Tooth infection anxiety

[UKmamainUS]

I've had tooth pains now for 8 months. I saw my dentist almost immediately and he couldn't see anything wrong. Then the tooth cracked about two months ago. Apart from crack (and associated pain) he still couldn't find anything wrong, so he crowned it and sent me on my way. Went back for more pain. Told me it might be a root infection, gave me two weeks worth of antibiotics and sent me away with an appt for root canal one month later. Antibiotics did nothing - saw doc and asked for stronger ones. She gave them to me but again, no real improvement. Dentist had said if the pain didn't go away it might not be an infection / dying tooth but offered no alternatives. Since pain didn't go away and my dentist seemed to know nothing I went to get a second opinion. New dentist said that there is no definitive sign of infection (3 days after I ran out of antibiotics) but my tooth clearly has pain - sent me to a specialist who I see in a week. Am still waiting on root canal appt but would rather not have one if that's not my problem. However, I have heard that if there is an infection (and so far neither dentist has been able to definitively say I do or do not have one) it can spread to your brain or heart and kill you. I can't imagine this is highly common, but after three weeks of amoxycillin I'd rather not ask for more, especially since it didn't do anything for the pain (I know it's not a pain killer but you'd expect that if I had an infection and the antibiotic clears it up, the pain should go away, as dentist one suggested). So, whilst I am assuming I have a tooth infection (since this is the most likely cause of the pain, despite lack of evidence one way or the other) I'm now nervous that it will spread to my brain and kill me. Anyone want to reassure me with stories of their own? I'm currently taking garlic as a natural antibiotic and using natural methods of dealing with the pain. Obviously if it gets worse I'll be over the ER or dentist demanding more antibiotics, but I'm not a fan of taking antibiotics long term or if unnecessary. Just looking for some reassurance that I'm not likely to die from a brain infection before I can get my roots removed.

[HalfJack]

Could you be grinding your teeth in your sleep?
I recently discovered I do that, and it's been the cause of damage for one of my teeth. It causes pain in my teeth, although it's different to the pain of an infection.
When I had an infection I was pretty much crying from the pain 24 hours a day.

---------- Post added at 02:57 ---------- Previous post was at 02:56 ----------

It doesn't always make a noise, and rather than grinding, clenching your teeth can also be bad. It's a pretty common thing for people who are stressed.

[UKmamainUS]

I know, it's weird. I really needs a root canal in the past and the pain was unbarable. The pain I have now is nothing like that, hence the desire for a second opinion prior to getting treated. I did wonder about grinding my teeth since I sometimes (though not often) get pain in all my back molars. Do you think that grinding ,y teeth would cause neck ache, which I was wondering might be caused by infection.

[HalfJack]

Grinding my teeth causes me jaw ache and sometimes headaches but I've not had pain in my neck because of it.
Although I've not had pain in my neck because of an infection either.

[swgrl09]

Do you have sinus issues by any chance? When I had chronic sinus congestion from allergies, my teeth honestly hurt so badly that I thought I had cavities in all of them. The sinuses come very close to the teeth, so pain can be referred. Just a thought, as everything else has been checked out.

[UKmamainUS]

Lol. I do not have sinus issues. Good suggestion though. It is a lower molar that hurts, but I do have low sinuses so when I am coming down with a cold my teeth ache.

---------- Post added at 20:57 ---------- Previous post was at 20:35 ----------

I'm thinking the grinding teeth is highly possible. Thanks so much for that. I'm going to bring it up with my dentist. I'm also wondering if my bite is a tiny bit off hence one tooth hurting more than the other, given the current pain started after the crown (prior to the crack it was child and pressure sensitivity - since the crown it is more of a dull ache and sharp shooting pains). Thanks for the suggestion.