Expert: Mark Bornfeld DDS - 10/7/2006

Question
I have had problems with my teeth for many years. I have absessed teeth from time to time and my glands swell. I constantly clear my throat and it is so bad that my family says I do this and have for a long time...I dont even notice I am doing it. I feel snot dripping down my throat all the time and I swallow constantly. Can bad teeth cause your glands to swell and knots to form in your lymph glands they even hurt sometimes very slightly in the under arm area. I want to know what all can bad teeth cause?

Answer
Dear Ms. Lockhart,

Although dental infection can cause the regional lymph nodes located under the lower jaw to become swollen and tender, dental infection would not account for nasal or post-nasal catarrh, throat clearing, or swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpits. These symptoms you describe are most probably the result of a non-dental systemic condition-- perhaps some viral syndrome, although I am unqualified as a dentist to comment reliably on a non-dental condition.

I recommend that you consult with your medical doctor so that your symptoms can be properly assessed.

Hope this helps...

Mark Bornfeld DDS
www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY