Blurred Vision?

johnn

Hi All,

I have done a bit of research online and it seems my current situation may be a dental one. I got home from football training and was feeling dizzy and the vision in my left-eye went blurry, the combination of the headache and blurred vision meant i was struggling to even read the screen on the computer comfortably. I had something happen like this to me before which I went to the doctor about and he said it was due to too much computer/TV so I took a break for the next two days.

That brings me up to now, the headache is gone but i still have blurryness in my left eye. what i noticed is that when i cough or sneeze my whole cheekbone hurts, and when i lean over theres like a build-up of pressure pushing downwards. Could this be an abscess thats causing all this? I have a deep-filling in one of my-upper back left teeth, which i was actually told years ago i needed a root canal in, but when i went last year to the dentist and enquired about it was told that this wasnt necessary, although she pointed out that it was a very deep filling.

I have no pain at all in the tooth itself, the most recent pain i had was last week where that same upper gum was sore from brushing, i think i may have some gum disease there. i am probably going to try and book an appointment as soon as possible to be safe.

I have a big football game on sat morning, and i cant exactly play with blurred vision! thanks

kkth0360

Hi,
An abscess on an upper tooth can potentially spread into the maxillary sinus (an air space in the upper jaw bone, connected to the nasal system and the other sinuses) and this can cause facial pain / pressure particularly on bending the head forwards, blocked nose etc.

However, persistant blurred vision is NOT a normal symptom of any dental problem, and I would suggest that you should return to your GP and / or seek a referral to an ophthalmologist if the visual problems are ongoing.

johnn

Is there a quick fix like medication for an abcess? i think i may have gotten something for one before, or will this now mean more than likely the root canal is necessary?

msg11

johnn wrote: »

Is there a quick fix like medication for an abcess? i think i may have gotten something for one before, or will this now mean more than likely the root canal is necessary?

Your cannot remove a tooth or do root canal on a tooth with an abcess, as the pain is so strong you would need to be out under GA.

First the tooth is threated. With either Oral/Tablet admistration. (under perscription)

This should fix the tooth if there nerve is not dead, so it up too you if its not dead which way you should go.

Abcess, are a nightmare full of pain. I have been there also had blood in my pulp at the same time, not nice.

Based on what I have been threw I give you the above advise. But I cannot see how the abcess can be linked to blurred vision..

Go to the dentist and explain your problem. If it fails contact your GP or google for advise..

Big_G

I definitely think that you should be examined by an expert with xrays taken. Blurred vision, as said, is not a usual symptom of dental infection. Double vision can sometimes be a problem associated with a blowout fracture of the floor of the orbit due to blocked sinuses or other fractures of the face.

With regard to a tooth with an abcess not being able to be treated, that is not entirely true. In some cases, successful, pain-free treatment can be undertaken. It all depends on the severity of swelling/infection.

johnn

My vision actually has gotten a good bit better now & the headache is gone so im not entirely sure what was going on there. i may go see an optician and get checked out

I still have that build up of pressure around the cheekbone that we were talking about. theres no pain in that tooth whatsoever so hopefully i can medicated for the abscess, and dont need anything else done with it. its also sore when i sort of press against the top of my head where the headache was so ill have to ask is it related.

Ive booked in to the dentist for 5:15 tonight anyway, theres also a tooth i think may need a filling so im glad to go in. i think on that sore gum i was talking about it may have receeded a little bit, exposing more of the tooth and hence it has been sore to brush, what would be the treat ment for this gum disease?

johnn

also do PRSI cover things such as fillings? or is it just the actual check-up itself that is covered?

DaveTwenty7

johnn you may have a sinus problem which may be due to a dental infection.
The fact that the pain/pressure changes with different orientations of your head does suggest a "fluid" cause such as sinusitis.

Regarding your PRSI it pays for one exam and 2 cleans a year. You will have to pay something towards any fillings/root canal treatments but not as much as if you were a private(non prsi, non medical card patient)

let us know how you get on

convert

Definitely go to the dentist to get it checked out, and you're lucky to have gotten an appointment so quickly. Apart from the blurred eyesight and headaches, I had similar symptoms a few years ago with a number 6 upper tooth that was deeply filled. I kept getting a dull pressure in my cheek bone, a blocked and continuously runny nose, some pressure under and around my eye, especially when I bent down/leaned forward or did exercise. I then got a pain in my tooth, so I went to the dentist, who told me it was just that I was putting too much pressure on my tooth when eating, so he ground it down a bit. This went on for about 3 or 4 months, with the same result and he told me it couldn't as bad as I was describing because the tooth was root filled.

The pain got worse and worse and eventually one evening when I sniffled (no more than usual) I got a searing pain that moved up from below my cheek bone (where the top of the tooth is in the jaw), around my eye, into the bridge of my nose and my nose started to stream. I blew my nose and the most awful substance (gunky and foul smelling) came down through my nose - it turned out it was pus from an abscess that had been on my tooth for well over a year, but which my dentist failed to diagnose.

Cue my return to the dentist four days later (first available appointment) who told me it was my sinus. Visit to doctor later that morning who said it definitely wasn't as I had no major sensitivity around my sinus, but gave me antibiotics anyway because I had such a bad infection. Returned to dentist 3 weeks later (next available appointment) with my abscess still draining and he told me he'd re-do the root filling for me, but that it'd take between 5 and 8 visits.

And all of this took place when I was trying to study for my finals! Somehow managed to struggle through my assingments and exams and then decided to find a new dentist and found one who was great. I described my sypmtoms, he checked my tooth and gum and the teeth around it, tapped the tooth, said that there was still infection in it (about 3 months later after 2 doses of antibiotics), x-rayed my tooth, told me exactly what happend and why the abscess had burst in the manner it did, showing me on the x-ray, and told me that he'd put in a root filling. I asked him about replacing the current root filling, but he told me that my tooth wasn't actually root filled, it just had quite a deep filling in it and showed me the x-ray of the normal filling because I told him my dentist had said it was root filled. Anyway, he root filled the tooth in 3 visits and didn't hurt me once (my old dentist didn't always give me enough anaesthetic, even when I told him it hurt during the procedure!). That was about 6 years ago and I've had no problems with it since (and just got it checked yesterday, so cue a very happy customer )

Best thing is to get your dentist to check it. I really regret not finding a new dentist sooner because my health suffered hugely because my body was so tired fighting the infection all the time. Antibiotics will help fight the infection so that your dentist will be able to treat the tooth once the infection has cleared up. Don't let it drag out. Best of luck, and hopefully the abscess isn't too bad!

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Dude, go to a doctor, blurred vision can be a serious symptom. Dont wast time looking for advice on the internet, get thee to a doctor .

johnn

Just got back from the dentists, i was expecting at least a filling in that bottom corner tooth, or at worst a root canal in that one i always think ill need every time i visit the dentist but instead was told..."your teeth are fine."

Apparently that pressure was just fluid on the synises that he said would cure itself, or else to speed it up he suggested something called "Synotap". He said its annoying but itll eventually cure itself.

Im assuming as he says my teeth are fine that this rules out that this is actually an abscess causing the fluid? or was he just being lazy seeing as i saw him at 5:15 on a fri evening?

Either way it doesnt really explain the blurred vision i had and difficulty comprehending the screen in front of me. it may just be another case of something i previously had. i went to the doctors when i had a similar episode and had an E.E.G. headscan which revealed nothing wrong, but he said its probably down to too much computer and TV! so hopefully thats all this component of my ailment was again.

now hopefully them synises clear up soon!

convert

Probably best to go see your doctor asap and see if they can shed any light on the blurred vision, if it's not caused by the tooth. Better to get it checked than leave it and have it develop into something serious.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

If it aint your teeth (dont be disappointed its not) go to a doctor. Sinus pain can feel like tooth ache, but the blurred vision is a worrying symptom. Get it checked out.....now....go on.......go...

tricky D

This sounds similar to what I had a few weeks ago. My sinuses were a bit clogged, putting pressure down onto a tooth causing discomfort when I bit down on the tooth and headaches. I thought it was a tooth gone bad and went to the dentist for a checkup. Xrays were taken. There was a deep filling in the tooth but it appeared fine. Then asked about my sinuses which I said had been a bit clogged up. He reckoned that was the culprit so we made an appointment for next week in case refilling was required and in the meantime I started taking some Olbas oil to decongest the sinuses. Problem solved almost immediately and appointment cancelled a few days later.

Mind you, as said before, this the Internet, so have your pinches of salt handy.

GinaH

Big_G wrote: »

With regard to a tooth with an abcess not being able to be treated, that is not entirely true. In some cases, successful, pain-free treatment can be undertaken. It all depends on the severity of swelling/infection.

Tell me more please. I have a tooth that had root canal work done on it 15 yrs ago and the dentist tells me there is an abcess under it and if i dont get the tooth out i may DIE !! I have a phobia about extraction but DIE ??

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Yes you can DIE from dental infections but only really really really bad ones and even then its really unlikely. You could always get the root canal redone instead of getting it out. Bet you didn't get a crown on that root canal treated tooth

GinaH

Nope, the dentist never mentioned a crown ?? I had root canal work done on the other side in Naas in Dec '08 which cost 1200, that dentist did say to come back for a crown, at a cost of 1000. so i didnt.

personguy

convert wrote: »

Definitely go to the dentist to get it checked out, and you're lucky to have gotten an appointment so quickly. Apart from the blurred eyesight and headaches, I had similar symptoms a few years ago with a number 6 upper tooth that was deeply filled. I kept getting a dull pressure in my cheek bone, a blocked and continuously runny nose, some pressure under and around my eye, especially when I bent down/leaned forward or did exercise. I then got a pain in my tooth, so I went to the dentist, who told me it was just that I was putting too much pressure on my tooth when eating, so he ground it down a bit. This went on for about 3 or 4 months, with the same result and he told me it couldn't as bad as I was describing because the tooth was root filled.

The pain got worse and worse and eventually one evening when I sniffled (no more than usual) I got a searing pain that moved up from below my cheek bone (where the top of the tooth is in the jaw), around my eye, into the bridge of my nose and my nose started to stream. I blew my nose and the most awful substance (gunky and foul smelling) came down through my nose - it turned out it was pus from an abscess that had been on my tooth for well over a year, but which my dentist failed to diagnose.

Cue my return to the dentist four days later (first available appointment) who told me it was my sinus. Visit to doctor later that morning who said it definitely wasn't as I had no major sensitivity around my sinus, but gave me antibiotics anyway because I had such a bad infection. Returned to dentist 3 weeks later (next available appointment) with my abscess still draining and he told me he'd re-do the root filling for me, but that it'd take between 5 and 8 visits.

And all of this took place when I was trying to study for my finals! Somehow managed to struggle through my assingments and exams and then decided to find a new dentist and found one who was great. I described my sypmtoms, he checked my tooth and gum and the teeth around it, tapped the tooth, said that there was still infection in it (about 3 months later after 2 doses of antibiotics), x-rayed my tooth, told me exactly what happend and why the abscess had burst in the manner it did, showing me on the x-ray, and told me that he'd put in a root filling. I asked him about replacing the current root filling, but he told me that my tooth wasn't actually root filled, it just had quite a deep filling in it and showed me the x-ray of the normal filling because I told him my dentist had said it was root filled. Anyway, he root filled the tooth in 3 visits and didn't hurt me once (my old dentist didn't always give me enough anaesthetic, even when I told him it hurt during the procedure!). That was about 6 years ago and I've had no problems with it since (and just got it checked yesterday, so cue a very happy customer )

Best thing is to get your dentist to check it. I really regret not finding a new dentist sooner because my health suffered hugely because my body was so tired fighting the infection all the time. Antibiotics will help fight the infection so that your dentist will be able to treat the tooth once the infection has cleared up. Don't let it drag out. Best of luck, and hopefully the abscess isn't too bad!

thanks very much for all the info.

any advice on how to find a "real" dentist? i have a huge fear of dental procedures etc but now have a very obvious and discomforting abscess along with severely painful tooth decay that i have to get checked out asap, and i'd very much prefer to not waste time and fear on a dentist who doesn't know their stuff.

so, any tips? (even on how to sniff out and possibly avoid a 'faulty' dentist?)

thx.

georgieporgy

Dentists are so called because they are trained to treat anything that may relate to teeth. This will include things like toothache and abscesses.

So you can assume that any dentist licenced to practice in Ireland will know how to deal with your problem. You should be able to get some names from colleagues and friends.