side) is  I think cavities or toothaches can trigger a cluster headache . I don't think they're the cause, but a toothache, even a slight one seems like it can light up all those familiar nerves pretty quickly.

Here's my problem.  I don't know if it's a tooth ache.  The dentist came to this conclusion after spraying cold air on my tooth near the gum line and counting to 10.  Yes, I know pretty weird but he said that if the pain (I call it a sensitivity) goes away before 5 then we are OK after that it means root canal.  No infection, no cavity clean x-rays and the tooth he is saying needs the root canal is on the bottom the pressure is now on the top no problem on the bottom.  I don't really have pain just a lot of pressure under the cheek bone across the upper jaw to the temple to the back of the neck.  Why couldn't this be on the other side then I would know what the hell was going on as I only get clusters on the left side.  I'm really screwed up big time.  The pressure is staying pretty much all the time not coming and going.  Like a shadow that hangs around doesn't get worse doesn't get better.  I guess in a few days I will know what's going on.  It's the pain in the temple and back of the neck that has me thrown off.

If the x-rays show nothing, and you don't have cold/hot sensitivity you probably don't need a root canal. It could be you have a small cavity that they're not seeing in the x-ray(maybe get a second opinion?) or its the clusters causing the sensitivity in your teeth.  This sounds waaayyy too familiar.. It seems like if the imitrex or O2 helps with the CH , shadows and head pressure and your x-rays are clean, then its probably not the teeth. Just my opinion though..

Hot and cold sensitivity on my teeth have always been a problem.  My gums have receded due to having children.  There is nothing they can do because skin grafts will not work due to diabetes and thyroid.  I have been told this by several dentist.

I'm on the steroid dose pack this week so far I'm doing OK just major shadows. 

Samiam wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2013 at 8:33pm:

he said that if the pain (I call it a sensitivity)

It's funny how we Clusterheads have a totally skewed pain scale.  What other people call "severe pain" we call an itch.  hahaha   8-)

It is funny.  I really don't know how to answer that sometimes.  When I was in Labor with my first child the doctor asked me how bad were my contractions I said I don't think I'm having any...LOL  She looked at me so funny?