Expert: Benjamin Schwartz, DDS FAGD - 11/20/2008

Question
QUESTION: I had a routine dental cleaning 2.5 months ago. About a week later I noticed
that the lymph nodes in my neck and my armpits were swollen. A couple of
weeks after that, one of the front teeth in the top began to feel funny. The
dentist quickly discovered the root was dead  even though it had never hurt
me before. A root canal was done and it apparently got all of the infection
out.

The swelling of the lymph nodes, particularly those in the armpits, is still
waxing and waning. I've had a treatment of antibiotics, which seemed to
reduce the lymph nodes back to normal, but they came back a few days after
the antibiotics ended.

I've tested negative for lyme disease and for hiv. Would a dental cleaning
have had such a harmful effect--more or less spreading bacteria into my
body? And will the out-of-whack lymph nodes eventually return to normal?

Thank you.

ANSWER: Hi Jack,

Have you recently seen a physician for a full exam and blood work up?

It is very rare that a dental cleaning would cause such a reaction. I would suggest seeing a doctor ASAP or full check-up to insure that everything is in order.

Good luck!
Please let me know if you need more help.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes, Doctor. My physician ordered a full blood count. Everything was normal,
except for eosinophils, which were slighly elevated. My RBC was 4.98, my
WBC was 6.9. And the eosinophils were 8%. The doctor said the eosinophils
could be mildly elevated due to allergies. But I suspect there may be other
reasons as well.

He said that we should just wait and watch to see if it resolves by itself. But
I'm concerned. I strongly believe the whole health problem has something to
do with the tooth infection that I had, but obviously nobody can prove it.
Thanks again.  

Answer
Hi,

It is a very weird occurrence, and it may be related to the cleaning. However, it is very rare, to say the least.
You are on antibiotics, and are being watched by your physician. So you are doing all you can at this time.

Please let me know how this resolves.

Thanks and take care!