Sinusitis isn’t only about a runny nose and headache. The swelling that happens to the mucous membranes of the sinus cavities sometimes compresses the teeth below, leading to toothache. The infection of the sinus cavity may also spread to nearby structures, including teeth. During your dental consultation, your Calgary dentist will differentiate between sinus tooth pain, and the pain originating from the teeth themselves due to a problem in roots or infection.
Anatomy of the Sinuses
Sinuses are four pairs of air-filled spaces located in the facial bones near your eyes, on your forehead, and behind your cheekbones. They warm, moisten and filter the air inside your nose. The mucus is produced by the sinuses, which drain into the nasal cavity and cleans the nose. Infection is possible when these air-filled areas become blocked by fluid.
A sinus infection’s congestion and pressure can cause discomfort or pain in your upper teeth. This is due to the fact that the roots of your upper teeth and jawbone are close to your sinuses. This is known as referred pain when the discomfort spreads to your lower teeth as well.
How Do You Know if Tooth Pain is Sinus-related?
- Sinus tooth pain usually happens in the upper teeth, especially upper molars or rear teeth.
- Sinus tooth pain affects multiple teeth at once, not just a single tooth.
- There will be associated symptoms of sinusitis, such as headache, pain around the eyes, postnasal drip, tinnitus, and affected taste and smelling sensation.
- There might be some constitutional symptoms, such as fever, chills of infections, and low energy.
There’s a sign that may help you identify sinus tooth pain that you might tell your dentist about. When you bend over or make some movements, the pain will intensify in your teeth and head. It is a common sign of sinusitis. Also, the pain may increase at night as sinusitis itself becomes worse this time.
Medications
Here are some medications that your doctor may prescribe to help you such as:
- Expectorants, and OTC medication, will help drain the mucus and relieve the pain
- Decongestant medication works by reducing the blood flow to the sinuses to reduce mucus secretions. And it’s important not to overuse decongestant sprays to prevent tolerance and rebound congestion.
- Pain Relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen will help reduce the pain, but not for a long time as the underlying cause should be treated.
What Do Doctors Recommend for Sinus Tooth Pain Relief?
Sinus tooth pain is a warning sign to consult your dentist, as the infection may spread to other regions in the face. Sinus tooth pain relief includes treating sinusitis and having some remedies to relieve the pain. Your doctor may recommend:
- Drink plenty of fluid to dilute sinus mucus and make it easy to be removed. Having steam inhalation will help a lot to open nasal sinuses and dilute the mucus.
- Nasal sinus irrigation is a good solution to remove the discharge and allergens in your nasal sinuses, thus moisturizing and cleaning them.
- Hum and sleep well. Humming yourself will vibrate the area of nasal congestion and improve the drainage of mucus. Sleeping will help your body fight back the sinus infection.
- Avoid the horizontal position of your head to avoid blocking the nasal openings by mucus.
If you experience sinus tooth pain, contact Inglewood Family Dental today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Arash Ravanbakhsh.
