Can Your Sinuses Cause Toothaches?

Do you often get sinus infections? Do you sometimes experience a toothache that just won’t go away? If so, it’s possible that your sinuses are to blame. In this blog post, we will discuss the relationship between sinuses and toothaches. We will also provide tips for how to prevent sinus infections from causing toothaches.

Your Sinuses

Your sinuses are a pair of air-filled cavities that are located in your head. These cavities are connected to your nose, and they play a role in regulating the temperature and humidity of the air that you breathe. Your sinuses also help to lubricate your eyes and protect your brain.

The Relationship Between Sinuses and Toothaches

It is not uncommon for people to experience a toothache when they have a sinus infection. This is because the bacteria that cause sinus infections can also cause toothaches. In fact, the two conditions are often caused by the same type of bacteria.

Mayo Clinic explains that pain in the upper back teeth is a fairly common symptom with sinus conditions. The sinuses are pairs of empty spaces in your skull connected to the nasal cavity. If you have sinusitis, the tissues in those spaces become inflamed, often causing pain.

The largest sinuses are a pair above the back teeth of your upper jaw. The roots of the upper teeth are very near or may even extend into the sinus cavity. Consequently, inflammation in the sinuses might cause pain in nearby teeth. Similarly, damage to or infection in a tooth may lead to persistent (chronic) sinusitis.

Symptoms of a Sinus Infection

Sinus infections are often accompanied by a number of other symptoms. If you are experiencing a toothache in addition to one of the following symptoms, then it is likely that it is your sinuses causing your pain:

• A runny nose
• Congestion
• Headache
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Sore throat

Preventing Sinus Infections from Causing Toothaches

There are a few things that you can do to help prevent sinus infections from causing toothaches. These include:

• Wash your hands regularly and often, especially before you eat.
• Avoiding contact with people who are sick.
• Staying hydrated.
• Drinking lots of fluids will help to keep your mucous membranes moist, which will help to prevent bacteria from entering your sinuses.
• Sleeping with your head elevated. This will help to keep drainage from the sinuses flowing properly.

Other Common Causes of Tooth Pain

Cleveland Clinic lists other common causes of toothaches to be:

• Tooth decay.
• Abscessed tooth (a bacterial infection inside the center of the tooth).
• Tooth fracture (broken tooth).
• A damaged filling.
• Repetitive motions, such as chewing gum or grinding or clenching teeth. These motions can wear down your teeth.
• Infected gums.
• Eruption (teeth coming out of the gums) or removal of a tooth (for example, wisdom teeth).

How to Determine the Cause of Your Tooth Pain

If you are experiencing a toothache, it is important to determine the cause of the pain. There are many different things that can result in pain in your mouth. If you are having tooth pain, it’s important to come see Dr. Kevin Varley here at Stonebrook Family Dentistry. Dr. Varley will help rule out gum disease, cavity, or another oral health issue. If it’s determined none of these are the cause of your pain, you can then consult with your primary care physician to see if it is an issue with your sinuses.

Can You Treat Tooth Pain at Home?

If you are experiencing tooth pain, there are a few things that you can do at home to help relieve the pain. These include:

• Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water.
• Applying a cold pack to the outside of your cheek.
• Taking over-the-counter pain medication, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

If the pain does not go away or if it is accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, then you should see your dentist or doctor.

What Will the Dentist Do for My Toothache?

If you visit Stonebrook Family Dental because of a toothache, Dr. Varley will begin the appointment by performing a dental exam, which may include an x-ray to determine the exact cause of your pain. Once the cause of your pain is determined, you then may need a:

• Dental Cleaning
• Filling
• Root Canal
• Extraction

Once the treatment is completed, Dr. Varley will provide instructions on how to care for your teeth in order to prevent the toothache from returning.

Make an Appointment with Stonebrook Family Dental

If you are experiencing tooth pain, don’t wait to seek relief. Make an appointment with Stonebrook Family Dental today. Dr. Varley will help determine the cause of your pain and provide the necessary treatment to get you relief.