Is It Sinus Pressure Or A Toothache?

Did you know that sinus pressure can cause symptoms that closely mimic a regular toothache? Sinus congestion and infections can cause your upper teeth to hurt as if you had a cavity or even an abscess. In this blog post, you’ll learn why sinus pressure can cause a toothache, how to tell if a toothache is related to sinus pressure, and what to expect if you go to the dentist with possible sinus pressure issues.

Cause of Sinus Toothaches

Tooth pain related to sinus problems occurs because the upper teeth (especially those in the back) are so close to the maxillary sinuses. The maxillary sinuses are located above the upper jaws and inside the cheekbone.  When the maxillary sinus becomes inflamed (sinusitis) or infected, it swells and becomes congested resulting in pressurization.  The roots of the back teeth in your upper jaw are very, very close to the bottom portion of the maxillary sinuses, so when they swell and pressurize it can easily result in pressure on the nerves in the roots of your teeth.

How to Tell the Difference Between Sinus and Dental Problems

It can be very difficult to tell if your toothache is caused by a sinus problem or a dental problem. Here are some indicators that tooth pain is sinus-related:

• Nasal or sinus congestion is present
• Pain is only felt in the upper back teeth
• More than one tooth is affected
• There is no sensitivity to hot or cold but it hurts to chew or bite

It is also common to get a toothache shortly after a cold or a allergy attack mostly due to opportunistic bacteria that attack a pre-existing tooth issue when your immune system takes a dip. We see this all of the time, I call it Toothache Season, because when our immune systems drops this is when bacteria are most active.

Visit Your Dentist

If you aren’t sure of the exact cause of your dental pain, it’s best to go ahead and pay a visit to West U Family Dental. Your dentist will take x-rays of the painful teeth and check for cavities or a possible abscess.  In most cases, we can identify a dental infection before it becomes a toothache! Prevention and early intervention are the key.  If the teeth involved seem healthy and don’t exhibit any sensitivity to hot or cold, then the most likely cause is going to be a sinus problem. This topic is nearly impossible to try and diagnose on your own, and there are specific tests that can easily determine if it is tooth related or sinus related. Sinus infections can usually be treated with a single round of antibiotics, whereas dental infections require treatment followed by antibiotics.

Contact West U Family Dental Today!

If you have tooth pain that you suspect might be sinus related, give us a call at West U Family Dental. We will be happy to painlessly perform a dental exam and digital x-rays (if needed) to determine the cause of your pain. Don’t suffer through that pain any longer – find out the cause so you can get the treatment you need. And remember, if you are nervous about visiting the dentist we offer various levels of sedation to keep your anxiety at a minimum while you see to the health of your teeth.