Hi all

By way of a quick update, I saw the endodontist. I was on the clindamycin and I'm not sure what that did or didn't do... X-ray showed him nothing of substance and his exam revealed no need for a root canal - pulp is vital, tooth is testing normal.

Lump is still there - he saw it and felt it, pronounced it "fleshy and hard to figure out (out of his expertise) but not an abcess" which I already knew. He recommended an oral surgery consult. I have a dark spot on the opposing side of this tooth, below the tooth on the inner gum (I'm not adept at descriptions) -- he said it looked like an amalgam tattoo.

I did also see an ENT who did a fairly thorough exam, pulled out my tongue, looked way back in my throat, felt the lump, looked in my ears... saw nothing, but said he wants the lump out if it doesn't go away in 6 weeks. He said it didn't strike him as suspicious, as lots of things can grow in one's mouth.

I see the oral surgeon on Aug 15. I'd like him to look closely at that tooth and that area in general, a) because of the lump and b) because there's been some significant loss of gum around that tooth (underneath it) and c) it looks icky back there. "It" being the tooth and icky, of course, is a professional term.

Most of the symptoms are gone now... no answer to that one, though their disappearance coincided with my recently beginning to take Zyrtec for seasonal allergies I didn't know I had.

Thanks so much for all of your input and inquiry. This oral surgeon comes highly recommended, so we'll see what he says. You all have far bigger fish to fry than my goofy mouth, so I'll not pester you further.

Know that each and every one of you is in my thoughts and prayers. I found this site thinking of myself and my worries and have found that it's opened my eyes to a whole bunch of other folks and their worries. That didn't come out quite right, but again ... I'll be pulling for every one of you.