Hi @deniseyoungblood. Having chronic pain and occasional swelling in your neck can be concerning. It’s not always easy pinpoint the cause. From what you’ve mentioned, your dentist has checked to make sure you’re not experiencing any blockages in a salivary gland.
Have you had any labs or blood tests such as a CBC (complete blood count with differential)? This can be a good, basic test by your primary doctor to check the various components of your blood such as, checking for elevated white blood counts which could indicate an infection of some sort, or involvement with lymph glands. Do you have an elevated temperature when you have the swelling? Is the pain you’re experiencing only when you have the swelling?