Key Takeaways:
- Sinus Infection Tooth Pain is caused by 1.) referred pain and 2.) congested sinuses pressing on upper molars.
- It is not localized on one tooth.
- The goal in treating sinusitis tooth pain is decongestion and pain management.
- Sinus Infection of Sinusitis typically goes away on its own in ten days. Check the article’s end to see symptoms requiring a doctor’s appointment.
Sinus Infection Tooth Pain: How They Are Linked
Sinuses are spaces in your skull. They warm and moisten the air so that they are fit for you to breathe in. The largest sinuses are above your upper back teeth or upper molar teeth. They are called the maxillary sinuses. When the maxillary sinuses are infected, they can also affect the closest areas, such as your upper molars.
Sinusitis causes tooth pain in two ways:
- Referred pain: Sinuses, teeth, and gums share the same pain-transmitting nerves. When sinuses are inflamed, they can cause referred pain to the upper molars.
- Congestion: Because of the proximity of the maxillary sinuses to your upper molars, the root of the upper molars can extend to those sinuses. Congested sinuses can put pressure on the root of the upper molars, causing discomfort.
As sinusitis and dental complications can have overlapping symptoms, it is essential to know the origins of your tooth pain to address it adequately.
Can Sinus Infection Cause Tooth Infection?
No, a sinus infection cannot cause tooth infection. Tooth pain from a sinus infection is simply discomfort from sinus pressure. However, damage to your upper molars can cause possible dental infections to spread to the sinuses. If the sinuses are infected, it causes sinusitis.
Can Sinus Infection Cause Tooth Pain in Front Teeth?
The maxillary sinuses are above the upper molars, making them less likely to cause tooth pain in the front teeth if the sinuses are infected. We advised that you schedule an appointment with your doctor to learn more.
How do I Know if My Toothache is a Sinus Infection: Causes and Symptoms
Sinuses produce mucus to keep the air moist and prevent the inside of your nose from drying out. The mucus also traps bacteria, allergens, and viruses, which are drained to the nasal cavity and blown out.
If the sinuses are irritated or infected, they can produce more mucus than drain.
If the mucus inside the sinuses builds up, germs can grow and cause infection of the sinus lining or sinusitis.
The swelling, inflammation, and congestion related to sinusitis can cause pain in the upper molars.
What are the Most Common Symptoms of Sinus Infection Tooth Pain
The most common symptom of sinusitis tooth pain is toothache on more than one adjoining upper molars. The pain is not localized on one tooth.
Another common symptom is pain aggravated by movement. Movement like jumping up and down can aggravate sinus tooth pain. Pain can also be aggravated by bending over or lying down. The motions can cause congested sinuses to press on the roots of the molars with more force. Meanwhile, lying down can lessen the pain.
Here are other signs and symptoms of sinusitis that can be present:
- Chronic or acute respiratory tract infection
- Tenderness or pressure to the mid-face area (nose, eyes, forehead)
- Headache
- Nasal congestion, typically on one side
- Runny nose, typically on one side
- Altered sense of smell
- Sore throat
- Postnasal drip
- Yellow mucus
- Ear Pain
- Exhaustion
How Long Does Tooth Pain Last with Sinus Infection?
It would depend on the severity of your sinusitis. Since sinus tooth pain appears more in acute sinus infection, said symptom can last up to ten days.
Understanding Sinus Tooth Pain and Toothache Differences
While dental and sinus-related toothache can feel the same, their triggers can differentiate them. With the symptoms of sinusitis tooth pain elaborated above, here are the signs and symptoms of dental-related tooth pain:
- Pain is localized to one tooth
- Dental pain that worsens when eating or drinking something hot or cold
- Dental pain that worsens when eating
- Facial swelling
- Gum swelling of the affected tooth or teeth
- Loose tooth
- Damaged or restored tooth
If your tooth pain aligns with dental-related complications, please seek a dental professional immediately. Dental infections can cause 40% of chronic sinus infections.
What are the Tests Performed to Diagnose Sinus Infection Tooth Pain?
If you want a professional diagnosis if your tooth pain is sinus-related or dental-related, your dentist can perform a percussion test. It lets the dentist replicate the pain and know its location. If the pain is located in more than one adjoining tooth, you may have sinus tooth pain.
To complete their diagnosis, your dentist will order imaging studies to see the underlying problems of your tooth pain.
- An X-ray can determine if there is any damage on your teeth that is causing dental pain.
- A CT scan can check if your sinuses are inflamed or obstructed.
Effective Remedies to Relieve Sinus Pressure in Your Teeth
In treating sinus infection tooth pain, both the symptom and cause must be treated.
Sinusitis Home Remedies
Since the congested mucus promotes germs that cause sinusitis, the goal is to decongest. Here are remedies you can try at home:
- Hydrate
Drinking fluids can help thin the mucus and promote drainage to the nasal cavity.
- Warm Compress
A warm compress over the sides of the nose can warm the sinuses and loosen mucus.
- Steaming
Breathing in the steam of a bowl of hot water or a hot shower can loosen mucus. The warm, moist steam can soothe irritated nasal passages and make breathing easier.
- Sinus Flushing
Flushing your sinuses with warm or room-temperature saline solution can help moisturize the lining of your sinuses. It can also loosen mucus and clear nasal cavities. You can buy a premixed solution. Or you can boil and cool water to sterilize it for your saline solution.
Use a nasal spray or a syringe to slowly flush the solution into your nasal passages while leaning over a sink. Let the solution run down your face.
- Decongestants
Decongestants can help relieve symptoms. Topical decongestants shouldn’t be used for more than seven days as they can cause symptoms to worsen. The same can happen when using decongestant nasal sprays for over three days.
Toothache Home Remedies
To manage sinus tooth pain, the following remedies can be taken:
- Cold compress
A cold compress on the painful area for 10-15 minutes several times daily can numb tooth pain.
- Over-the-counter Pain Relievers
You can take OTC pain medications such as acetaminophen or numbing gels to treat sinusitis dental pain.
Do I Need Antibiotics for a Sinus Infection?
Since most sinus infections get better without antibiotics, antibiotics are only prescribed by the doctor if other treatments don’t work and they suspect bacterial infections. Antibiotics are only prescribed when other medications don’t work because they can cause mild to rash side effects, from rashes to severe allergic reactions.
If OTC medications don’t work, your doctor may prescribe medicines that decongest or thin mucus. They may also prescribe you allergy medications or steroid nasal sprays.
When to Seek Professional Dental and Sinus Care
While you may need to consult your dentist to confirm if you have sinus or dental-related tooth pain, please schedule an appointment with your doctor if you experience any of the symptoms:
- Tooth pain that persists after the sinusitis has disappeared
- Severe facial or dental pain
- Fever that lasts more than three days
- Symptoms that persist for more than ten days without improvement
- Symptoms that got better then got worse
- Inability to eat or drink due to dental or facial pain.
Sources
- Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sinus-infection-tooth-pain
- Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/sinus-toothache
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/sinus-infection.html
- Gilreath Family Dentistry. https://www.gilreathdental.com/when-dental-pain-is-a-sinus-issue/
British Dental Journal. https://www.nature.com/articles/sj.bdj.2011.47
