07 Sep Can a Sinus Infection Cause Tooth Pain?
If you’re feeling congested on top of having a toothache, a sinus infection could be the culprit. Sinus infections can cause a wide range of symptoms, including tooth pain. But in order to relieve your discomfort, it’s important to know whether your toothache is from a sinus infection or a dental problem. The team at Prescott Dentistry put together this guide to help you understand the causes of tooth pain.
Symptoms of a Sinus Infection
Sinus infections usually start as a common cold, so the symptoms are very similar. You may have a sinus infection if you have a runny or stuffy nose, cough, or congestion combined with one or more of the symptoms below.
Sinus infection symptoms include:
- Pressure or tenderness in your nose, eyes, or forehead
- An earache or pressure in your ear
- Aching teeth, especially the top back molars
- A bad taste in your mouth from postnasal drip
- Lost ability to smell and taste
- Thick, discolored mucus
- Hoarse voice
- Sore throat
- Bad breath
- Fatigue
- Fever
If your symptoms seem severe, don’t improve after ten days, or seem to get better but then get worse, contact your doctor for treatment.
How Does a Sinus Infection Cause Tooth Pain?
Your sinuses are air-filled spaces in your head located near the eyes, forehead, nose, and cheekbones. When these spaces fill with fluid, it allows germs to grow and start an infection. Sinus infections create sensations of pressure that can make the nearby jaw bone and molars ache.
How to Relieve Tooth Pain from Sinus Pressure
Try these tips to relieve tooth pain from sinus pressure at home:
- Use a warm compress on your nose and forehead
- Drink plenty of water to help thin out the mucus in your sinuses
- Use a decongestant or saline nasal spray in limited amounts
- Breathe in steam from boiling water or a hot shower to open up your sinuses
How to Tell If a Sinus Infection Is Causing Your Toothache
Just because you are experiencing both a sinus infection and tooth pain doesn’t mean that the two are related. It’s important to know exactly what is causing your toothache so you can seek treatment and relieve your symptoms. If your pain increases or spreads when you bend over, jump, or move your head quickly, then a sinus infection is most likely responsible.
Sinus infections typically only affect the upper teeth—especially the back molars—and cause pain in more than one tooth at the same time. If you are feeling pain in a single tooth or any of your front or lower teeth, a dental problem is most likely the cause. Or, if your sinus infection symptoms go away, but your toothache does not, it’s probably a dental issue.
Toothache Treatment in Prescott
If you suspect that your tooth pain is the result of a dental problem, it could be an emergency. Schedule an urgent appointment with Prescott Dentistry in Arizona—we’ll identify the problem and discuss your treatment options. Letting dental issues like tooth decay and gum disease go untreated will only lead to further pain and more severe problems like dental abscesses, root canals, or tooth extractions. If you have tooth pain, don’t delay! Call 928-445-1660 today to make an appointment.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (9/7/2022). Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels