Can sinus infection cause a toothache? This is a very common question among many people. Let’s discuss about toothache and sinus infection.
Toothache is is often the most annoying pain someone can experience, this can range from a mild throbbing pain to excruciating pain that affects patients physically and mentally. The causes can be a simple tooth decay, gum disease, or a traumatic injury. But it is quite uncommon to hear toothache caused by sinusitis.
What is sinusitis?
Sinusitis is an infection of the sinuses caused by cold or flu, the infected sinus builds up pressure in the oral cavity that may cause toothache. This usually affects the teeth on the upper part of the jaw, wherein the maxillary sinuses are located, toothaches caused by sinus infections are often mistaken as toothache caused by gum disease, an impacted wisdom tooth or one from a dental origin. To determine whether the toothache is caused by a sinus infection, one simple and not yet very clinically evidneced-base is to simply bend forward, by bringing your head between your knees. If the pain becomes gets worse, there is a good chance the sinus infection is causing a toothache.
see if for the pain you feel on the cheek eyes, and upper teeth, try bending over, and if the pain worsens it may be caused by a sinus infection.
Toothache caused by sinus Infection (can sinus infection cause toothache?)
It is quite common but usually unheard of, toothache caused by sinus infection arises when there is fluid accumulation in the sinuses particularly the maxillary sinus, which creates pressure on the upper teeth. There could be tooth sensitivity when chewing and the pain is usually dull and happens unexpectedly. You should see a dentist first even if you suspect the toothache to be related to a sinus infection, to rule out dental health problems like teeth grinding, gum disease, and a broken or decayed upper tooth may have similar symptoms to toothache caused by a sinus infection.
Oral infection cause sinusitis
Research from studying, large number of CT scans reveal that a high percentage of maxillary sinus infections are caused by dental infections. Since the upper rear teeth are closer to the maxillary sinuses, bacteria causing infections can easily travel to the sinuses. Other risk factors related to their oral health like jaw pain, oral infections, periodontitis, and oral surgery.
Know the difference between a sinus toothache vs. common toothache:
Sinus infections Symptoms
- Reduced sense of smell
- A blocked nostril, often the affected side
- Unilateral drainage ( runny nose ) from one side.
Symptoms of Toothache from Non-Sinus Infection Origin
- Pain when eating hot or cold food and drink
- Swelling of the affected side of the face
- Pain on near the tooth or gum
- Swollen gums or presence of a gum boil or an abscess.
If you suspect, the sinus infection is cause of a toothache, there are a number of home remedies that you can follow before visiting a doctor:
Home remedies that may help
- A warm compress on the forehead can help relieve sinus congestion to relieve pressure on the sinuses.
- Rest and drinking plenty of water
- Nasal irrigation using a 20mm syringe with room temperature saline solution, lean forward and slowly infuse saline water into the nasal passage, the solution will exit through the other nose trill.
When should you see a Doctor?
Patient’s should go to the doctor if they have the following symptoms:
- Severe sinus pain
- High fever for more than 2-3 days
- Severe toothache
- You can’t eat and drink due to facial swelling
- If the person has had several infections
What will a dentist do to determine if you have a sinus infection?
Dentists are trained in Oral and facial problems. The first thing a dentist will do is to examine all of your teeth to make sure you have no dental conditions, such as a dental cavity, an infected tooth or gum which is causing your pain. The examination often involves visual inspection as well as clinical examination through the use of a Pulp Tester, Percussion as well as taking special dental x-rays. To determine if sinus infection is the true cause of your pain, dentist will require a panoramic or a 3-D CT Cone beam x-ray.
It is always best to see a doctor or a dentist for cases like this. Any paid must, not be ignored. Do not wait for the pain to become worse to see a doctor. By becoming proactive, you can stop the pain and often many other side effects that can follow.
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