Can brain infection come from infected teeth?

This is most alarming! You need to have the best medical help you can find, in order to get through this difficult time!! Wishing you the best!

Hi @johnbecker, an untreated tooth or dental infection can lead to serious health complications elsewhere in your body. It is very rare that it would go to your brain.

The symptoms you describe require medical attention. Please contact your dentist and/or your doctor.

It absolutely can. We had a patient that had a brain infection that was caused from an abscessed tooth. He had to have a craniotomy and weeks of IV antibiotics and eventually he was able to have the piece of the skull they removed, replaced.

I have been sick for 4 years following sinus surgery, and my dentist has found an infected root canal in my front tooth. We suspect the tooth infection could be related to my overall illness. Can you please tell me which imaging and bloodwork (and any other testing) was used to diagnose the brain infection? I have shooting headache pains that are so severe I can’t talk during them. My general doctor has decided an MRI would be a good idea, but says she has no idea which one to order. She is having me see my ENT to see if he knows which one to order. Is there a better specialist I should see?

Has your dentist done a Cone beam CT of your teeth? I would ask for a referral to a Neurologist or Neurotologist and/or even an infectious disease doctor. I can’t give you medical advice but I would think an MRI of the brain and sinuses with and without contrast would be a good start. Most people with a brain abscess would be in critical condition.

Definite proceed with Medical help! Expecially with maxillary teeth ( upper teeth) the infection can travel fast. Also, many roots are into the sinus cavity area and infection can spread like crazy. IV antibiotics are most likely needed asap

I would see a neurologist/neurosurgeon before I would see ENT. Not sure that I understand why your "general doctor" doesn't know which MRI to order.......should be an MRI with/without contrast, that simple! Sinus films would probably be a good idea too.

johnbecker! I am extremely concerned about the history that you have recounted. You need to seek treatment at a high level of care institution immediately! Your current PCP should be able to get you an Urgent referral! ie Jon Hopkins, Mayo, Duke, Temple, Cleveland Clinic etc. What a nightmare you are going through! I am so sorry!

I got very sick following sinus surgery, and most of my symptoms are in my nose (pressure, pain, burning, massive post nasal drip), so we’ve been chasing ENT docs and diagnoses. CT scans and nose scopes look ok, so we’re just now putting 2+2 together regarding possible bone infection from the infected root canal. My general doctor is new to my problem and she’s also not sure if this is dental, ENT, or osteomyelitis. I had very poor follow up from my original ENT who didn’t try to solve my post surgical illness saying “I’ve never seen someone so sick after surgery in my 30 years”, and let me go to try to figure it out on my own. So now I’m here trying to team up with my new doctor to solve this.

Might consider consulting Infectious Disease as well. My experiences with ENTs have been very poor even with those that trained at House Clinic in Los Angeles and Mayo in Arizona. So I may be a tad biased. I am so concerned about both you, 303Wendy and johnbecker. Please be aggressive in seeking medical attention