My root canal extraction adventure

by | Jun 16, 2010 | Columns, General Health News, Healing Lyme | 105 comments

tips on removing an infected tooth when you have chemical and electrical sensitivities

root canal

I heard years ago that root canals were potentially harmful to your health. I read about the research of Weston A. Price, D.D.S. from the 1930’s where he implanted root canal teeth from sick patients under the skin of rabbits, and in almost every case, the rabbits developed the same disease of the patient, sometimes even dieing within a few days. His experiments showed that bacteria trapped within the tubules of root-filled teeth migrated throughout the body, infecting organs, glands, and tissues. It seemed logical then to wonder if my Crohn’s disease, symptoms of which started around the time I received my root canal at age 13, was actually an infection that had migrated from my front tooth. Dr. Price’s experiments were part of a 25 year root canal research program carried out under the auspices of the American Dental Association (ADA) and then covered up, according to George Meinig’s book Root Canal Cover-Up.

Dr. Price found that many types of degenerative illnesses – heart/kidney/lung/bladder and others diseases – could be transferred to the rabbits. Not just from implanting the whole infected teeth under their skin, but also by embedding small pieces of the root, injecting pulverized teeth (a powder), or even just the toxins from the teeth after being cultured in the lab. The other part of his experiment showed that a lot of his patients recovered from their afflictions after removing the root canal teeth. For a person who is chronically ill and has exhausted other avenues of treatment, hearing this news can provide much needed hope and direction.

I consulted with a holistic dentist after suffering (in addition to a life lived with Crohn’s disease) severe mercury poisoning from a broken thermometer in my late twenties, chronic lyme disease, and a chemical injury to my lungs and brain from a toxic outdoor fire when I was 32. I developed severe and extensive food allergies almost overnight a month after the fire incident, and had classic mercury toxicity symptoms (a rash on my face – misdiagnosed as rosacea – inappropriate flushing of the face, severe anxiety, panic attacks, dulled thinking, dyslexia, moroseness, social withdrawal, and other symptoms). What I didn’t understand then, is that I was becoming severely environmentally intolerant, on my way to becoming what they call a “universal reactor.” Nonetheless, I knew I was losing my health and as soon as I found out I had mercury poisoning, I decided to have my mercury amalgams removed and replaced with bio-compatible composite materials. I asked my holistic dentist about extracting my root canal but she was quite hesitant to recommend I remove my front tooth, mostly because the tooth replacement options – an implant, bridge, or removable partial – were not ideal and each one of them could potentially create new health problems for me. Plus, she had not observed great health improvements in her patients who had removed root canals in the past. She encouraged me to wait and only go down that path as a last resort.

Fast forward almost eight years. I have lost everything from my former life: my highly prized rent-stabilized NYC studio on a tree-lined block in the village, my friends, my career, my material possessions (clothes, books, CDs, furniture, etc.), my passions (photography, Middle Eastern music and dance), even my family. I live in what amounts to a metal box with concrete floors in the middle of the high desert in Arizona, my worldly goods pared down to what fits in my car. I am disabled by environmental illness. I have only a few tolerable outfits to my name. No bedding except for a pillow. An inability to use overhead fans, a/c units, most heating systems, dishwashers, microwaves, cell phones, even T.V. My diet is severely limited and I can only tolerate Mountain Valley spring water, bottled in glass, for drinking. I haven’t had a normal bowel movement in almost six years; my particular form of “Crohn’s” is an unrelenting diarrhea that is sometimes tied into chemical exposures. I would say that I was more than ready to go down the root canal extraction path when my front cap unexpectedly came out one day while eating a burrito. I was talking to an old and dear friend about a mutual friend, Indira, who had passed away recently. I like to think that it was Indira who pulled that front cap out, sending me help from beyond.

I could have chosen to glue that front cap right back on the “dead” half-tooth that remained, but Indira must have beat me to it and the tooth disintegrated on its own a few days later, so that there was barely anything left to attach the cap to. Because of my severe chemical and electrical intolerances, I had huge amounts of anxiety about getting the tooth pulled – not only was the procedure a risk, with the use of local anesthesia, x-rays, and other substances that could harm my health permanently, but I didn’t even know if I could tolerate a dentist’s office.

I found a specialist in root canal extractions just over three hours from my home, highly recommended for “difficult cases” like mine by two holistic dentists I contacted in other towns. I decided to pull the tooth and get a “removable partial,” at least initially until the gum had time to heal. I did not want an implant which uses metal, or to file down my natural teeth for a permanent bridge. Then I talked to friends with environmental illness who had removed root canals and did research online to prepare a list of questions to ask the dentist. My list included the following:

• What sort of anesthesia is used, and do you do kinesiology (also known as muscle testing) to determine the right type? Epinephrine-free (epi-free) and preservative-free polocaine and carbocaine were two recommended as tolerable by other people with chemical intolerance. My dentist used polocaine, which he muscle-tested me for to make sure it was right for me. He also used a pre-numbing solution of benzocaine. I did have some breathing problems initially but overall it went fine. I didn’t eat enough after the procedure and had a major emotional meltdown driving home, when the chemicals went through my system (I typically have emotional meltdowns from chemical exposures). I also felt very physically ill by the time I arrived home. But as soon as I got some food in my system, I felt a lot better!

• How do you test for biocompatibility of materials used for the removable partial? We did a Cliffords blood test, which I did have my doubts about, but ultimately I tolerated the materials perfectly, with no reaction at all!

• What do you use to kill the infection after the extraction is completed? My dentist wrote me a prescription for an antibiotic, which I chose to avoid due to my chronic candida and gut issues (antibiotics kill ALL bacteria, good and bad, and can cause really bad gut problems for some people). Instead, I chose to use an herbal antibiotic – cryptolepis – which is featured in Stephen Harrod Buhner’s book Herbal Antibiotics. I took 30 drops 3x day for 14 days but I could’ve taken it for 5-7 days according to the herbalist at woodlandessence.com, where I purchased it from. I wanted to be sure I killed the infection so I used it longer.

• Do you use the George Meinig procedure for extractions? One risk of pulling a tooth is developing a cavitation, or an infected hole in the bone. My dentist scraped at least a millimeter of my jaw bone after the tooth extraction, to make sure any infected bone and periodontal ligament lining the tooth socket were removed.

• How can I avoid a dry socket? If after your tooth extraction the blood clot that naturally forms is dislodged, then you may develop what is called a “dry socket.” You’ll know if you get a dry socket if instead of noticing less discomfort with each passing day after the surgery, between three and five days you start to feel increased pain at the extraction site and/or a foul taste and odor. By following the self-care guidelines given to me by my dentist after the extraction, I was able to avoid a dry socket. Essentially, you need to be very careful about eating, rinsing, sucking, spitting, etc. in the first few days after the surgery.

Fast forward almost eight years. I have lost everything from my former life: my highly prized rent-stabilized NYC studio on a tree-lined block in the village, my friends, my career, my material possessions (clothes, books, CDs, furniture, etc.), my passions (photography, Middle Eastern music and dance), even my family.


General recap of tooth extraction experience

  • Pre-extraction Consultation My initial visit included a new patient consultation, panaramic x-ray, mold of my teeth and gums for the removable partial, and a tooth cleaning. My appointment lasted about four hours!

I had trouble breathing in the dental office and had to repeatedly leave to go outside and get “fresh air.” I brought my oxygen tank with me, which let my dentist’s office know that I had respiratory issues they needed to take seriously. A few perfumed patients that day made the office unsafe for me. But having had a difficult time there for the initial visit, meant they took the extra steps needed to insure a scent-free surgery appointment.

  • Extraction, Infrared Light Treatment I was in at 7 a.m. for the oral surgery, and out by 9:30 a.m., which included an hour under an infrared light to help initiate healing.

    The injection of local anesthesia was extremely painful. The dental assistant held my hand and I thought I was going to hurt her, I squeezed so hard. The extraction itself was fairly quick and painless. My tooth came out in two pulls. The dentist said my body “did not want that tooth,” because it came out so easily. I breathed such a sigh of relief from the release of all the built up tension and anxiety that I had around the surgery. I was so relieved when it was over.

    I used no painkillers or antibiotics. I did not have much pain – aside from the excruciating multi-injection of local anesthesia into my gums. The extraction site did not ache or radiate pain. I did not get an infection in the gum, and I used an herb with strong antibiotic properties to help kill any infection that might have migrated from my root canal to an organ. I also rinsed my mouth with lukewarm sea salt water per the instructions from my dentist.

    You might not have the same experience. Some people do experience pain, and do get infections. I can only tell you what I experienced. But I did a lot of research and used my knowledge about food, herbs, homeopathy, and self-care to help increase my chances of a quick and speedy recovery.

    Note: My head was so loopy from not sleeping the night before (I stayed at a campground near my dentist’s office and slept in my car) and from the whole experience, that I did not realize I started driving home in the wrong direction and added 2+ hours to my trip. Not good! Make sure your directions are written out step by step for the way home if you are driving yourself. (I was following the directions for the way there, but just reversing everything, or so I thought!)

  • Removal of Stitches 10-15 days after the oral surgery I needed to return to get my stitches removed.

    The procedure did not hurt and took about 10 minutes. I also had my removable partial adjusted since it was hurting my teeth and it made a big difference!

I used no painkillers or antibiotics. I did not have much pain – aside from the excruciating multi-injection of local anesthesia into my gums. The extraction site did not ache or radiate pain.


My chemical-free healing toolkit
Here are some of the things I used to help support my body through the procedure:

General support

• One online healer friend was giving me long distance Reiki during the extraction.

• Another had me on his HeartMath frequency. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I welcomed all the energetic support from afar that I could get!

• I drank plenty of wheatgrass and green vegetable/sprouts juices in the weeks leading up to the surgery, as well as the week after.

• I gave myself probiotic retention enemas (implanting beneficial bacteria via the rectum) a few days before and after the procedure, to help my body fight off any infection.

• I brought my own drinking water, toilet paper, organic cotton pads (to help control bleeding after extraction) to all dentist visits.

• I used paper towel sheets to line the chair I would sit in for the surgery to protect my clothes from any synthetic cleaning agents – but you could bring your own tolerable material if you have any (I did not).

• I scheduled the procedure before office hours to avoid fragranced patients.

• I asked if those employees interacting with me would avoid using fragranced products, including deodorants, until after I left the office.

Radiation support

• The week before my x-rays I ate more seaweed, beans, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and garlic – all foods said to be protective against radiation. Other good foods: orange and dark green veggies like winter squash, beets, kale, collards, chard and spinach; cabbage, arugula and other vegetables in the cabbage family; miso broth; dried beans, especially lentils; foods rich in selenium like nettle infusions, burdock root, shellfish, and ginseng.

• I started taking Yarrow Environmental Solution (YES), an herbal supplement made of whole plant tinctures and flower essences of yarrow and echinacea, said to be helpful with radiation. I did react to this orally (its in a brandy base, and I am alcohol intolerant) and so I just held the bottle during the x-rays, as I am very responsive to even just the energy of substances in a bottle.

• I imagined myself wrapped in psychic lead, with all my cells protected from radiation damage.

• My doctor gave me a liquid homeopathic remedy for radiation right before I got my x-rays.

• I held a small glass vial of a homeopathic radiation remedy sent to me by a healer friend on the day of extraction, when they did two more x-rays.

I did not notice any reaction or negative effect from the x-rays. I am very electro-magnetically sensitive, so this was a big concern to me.

Inflammation/pain support

• I started taking a homeopathic remedy of Arnica montana (30C) 2 days before the extraction. Arnica is used for trauma, bruising, and swelling from injuries. Others had recommended I take it in a 1M or 200C strength, especially on the day of the extraction, but I was not able to buy it in time. I did just fine with the 30C strength.

• I also drank ginger tea in the days before the extraction. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties.

• After the extraction, my dentist gave me a homeopathic remedy for pain and inflammation called Relief-Tone by Energetix. It contains homeopathic solutions of Arnica montana, Belladonna, Cortisone Aceticum, Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s Wort), Symphytum officinale (Comfrey), as well as glycerin, ethanol, and purified water. I took 5 drops under my tongue every hour the first 4 days, then 30 drops twice a day until the bottle was finished.

• The first few days after the extraction, I added fresh turmeric (anti-inflammatory), ginger (anti-inflammatory) and garlic (anti-bacterial) to fresh vegetable juices, to boost my healing.

My gum seemed to heal very quickly, starting the very first night. Not sure if that is normal or expected, but it was comforting to see things progressing nicely so soon after the procedure.

Anxiety support

• Just before the extraction, I took 4 drops of Rescue Remedy in a small glass of water. I don’t usually use this, but I had a gut feeling it would help me relax. It did.

• Just before the removal of the stitches, I took 4 drops of Rescue Remedy in a small glass of water.

Pre-planning pesticide check

• I asked my dentist’s office if they used pesticides in their office. They said that they only used natural pesticides. Since some natural pesticides can be toxic, I asked for the name of the Pest Control company and then called them myself. They told me that they only used diatomaceous earth and a boric acid/corn cob mix in my dentist’s office. I was satisfied with that answer.

• To prepare for the road trip, I called my county’s pesticide spraying office to find out which route would be safest to use for the days I was traveling, so I could avoid driving through an area that was actively being sprayed with pesticides that day. Check with your Department of Agriculture or Department of Transportation to find out your local schedule.

• I stayed at a campground the night before, and also called them to find out if they use pesticides before I went.

The main bacteria Dr. Price found in infected teeth were streptococcus, staphylococcus, and spirochetes. I have tested positive for all three in the past, the first two in nasal cultures and stool tests. The third in a blood test showing Borrelia burgdorferi. However, my extracted root canal tooth was tested for infection after the surgery and it came back showing no evidence of malignancy. There was a note on the report saying that perhaps the infection was in an area of the tooth not visualized by their processing techniques. My dentist explained to me that he did see an infection when he removed the tooth and that my x-rays show infection in the tip of the tooth. He said that sometimes the extracted tooth will crumble and disintegrate in the solution they use to send it to the lab.

For better or worse, I removed my 30-year-old root canal tooth with much trepidation and preparation. My gum is healing nicely and I am managing well with my removable partial. I have yet to notice any real health benefits from the procedure, but I hope that over time, my body will thank me for the removal of this dead organ. I am still hoping that my intestinal problems will eventually clear up as a direct result of this experience.

Note: an electrically and chemically sensitive friend got an abscessed tooth extracted after me, and paid 1/3 of the price going to a conventional dentist in her area. I would recommend you shop around for price, as well as willingness to accommodate your environmental intolerances.

Author

  • Stephen Harrod Buhner

    Stephen Harrod Buhner was an Earth poet and an award-winning author of twenty-four books on nature, indigenous cultures, the environment, and herbal medicine including the acclaimed book Healing Lyme: Natural Healing & Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis & Its Co-infections.

    Stephen came from a long line of healers including Leroy Burney, Surgeon General of the United States under Eisenhower and Kennedy, and Elizabeth Lusterheide, a midwife and herbalist who worked in rural Indiana in the early nineteenth century. The greatest influence on his work, however, was his great-grandfather C.G. Harrod who primarily used botanical medicines, also in rural Indiana, when he began his work as a physician in 1911.

    Stephen’s work has appeared or been profiled in publications throughout North America and Europe including Common Boundary, Apotheosis, Shaman’s Drum, The New York Times, CNN, and Good Morning America. Stephen lectured yearly throughout the United States on herbal medicine, the sacredness of plants, the intelligence of Nature, and the states of mind necessary for successful habitation of Earth.

    He was a tireless advocate for the reincorporation of the exploratory artist, independent scholar, amateur naturalist, and citizen scientist in American society – especially as a counterweight to the influence of corporate science and technology.

    View all posts

This protocol was incredible. After only a few weeks most of my symptoms were gone. After six months all my symptoms were gone… it has given me my life back.

– Amazon review by Joseph

Please note:

Stephen Buhner is no longer living and this Q + A column on Planet Thrive is closed to new questions. It will be kept on our website so readers can access vital information in the archives, communicate with each other in the comments section, and find herbs, books + lyme adjuncts in our directory. If you want to read more of Stephen’s writings, please see his website at: stephenharrodbuhner.com.



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105 Comments

  1. Vincent

    WOW! Wonderful piece Julie! You covered all the bases and more.
    One problem I came up against after root canal extraction was I reacted terribly to the partial. It was made of Flexite which the Clifford Institute praises as the most biocompatible. I called the Flexite lab in NYC and was told that if my partial had a pink tint in the material, that it contained cadmium!!! I had to pay for a new partial which contained no colour, and no cadmium. Although I reacted slightly to the new partial, I could wear it for extended periods of time, whereas the partial with the pink tint left me very weak and unable to concentrate within minutes, not to mention making me salivate profusely!! I had six root canals removed over a four month period essentially using the procedure you describe. The benefits were evident within days of the final extraction. I had had root canals in my mouth for 43 years, beginning at age 11. All sockets healed well without cavitations. I am not considering implants as they may cause many of the same problems as root canals. I was speaking to my nephrologist today who does kidney transplants, and he told me he would not transplant a kidney into a patient who had root canals or implants.

    Thanks again for a wonderful article Julie.

    Vincent

  2. earthwalker

    Oh no, Vincent – my partial has a pink tint! It is supposedly made of acrylic. I will have to follow up and find out about it. But I am not reacting to it at all. Thanks for mentioning that. I’m glad you liked the article. I was thinking it was too long and too dense. Appreciate you stopping by to leave a comment!!

  3. Vincent

    Julie: If it is made of acrylic, then it is not flexite, and it may not contain cadmium. If your partial was made by Dr. Cook’s lab in Suring, Wisconsin, it will be OK. Dr Cook’s lab uses acrylic, but bakes it for 20 hours as opposed to 4 hours for other labs in order to ensure the product is stabilized and no longer releasing monomers. I am not absolutely sure, but I very much doubt they use cadmium. As an aside, when I told my dentist in Canada I was reacting to the Flexite, he told me none of his patients reacted to it. But…when I called Dr Cook in Wisconsin, he said NONE of his patients tolerated Flexite, but that they did well with the acrylic partials he was making on site.

    BTW, your article is quite long, but, IMHO necessary for the great majority of readers who have root canals and feel they should have them removed. Your explaining your particular health problems is very helpful in provididing necessary background, context as well as letting the reader know that you know, giving the reader even more comfort in your thinking aloud…LOL
    Best, Vincent

  4. Michael Roland

    Much appreciated Julie! This is an awesome article!

  5. earthwalker

    Hey Vincent,
    You gave me a little scare but I called the lab that made my removable partial (“flipper”) and they confirmed it was 100% acrylic, no dyes or other ingredients like cadmium. Yay! The lab is First Impressions in the Phoenix area at (480) 545-1460 if anyone wants to use them.

  6. Vincent

    Hi Julie: Just saw your reply. That is fantastic news! Thanks for including the name of the lab and phone #.
    Best, Vince..

  7. John

    Sorry to hear about the Crohns and Mercury Poisoning. I too have suffered from these afflictions since being vaccinated with mercury during childhood. I am 24 years old and have been well for nearly 1 year now after treating myself with a teaspoon a day of Zeolite Powder everyday for the past year. I really don’t have words to describe the suffering and hell I have endured for most of my life due to the Mercury Poisoning aka Autism aka Living Hell that I had been stuck in for so long. Of course being in America, conventional medicine which was the very thing that poisoned me in the first place, only continued to poison me with strong anti-psychotic drugs that turned me into a virtual zombie. I also have nearly every medicine and herb and vitamin out there and NOTHING has helped me anywhere like the Zeolite Powder has. Anybody who has ever been exposed to Mercury, which is most americans, should get a supply of Zeolite Powder! The Genocidal American Medical System continues to pump young babies full of Mercury at an alarming rate, Corporations allied with the US government to make money off the poisoning of children. This is so EVIL most people just can’t even comprehend it. This is why I believe in God, because these Subhuman Pieces of Filth Monsters have made it so obvious that the Devil is alive and Well.

  8. earthwalker

    Interesting about the zeolite John, thanks for sharing that. Can you share the brand you use?

    On another note, I’d like to report an improvement I just realized yesterday. I have had a lot of floaters in my eyes for years, which is common with people who have lyme and co-infections. I realized yesterday that I have not had many, if any at all, floaters in the last few weeks. That is so great to realize! Nice to see an improvement. There is no way to know if it is related to the root canal tooth extraction but it certainly could be.

  9. IVAN

    HI JULIE…THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE POSTING..I JUST HAD 5!! TEETH ETXRACTED AND WILL HAVE 4 MORE DONE IN 3 MONTHS..ALL MOLARS WITH ROOT CANAL PROBLEMS..PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL,I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MORE INFO …THANKS..ALL BEST

  10. Kortni

    I really appreciated the in depth info you have here as I just had three root canal teeth extracted and cavitation surgery. You should see how rotten the root canal teeth were… This is my blog about my experience with pictures of the rotten teeth:
    http://zealous4truth.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/hello-world/

  11. earthwalker

    Wow, Kortni. Thanks for sharing your story. I’m so happy for you that you got them removed. You don’t mention what you did to replace those teeth – I hope you have at least temporary filler teeth to prevent your other teeth from shifting and coming loose. I would love to get a follow up from you in six months or a year, to see how the tooth extractions have impacted your liver health. It would be great if you could provide a link to my blog post from yours, so people can see there are many others questioning root canals and taking action. Thanks for sharing all the things you did to take care of yourself before and after your surgery. I, too, had very little, if any, pain at the extraction site. We both did something right! Blessings, and thanks so much for writing and sharing a link to your story for my readers!!

  12. caterina

    hi there~
    getting ready to have a root canal removed that has mercury and a crown over it now….have severe health issues…. have you had any more improvements since then??

    thanks!
    caterina

  13. earthwalker

    Hi Caterina,
    It’s really hard to say. I feel that any improvements – or negative results – from the root canal removal have been so subtle it’s difficult to say. I had a very hard summer last year with fatigue after exertion in the sun that made me bedridden for many hours – that was new for me. My digestion is just as bad as ever. I have had some improvements lately in my brain relating to OCD and ADD symptoms, but I connect that with the Buteyko breathing method I started about 2 months ago, and brain retraining and EFT I am doing. However, I am still glad I got the root canal out. I feel happy that my mouth is now mercury and root canal free. I am doing well with the partial temporary tooth – I tolerate it well and it’s easy to care for. So far, so good. I wish you luck with your tooth removal! Please let me know how it all went. Best, Julie

  14. Cary

    Hi Julie. So sorry to hear about the challenges you’re facing. I do hope you’re feeling better.

    What an amazing job you’ve done in posting this!!! Such a big help/blessing to so many people!!! This is THE BEST article I’ve come across (and I’ve been researching mercury poisoning for quite awhile now)!!

    In my case, my most challenging symptoms (started 13 months) have been respiratory issues (e.g., shortness of breath; hard to take a deep breath; long and challenging recovery from flu virus, etc.), fatigue after mild exertion, gallstones, lymph swelling under my right jaw (upper neck area), and MCS (just to name a few). All of which have modified my diet significantly.

    I’m getting ready to have all the mercury removed from my mouth by a biological dentist…fillings, metal crowns, and even a root canaled tooth (it’s had a cavity under the metal/porcelain crown for a year now; couldn’t get it removed sooner due to multiple family medical issues).

    Some questions:

    1. What do you use to help you with your breathing, besides Oxygen and the Buteyko method?
    (I’m allergic to all bronchiodilators and recently purchased a salt crystal inhaler (aka salt pipe). It seems to help, but am open to other options as well.)

    2. Did your dentist use the Waterlase laser for the extraction?
    (I’ve heard conflicting reports re: it’s usage/effectiveness)

    3. What books did you find most helpful in your research of mercury poisoning diagnosis and treatment?

    4. How did you break the news to your family/friends about your illness and the impact it would have on your relationships?

    Thanks!

    Cary

  15. earthwalker

    Hi Cary, Wow, thanks for such a positive review of my blog post! I’m so glad you found it helpful. I’m probably not good to ask about breathing help. The main thing I used aside from oxygen at my worst, was deep abdominal breathing exercises where I felt I had to manually push my diaphragm to work, and also thoughts that calmed my amygdala. I only started the Buteyko breathing method in the last 2 months so it was not a tool used during my most symptomatic time. My dentist did not use the Waterlase laser for the extraction to my knowledge. I have never heard of it. The only book on mercury poisoning that I have read in full and was my bible during chelation, was Andrew Hall Cutler, PhD’s Amalgam Illness, Diagnosis and Treatment : What You Can Do to Get Better, How Your Doctor Can Help. Here are other books that might be helpful: books on mercury poisoning.

    I don’t really remember how I broke the news of my illness to family and friends. My road has been a long slow struggle starting in the mid-90’s. When I became allergic to just about everything I ingested overnight in 1998, I probably just called my family and told them what was happening. It was an extremely stressful time period for me, and there were other things going on in my life that were very stressful at that time too. I’m sure I relied on them for support. I feel grateful I have a very supportive family, even when they don’t understand what I am going through they try to be supportive to me in the ways that I need. I am very lucky.

    Thanks for writing and best of luck to you! Julie

  16. Carolin

    Hi Julie, Thank you for writing your amazing experience and sharing with all of us. I am in awe of your strength to get through all that you have been through.

    I am hoping you can give me some advise. I am waiting to have my tooth extracted (but I do not have health issues as you have had to deal with). My date is in a couple of weeks and I am using a periodontal specialist who also does implants. I am not getting an implant yet and I am not convinced that that is the best choice for me. Which leads me to your advise. I am wondering if I need to travel 5 hours to see a biological dentist who also deals with removing infected ligament and cavitations.

    How important is it that the bone is scraped after the extraction? The dentist I have booked with ensures me that he will remove all the infection but he does not speak in the terms that I have been reading about. He has me booked for a 1/2 hour appointment. I would really appreciate any feedback from you as to how you learned of the perfect dentist for you. I know that you had so much more to consider then me.

    I am very phobic of the dentist and I am concerned that by putting this infection of any longer can really affect my health. It has been 7 months already. I am also concerned that I will get my tooth extracted and leave infection in there.

    How long did you have an infection?

    I look forward to hearing from you. I am also hoping to hear of how you are doing now!

    Thanks so much,
    Caroline

  17. Carolin

    Hi Julie, My email address is now correct if you have some time to respond. Thanks, Caroline

  18. earthwalker

    Hi Caroline, I’m certainly no expert, but due to my own health history and research I’ve done over the years, I felt it VERY important to find a dentist familiar with the need to scrape the bone and remove all infected bone and periodontal ligament lining the tooth socket. This is not just for sick people. Hidden dental infections can be at the root of a wide range of chronic health conditions, or at least a contributing factor, so I think it’s wonderful you are doing your research before proceeding. I mentioned above, at the end of my article, about a friend who went to a traditional dentist and had the procedure done at 1/3 the cost. Well, it turned out the extraction site became infected and she had to get more work done. I don’t know if that was the dentist’s fault, per se. The way I found my dentist is I called two holistic dentist’s offices in neighboring towns and spoke to them at length about my concerns and health history. They both recommended this surgeon to me. So I would recommend that to you; to call around to holistic dental offices in your general area and ask if they follow the George Meinig procedure for removing root canals – scraping at least a millimeter of the jaw bone after the tooth extraction, to make sure any infected bone and periodontal ligament lining the tooth socket are removed. If they don’t know what you’re talking about, move on. I also recommend following a similar pre-and post-procedure regiment of healthy eating, juicing, homeopathic support, and self-care to give your jaw the best shot at healing without pain or infection. Good luck and let me know how it goes!! Best, Julie

  19. Caroline

    Hi Julie, Thank you so much for your feedback! You have been so helpful to so many in need of answers. Bless you. I am going to make some more calls. Can you tell me how long you had your infection…. I am worried that if I leave this infection any longer that my health will be affected. I want to feel safe with the right doctor. I have a couple other questions if you don’t mind:

    I was also wondering if your dentist used the rubber dam during the extraction? And how do you find the partial? Is it a good choice now that you have had it for a while. Is the partial considered a Flipper? Also can you tell me if that is suitable for an upper back tooth. I am not convinced about the titanium implant that has been recommended to me. Thanks again,

    I look forward to connecting with you!

    Caroline

  20. earthwalker

    Hi Caroline,
    I had no sign of active infection so I can only guess about my tooth. The root canal was done when I was 13 and I was 43 when I got it removed, 30 years later. I don’t recall my dentist using a rubber dam. I don’t know if a temporary partial is appropriate for a back tooth. Mine was a front tooth. I had concerns about aesthetics but I am generally pleased with the partial. It looks like a real tooth (although it’s a bit crooked now!), it’s easy to remove and clean, and most importantly for me, I never reacted to the materials. Two dentists I talked to before the procedure recommended that no matter which permanent solution I chose for my tooth, to start with a temporary partial since it could take 6 months or longer for the gum to heal and go down in swelling. I would definitely take that advice if I were you. Get a temporary partial and take your time exploring the implant or other choices for replacing your tooth. You might be fine with the partial. Make sure you wear the partial every day (I remove mine at night) so your teeth don’t shift and become loose, as happened to a friend of mine. Good luck!!

  21. Caroline

    Hi Julie, Thank you for your guidance and information…. I am happy to inform you that I made further phone calls and found the perfect biological dentist and he is only 1/2 hour from my house! The universe is amazing. I have an extraction appointment scheduled for March 8th and I am choosing to use an I.V. sedation as I have so much anxiety and the appointment is an hour and half long. He is going to remove my tooth and do cavitations on my molar and wisdom tooth. My next step will be to remove the mercury filling but this infection is my priority right now. He is using the muscle testing which I love and he is above all a very caring person and I felt really good and safe in his office.

    If you could be so kind on March 8th to send me good energy and light during the morning at 11:30 pacific time.

    I will update you.

    Thanks again,
    Caroline

  22. earthwalker

    So glad you found someone you feel more comfortable with Caroline! I will be sending healing golden light your way on the morning of the 8th. Try not to stress too much. You have so much helpful information I’m sure you will prepare well and come out of it just fine. Let us know how it all goes. xx

  23. Caroline

    Thank you so much…. ! I really appreciate your support. I was really scared and got through it thank god..! But I am still struggling a little today and it is going on day 3. I am still bleeding ( which doesn’t seem right) so I will call the dentist today. The healing is more then I thought and I am concerned about getting dry socket. The dentist told me that the infection was very bad and that my body is now detoxing. I am taking homeopathic medicines to heal.

    i just wanted you to know that your words helped me so much and I pushed on because of your words and found the right dentist…. Thank you again.

    I think of you often and send you my healing thoughts and light also. I hope you are doing okay.

    Caroline

  24. earthwalker

    Hi Caroline,
    So glad you got through it okay! Sorry to hear you are still bleeding. Please contact your dentist to let him know. Are you doing the salt water rinses? Mine healed up the first night but I don’t think I had as deep an infection as you did, from what you write. Keep giving your body as much support as possible to help it self-heal. Get good sleep, relax as much as possible, take the homeopathics, and maybe make some healing vegetable broths with ginger and garlic for the antibacterial effects. Please check back in a bit and let me know how you’re doing. I do hope you don’t get a dry socket. Thinking of you. x Julie

  25. Caroline

    Hi Julie, I had my stitches out yesterday and all is well!!! No dry socket! I was sooo worried. He tested me and everything looks great. I don’t have to go back for a few months to deal with my amalgam.

    So far my brain is much clearer and I have more energy. I cannot believe how awful I was feeling before the extraction. But somehow you just manage to get by. It takes about three weeks to feel the full extent of recovery so I look forward to that.

    I am so pleased to share my experience with you and to have your support. I hope you are doing well and from the bottom of my heart thank you.

    Carolin xo

  26. Cary

    Hello again Julie,

    It’s Cary. I posted a comment back in February re: natural respiratory support, mercury illness resources, etc. Thanks again for your reply. I meant to thank you sooner, but I didn’t get a chance until now from all the heavy-duty research *and* preparation involved for my dental appt on 3/7/11 took every minute of my already limited time, even into the wee hours of the morning which limited my sleep time every night (and we all know how important that sleep is for the immune system and healing after 2 extractions). So thanks again for your reply.

    Believe it or not, I had 2 extractions (1 root canal tooth and 1 wisdom tooth) and I did NOT take any pain medication, Thank God! I went to a Huggins-trained dentist (Huggins being Dr Hal Huggins, aka Father of Mercury Free Dentistry), and ordered a book (more like a 120page 8×10 size manual) that’s available from his office called the “Client Education Packet” prior to my dental appt. I found it EXTREMELY helpful, LOTS of great tips (Do’s and Don’ts) that my local dentist never told me about when I asked him for Do’s and Don’ts (which I found quite odd considering who trained him). However, he did use some of Dr Huggin’s recommendations during the visit (some he did on his own without my having to ask, but some I had to request; ie., had I not read Dr Huggin’s book, I would’ve never gotten a PZI shot on my 2nd tooth, or had Acuppressure immediately following the extraction (both of which were a tremendous help), or requested another PZI shot 3 days later when my tooth began to throb.

    One (of the many) tips Dr Huggins wrote about and reminded me about during our phone consultation was to “avoid driving more than 3 miles after the extraction” to reduce the likelihood of a “dry socket” etc. from all the vibration (and yes, that’s 3 miles, not 3 hours). He even said “sleep in your car if you have to!” At first, I thought he was joking, but when he said “the potential risk would far outweigh the inconvenience” I started to look for an allergy-friendly hotel room for the night following the surgery.

    I can’t say enough about Dr Huggins or his books (especially the C.E.P.)…I must admit it could use some editing (mostly cosmetic to make it easier to read), but the great advice is what matters to me! He’s written other books that are nicely edited (by the publisher), but the “Client Education Packet” is self-published. All his books are great!

    In case anyone’s interested, you can buy the CEP at:
    http://www.hugginsappliedhealing.com/store/product.php?productid=16156&cat=0&page=1

    By the way, you may recall that I asked you how you broke the news of your health issues to your family/friends, and the impact it would have on your relationships. I found something online that I may consider doing…I’ll include the link here in case others are interested:

    http://moldrecovery.blogspot.com/2010/07/story-cards.html

    Thanks again for this wonderful article!

    Blessings,

    Cary

  27. Cary

    Dear Julie,

    I hope you don’t mind but I have a couple of questions for you:

    In a reply to another poster, you said “Two dentists I talked to before the procedure recommended that no matter which permanent solution I chose for my tooth, to start with a temporary partial since it could take 6 months or longer for the gum to heal and go down in swelling.”

    I asked my dentist about having a partial ready for me on the day of the extraction…I even asked if he could take the impression minutes before starting the extraction, but because his dental impression process takes about 2 hours (even longer than my alloted appt time), this was not possible. He actually said I might even get a better fit if he does the impression after the extraction. (?)

    This sounded odd to me since the extraction can take awhile to heal, and I wondered about the impact that taking an impression could have on an extraction site that’s still healing. (e.g. the pressure in removing the impression material which usually creates a vacuum-like seal around the gums/teeth after it dries). But I wasn’t about to argue with the man who was about to do two long-overdue extractions on me…

    Questions:

    1. Did you get your dental impression for your partial before or after your extraction?

    2. You said you have a friend who’s teeth shifted from the lack of a replacement tooth. Any idea how long it took for his/her teeth to shift or become loose? (maybe this is why my dentist said that “sometimes you can get a better fit if the impression is done after the extraction”…who knows. One thing I do know is that Dr Huggins recommends getting the impression done before the extraction.)

    3. In your article, you mentioned that you tried Cryptolepis as a natural antibiotic. Have you ever tried Grapefruit Seed Extract before? If so, any reason you prefer to use Cryptolepis over GSE for post-extraction support?

    I was able to view an e-book of the Herbal Antibiotics book and printed some pages (they limit the # of pages one can print), but I didn’t see any info on Cryptolepis. Maybe I missed something? I did, however, see the nice table of herbs for the different types of infections and noticed how common Grapefruit Seed Extract is for different types of infections.

    Thanks in advance!

    Cary

  28. Sarah

    Here is a short version of my story. I’m 26 now and it all began when I was pregnant 3 years ago. Tooth pain started on tooth 29 when I was 3 months along and I finally went in 2 months later and had a root canal done. The smell from the tooth was quite disturbing and the tooth was so far dead that I did not need any pain medications after. The smell continued to get worse and I had a second root canal on the same tooth a few months after, going to a different dentist. He did it better and more thorough than the first but still the smell was emanating from the tooth for months after. 2 months after having my son I woke up with a whole mouth periodontal infection. My teeth especially in the back had a whole new set of putrid stink to deal with. My health since the root canal deteriorated over the past 3 years to the point where I faintly remembered what it is to have a normal life. I have rem sleep disturbances and thyroid problems in the past and present but adding to it my health problems that developed was intolerable. I would get fatigued and go though periods usually for 3-4 weeks at a time where I could only think about sleep no matter how much I got. I would have mental fog so bad that I felt like a zombie. One day, as quickly as it came on, it left, and I became able to concentrate and have a little energy. I realized I could not take antibiotics, salt baths, sleep with feather pillows, knee pain on right side, chest pain(mild ache in mornings), shoulder pain,had a sensitivity to
    Mold, anti depressants( I became irritable and depressed). I literally thought I was going crazy. Certainly this root canal couldn’t have caused all of this. I went to my dentist who thought I was nuts and looked at the x ray and said there is a small infection but that’s with every root canal. Nothing to worry about. I spent the next 2 years searching for answers, and searching, and searching. Literally I didn’t know of I was coming or going and the constant nausea while having my first baby to take care of was overwhelming. I have never thought of suicide in the past or felt depressed or irritable but it happened during this time. I felt so helpless as I couldn’t hold a job, had family move in my apartment to help raise my son, my relationship suffered tremendously. I had lost all hope and always kept in the back of my mind that suicide was a last resort. But I couldn’t bare to think of my son not having a mother, but at the time I didn’t feel like a mother anyway. Well I’m happy to report that I went to a holistic dentist a month ago and we set up an appointment with an oral surgeon who would remove the periodontal ligament and .5 mm of bone from my jaw. I’m on my 4 th day of healing and the pain is a bit intense still but I feel like I haven’t in years. Some wrinkles on my face have dissappeared, that sparkle that my bf fell in love with 6 years ago is back, instead of being virtually bed ridden I’ve been getting up at 7 am and not needing naps and I go to bed at a decent time. Nausea every morning ceased to exist the morning after extraction, I am on doxycycline 50 mg and don’t feel sick from meds anymore. I can’t ever imagine crawling onto that dark hole of despair, and wouldn’t think of suicide or anything of that nature anymore. Mentally I feel a fog has cleared up and I feel I can enjoy situations again. I’m looking forward to having friends again and a social life, hopefully college. The stink in my mouth has gone away but to be sure I’m going in for 3 ozone treatments at tooth by the lake in Hopkins Minnesota. Life is returning to as it was ore root canal and I feel great. I saved my tooth and it smells like cloves. I relied on forums to get me through the dark times and I plan on sharing my story as to help people make informed decisions. Anyone who tells you that your crazy hasn’t lived a day in your shoes. You are in control of your health and know yourself better than anyone. I still have a long road ahead of
    Of me dental wise. 7 mercury fillings ad numerous cavities from the root canal infection causing a periodontal infection but now I have sanity, hope and a sense of control over my health and that is priceless:)

  29. livewmcs

    Julie,
    This artical here is priceless to me with all of the information from you, Vincent and others to where I added it as a favorite so I can use the info when I need it. And believe me, you speek of many things I wondered about!

    I have 11 Crowns, 9 Root Canals and 6 fillings and one extraction. I believe all the mercury has been taken out.
    At the time…the reason for the crown and root canal was to get rid of the Mercury Fillings :P

    I did the Clifford Test, yes some of the info was right on but some of it was very questionable. The last visit to my Holestic Dentist I had a tooth pulled. While my tooth was pulled my jaw bone shattered around the site, but healed. The packing material and stitches my body rejected and it became very infected so I like your natural tips and alternatives so very much.

    I would “LOVE” “LOVE” “LOVE” to have all of these root canals out of my mouth plus there is another tooth that needs to be pulled very soon of not yesterday! I’ve put this off “WAY” to long and just wanted to say this information you’ve shared couldn’t have come at a better time for me and for that I Thank You :)

    Beth

  30. earthwalker

    So sorry Cary for not responding! I got the impression for the temporary partial before the extraction, on my first visit (which I note in the original post, above). I think it took months for my friend’s teeth to shift, but once it happened, it happened in many of them at all once. I don’t have a clear idea of the timeframe though, sorry. I do use GSE but for some reason it did not occur to me to use it for this. I chose cryptolepis because I knew it worked systemically and I was concerned about killing off a long-term infection in my gut, in addition to preventing infection in my gums. Cryptolepis is broad spectrum, very potent, and has minimal side effects. I also knew I tolerated it well because I had taken it before. Hope this answers your questions, and sorry I missed it when you first posted! x Julie

  31. earthwalker

    {{{Sarah}}} What a journey you’ve been on! I’m so happy to hear your happy ending. Thank you so much for taking the time to recount your saga here, it might help someone else to make their own connections and get the help they need much sooner. Blessings to you and your family! xx Julie

  32. earthwalker

    Hi Beth (livewithmcs), I’m so glad you found the article and all the comments helpful and supportive to your situation! We have to be so thankful for the Internet, and how it’s connected all of us and let us share our stories. When I first got sick back in ’98, the Internet was not as developed and I couldn’t find much alternative health information online. This delayed my getting on the right track to healing for 4 years! It’s why I started Planet Thrive, too. Wishing you all my best as you move forward with addressing your own dental situation. Much love, xx Julie

  33. earthwalker

    Caroline, so glad to hear you did not get a dry socket!! I was a bit concerned for you myself…just wanted to check in, it’s now a month later. How is your gum healing? Hope you are doing well and feeling better all around! xx Julie

  34. Pam

    Hi Julie,
    I find it very timely to have come upon the article you wrote about your root canal extraction. You are an excellent writer!
    I have an apt. with my biodentist today. It is the 1st phase of getting a crown. The filling I had, with bio-compatible material chipped and the tooth need repair. I had the clifford test done a few years ago when I had my amalgam fillings removed. I am deciding on whether or not to have a composite material used or gold and platininum. I spoke with another dentist several months ago when I had an extraction rather than a root canal. He said that your body will develop antigens to the new material put in your mouth and test reactive to them if tested later. My dentist office here agreed they have had that experience as well but like to use the same composite material for all work done in the mouth. For some reason I am having a strong leaning to get the bio gold/platinum crown. I thought muscle testing might be helpful but have not mastered it to do on myself. I think the gold/platinum is stronger and less likely to chip. My dentist said the life onf the composite was something like 6-10 years. Maybe I will do a bit more searching on the internet, or maybe I can find the other dentist # for his opinion. I am grateful for their payment plan and that I am able to have the crown done.

  35. Cary

    Hi Julie, I’d like to edit a comment I posted on this blog, but I’d prefer to provide the details via email, rather than here. Would you mind contacting me via email using the email address associated with my post? Thanks! Cary

  36. erin

    Wow, I thought I went to great lengths but you went 1,000 times beyond what I did. I just got my one and only root canal pulled. You even called the bug company for the dental office!? hard core! So how do you go into places stores etc that use real harsh chemical bug treatments? Grocery stores even health food stores doctor’s offices etc? :(

  37. earthwalker

    Thanks for sharing your experience Pam! Cary, sorry but I didn’t notice your comment earlier. If you still want to edit your post, please send the details to me at planetthrive at gmail. Thanks!

  38. earthwalker

    Hi Erin,
    I have severe environmental illness, so yeah, I have to live very isolated from public spaces that use pesticides, etc. This website is geared toward those with environmental intolerances. It must seem very hardcore to regular folks but for people like myself, it’s our “new normal” … am quite used to it by now. It’s a royal pain to have to do so much research and calling every time I want to go on a road trip but it’s what I do to protect my health as best as I can. Hope you experience good results from getting your root canal pulled. All my best, Julie

  39. Daniel

    Hi, I’m new to this….all I know is I’m 23 and my symptoms
    Are gettin worse….I plan on having an infected root canal removed this week…..I have bad mercury posioning from an inproperly removing a filling from about 6 months ago and I just need to know if you guys are getting better? Any advice? I’m getting sicker by the day….I need 3 infections extracted all my lower teeth but I’m scared I won’t recover. I feel like I’m barely hanging on.

  40. gary M.

    I understand the need to remove any mercury from the body. I had my mercury fillings removed and did chelation therapy IV drip once a month for a year. You have so many health issues that it is shocking. Have you considered food grade diatomaceous earth? I take one tablespoon twice a day and it has a grounding effect on the body and is very good for digestive disorders. MY diarrhea and constipation—I seemed to go from one extreme to the other constantly was relieved by doing this treatment. I’m wondering about your food allergies. Are you sure that your environmental allergies are actually food allergies? If you eat the same things day after day, there is a possibility that you will become allergic to those foods. I had food allergy testing and found I was allergic to gluten and many many other foods. Once I removed the allergens from my diet, my skin problems cleared up and my digestive system calmed down as well. Just a thought.

  41. earthwalker

    Hey Daniel,
    Apologies for my delayed response…it’s been hard keeping up with all the comments on my site. If you removed a mercury filling recently, you might benefit from doing low dose oral chelation per the Andy Cutler protocol to help mop up any mercury that got mobilized in the process. See the mercury poisoning section of this site for resources. Do not rush into mercury chelation. It’s serious business and you should feel comfortable and sure of the direction you choose. Do not blindly trust any physicians on this…do your research. I chose the Andy Cutler protocol because he has guided thousands of parents of autistic children through chelation over the years. Am I better? No. My health journey is complicated and has not been linear. Doing chelation back in 2002 did definitely help clear a lot of the cognitive issues I had from mercury poisoning…but some symptoms (digestive/food allergies) I am STILL trying to recover from. Deep sigh. Wishing you the best and I hope your extractions went okay. Best, Julie

  42. earthwalker

    Hey Gary,
    Thanks for your suggestions. Your comment that my health issues were shocking made me laugh. Many of the members of this website have a similar cluster of illnesses and this is all pretty normal for us at this point. ;-) Consider yourself real lucky that you are shocked by it. I went on a 4 day rotation diet and it did help a lot. But I have a 30+ year history of Crohn’s disease so unfortunately my issues are a bit more complicated than just avoiding allergenic foods. I have a neurotoxic injury from severe mercury poisoning, plus lyme neurotoxins, and mold mycotoxins. Then there were the multiple chemical injuries. So I am recovering from quite a few neurotoxic blows to the brain. But I am a smart cookie with persistent will and I will keep on fighting and searching for peace. Appreciate you caring enough to share your thoughts here. xx

  43. David

    Hi, Julie and Others. I’m new to this subject so please forgive me for asking what might be questions with obvious answers. How does one know he or she has infected dental roots? And how can you tell if you have mercury damage? As a kid I had a vial of liquid mercury that I played with from time to time. We didn’t know it was dangerous back then. I’d pour it from the vial into my hand and then back and forth from hand to hand, letting it trickle like a silvery waterfall. Sometimes a bit of it would spill on the floor and disintegrate into a multitude of shiny droplets. I would herd as many of the mercury beads as possible into one little puddle and then repatriate that into the mother load. But I am sure many of the tiny balls escaped into the cracks in the floorboards and continued to evaporate over the years. What should I look for in terms of signs of mercury poisoning?

    A few years back I coaxed my family doctor into requesting a blood test for mercury inasmuch as I’d had that proximity with liquid mercury as a young boy and had also eaten a great deal of tuna fish over the years. The blood test came back as negative or within acceptable limits. Should I continue to be concerned?

  44. earthwalker

    Hi David,
    I’m not sure if there is any definitive way to know ahead of time whether your root canal tooth is infected. My holistic dentist told me the x-ray of my root canal showed an infection but when the tooth remains were later tested, there was no evidence of infection. My dentist explained this, saying that sometimes the remains crumble and they are unable to find infection in the part of the tooth that is actually testable. I’m still not sure what the truth is.

    As far as mercury, you can get a hair test from Doctor’s Data to see your levels. The tricky part is interpreting the test results correctly. Having no or low levels of heavy metals can mean your body is holding onto them and you are unable to excrete them properly. Andy Cutler, PhD, has devised a “Counting Rules” way of interpreting the hair test for heavy metal levels. Please see https://planetthrive.com/focus-on/mercury-poisoning/ and scroll down to the “resources we love” section at the bottom to find good sources of info for mercury poisoning diagnosis and treatment. Here is a site that has info on the Counting Rules I mention above: http://home.earthlink.net/~moriam/HOW_TO_hair_test.html. The hair test is relatively affordable, and you don’t necessarily need a doctor to order it. You might want to allay your concerns with a test. On the other hand, if you have no major health symptoms, you might want to just focus your energy on living/eating really well, and getting plenty of exercise and using a sauna regularly. Best, Julie

  45. Caroline

    Hi Julie, I hope you are doing okay, as it has been a while since I have checked in….. I still think of you often. I wrote to you over a year ago when I had an really infected root canal tooth removed, with cavitation. I wanted to update you on how I am doing.

    Almost a year to later I am now dealing with swelling and infection again in the same place…. I do not have the tooth any longer but I am really confused as to why this has come back… Just wondering if you have heard of this before. I have been treated twice by my biological dentist and he tells me the infection seems to be coming from the wisdom tooth near the extraction site that I had removed 20 plus years ago. He treated me by injecting who knows what into the infection to clear it and it did work for a month.

    I am needing to go back again as the infection does not seem to clear. I am really concerned.

    Any thoughts on this Julie? I have to tell you that you have been such an important support for so many and I thank you for my learning from you.

    Now I am worried about this infection that doesn’t seem to go away.

    Thanks for your time and feedback.
    xoxo Caroline

  46. earthwalker

    Hi Caroline,
    I’m so sorry to hear you are still dealing with this a year later. My initial thought is you have a cavitation, which can occur after an extraction. But it sounds like you already had a cavitation? My only thought is to try another dentist to get a second/fresh opinion on it. I would try to seek out the absolute best dentist that you can afford and logistically travel to. Someone with a great and long track record with these sorts of issues. I forget where you are located. If you email me privately at [email protected] I can try to help you find someone else. Sounds to me like when he removed the tooth and surrounding ligaments/bone he didn’t get all the infected material out. That is just my wild guess of course, without knowing all the details. Of course I’m not a dentist either. Do you have a set of xrays of the area? If not, I would request a copy of all xrays. My dentist gave me xeroxes of mine so I could see the supposedly infected tooth. Maybe you can find someone to take a look at the photos via email and see if he/she can give you an educated opinion on what’s going on. Not sure if they can see in an xray though. So sorry you are going through this and I am glad you followed up here with me. You need to find someone else to help you if your dentist has not been able to figure out how to eradicate the infection by now. Hugs!!! xxx

  47. John

    Hi Julie,

    I came across your website and found information to be helpful. Here is my background:

    I am a male in the mid 20s with issues on my upper front tooth (and potentially related health issues). I injured it when I was a little kid and the tooth color turned grey only just about over a year ago (a few months after a sinus surgery interestingly that involved deviated septum and turbinate reduction) so per my dentist recommendation, I had a rooth canal done. The front tooth side still felt weird so I had another dentist examine me and I got a CT scan done and it was revealed that I had a sizable infection. Hence, I had a apicoectomy done about six months ago but the front side still feels weird and hurts sometimes. I am thinking whether rooth canal is the cause and am strongly considering extracting the tooth. I researched that root canals can cause many issues to your body, as you also point out in your blog. I feel as if my symptoms that I am going through such as lack of concentration, fatigue, speech problems, heart palpitation, loss of memory, etc. strongly have something to do with this.

    From your experience, approximately what % of people say that they felt better after extraction? Also, how much would this whole process cost (initial visit to a biological dentist, extraction, partial removal, etc)?

    Would greatly appreciate your input and hope you are getting better day by day!

  48. earthwalker

    Hi John,
    Sorry but I don’t have any statistics on % of people who say that they felt better after an extraction. I did not notice any significant health improvements myself, but now 2 years later I am doing better, in general – but far from “recovered”. Who knows if the extraction had anything to do with it, though. At least I’m not doing worse!

    If I remember correctly, the whole process cost me around $2,000 but I think this number may vary greatly from dentist to dentist. You really need to ask your biological dentist for all the fees up front. Be careful, as sometimes there are hidden fees they don’t mention until you get your bill. (For example, if you ask how much a cleaning costs, they will give you that cost but not tell you that you also will be responsible for paying for an office consultation and x-rays in addition to the cleaning.) Let us know how it goes! Best wishes.

  49. Lynne

    Hi

    Can you please suggest the name of the dentist that removed your tooth canal?

  50. Chase

    Long story short,

    For years I suffered from chronic daily migraines, blocked nasal passages and swelling of my right ankle on a daily basis.

    My crown broke off my root canal and I couldn’t afford to have it fixed. Had it extracted and within one day my nose unblocked, ankle stopped swelling and headaches are gone.

    Take it as you will believe it or not but I will NEVER have another root canal again.

    I would rather be toothless then go through that horrible pain again.

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