Sunday, April 21, 2024

Can A Tooth Infection Cause A Sinus Infection

Sinus Toothache Symptoms And Causes

Can Sinus Infection cause toothache? – Dr. Sangeeta Honnur

If you have both a sinus infection and tooth pain, the first thing you need to know is this: A sinus toothache is caused by the same inflammation of your sinuses that causes sinus headaches, the combination of sinusitis and tinnitus, and sinusitis and hearing loss.

Sinus infections can cause swelling and inflammation within the sinus cavities located along your jawline. When this occurs, your back upper teeth may begin to hurt due to the inflammation and increased pressure.

Root Canals Do Not Cause Sinus Infections But Can Cause Similar Symptoms

Root canals do not cause sinus infections. However, if youre still suffering from symptoms that seem like sinusitis after a root canal, its likely that you have whats known as a sinus communication.

This means that there is a small hole in your sinus lining near the root of your treated tooth. Your sinus lining is very close to the root of your tooth and it is very delicate and thin. Its possible that your dentist may have punctured it during the root canal process.

The symptoms of this are quite similar to a sinus infection, which is why some people think that it may be possible for a root canal to cause a sinus infection. You may notice things like:

  • Congestion and sinus pressure
  • Runny nose
  • Post-nasal drip

However, there are some symptoms of a sinus communication that are not common in sinusitis, such as:

  • Feeling fluid go into your nose when drinking
  • Feeling air go across the socket of your tooth when you breathe

The good news is that sinus communications will heal on their own, usually in just a few days. However, you should contact a dentist like Dr. McCue if you notice symptoms that persist for 1-2 weeks or more. You may need further help to treat your sinus communication.

Can A Tooth Infection Spread To Your Sinuses

While a sinus infection and tooth pain normally arise in that order, a tooth infection can, in fact, lead to sinus inflammation pain. In rare cases, bacteria, viruses, or fungi in a tooth abscess can spread to the brain and create life-threatening complications.

For this reason, we often recommend erring on the side of caution when it comes to sinus infections and tooth pain if you think the tooth pain youre experiencing goes beyond what youd expect during a sinus infection, consult your dentist.

Recommended Reading: Best Otc For Sinus And Chest Congestion

Can A Tooth Abscess Cause A Sinus Infection

A tooth abscess may cause a sinus infection, as can almost any type of bacterial infection in your upper teeth.

In fact, theres a name for this type of sinus problem: maxillary sinusitis of endodontic origin. The maxillary sinus is located behind the cheekbones close to the roots of the upper back teeth. Therefore an infection in the upper teeth can spread to the maxillary sinus rather easily. Symptoms of this type of sinus infection include post nasal drip and sinus congestion.

Is Your Tooth Pain Caused By Blocked Sinus

Why does the root of my teeth hurt when I have a sinus ...

Theres no worse experience than tooth pain. It can be a throbbing, aching feeling that radiates from your mouth to your jaw. Eventually a tooth pain can give you a terrible headache. If youre really unlucky, your tooth pain can lead to nausea, migraines and joint pain.

But is the source of this pain simply your teeth? Its important to get to the root cause of the problem. There is a chance that your tooth pain is caused by a blocked sinus. If you suffer from chronic nasal congestion as well as toothaches, the two might be related. Read ahead for valuable information that can help you in a dental emergency.

Its time to stop letting tooth pain run your life. No more missed days at work and missing out on time with your friends and family! Stop suffering and get to the root of the problem! If your tooth pain is caused by chronic nasal congestion, a natural sinus remedy can solve the problem.

Recommended Reading: How To Heal A Sinus Infection Without Antibiotics

Know The Difference Between Sinusitis And A Sinus Communication

Root canals cant cause sinus infections, but they can cause similar symptoms if your sinus lining is punctured during treatment. If you need more information about root canals or you suspect that you may have a sinus communication and need help with treatment, dont wait. Contact McCue Dental Health now at 456-1091, or stop by our office at 10625 West North Avenue, Suite 300, Wauwatosa, WI 53226 to schedule your appointment.

Root Canals Will Not Cause Sinusitis Unless The Treatment Fails

So, can a root canal cause a sinus infection? The answer is no. A root canal will never be the primary cause of a sinus infection. During the root canal process, the interior of your tooth is cleaned and sterilized to kill bacteria, so this actually reduces your risk of developing sinusitis due to your tooth infection.

There is an exception, though. If the root canal treatment fails and there are still bacteria in the treated tooth, they may continue to multiply. The tooth infection will come back, and it could cause a sinus infection if it spreads through your sinuses.

So if youre experiencing the symptoms of a sinus infection and your tooth is still hurting after root canal therapy, you should see your dentist for a follow-up right away. You may need further treatment to eliminate the tooth infection.

Recommended Reading: If Sinus Infection Is Left Untreated

What Does A Sinus Toothache Feel Like

A sinus toothache will often feel much like the pressure of other areas experiencing discomfort in the sinuses. It may even be a throbbing, intense pain, because of the pressure on the nerves to the teeth. Typically, tooth pain due to sinus infection is not severe, although it can be a constant ache causing a great deal of discomfort.

Cure Your Tooth Pain Today

Tooth Infections Can Cause Sinusitis- Dr Ashok Explains In Detail About the Issue-Dr Paulose

If you suffer from tooth pain caused by a blocked sinus, there are many treatments out there. By finding a way to ease your sinus pain, you can put a stop to your toothaches and get back to living your life.

Bookmark this article so that you can refer back to this valuable info, and subscribe to our newsletter.

Do you have any experiences living with chronic sinus pain and toothaches? Join the conversation and leave your comments below.

For more information on Dr. Lins clinical protocol that highlights the steps parents can take to prevent dental problems in their children:

Want to know more? Dr Steven Lins book, The Dental Diet, is available to order today. An exploration of ancestral medicine, the human microbiome and epigenetics its a complete guide to the mouth-body connection. Take the journey and the 40-day delicious food program for life-changing oral and whole health.

You May Like: How To Relieve Sinus Pressure In Face And Eyes

Sometimes Rinsing Out Your Sinuses Can Help

Teeth hurt covid or sinus infection. In fact, pain in the upper back teeth is a fairly common symptom with sinus conditions. Pain in the upper back teeth is a fairly common symptom with sinus conditions, writes alan b. The term sinusitis simply means that theres irritation in your sinuses, which make up the lining around.

The sinuses are pairs of empty spaces in your skull connected to the nasal cavity. Treatment depends on the cause but can include medications to decrease inflammation and treat the infection. Sinusitis, can be either a viral or bacterial infection.

Sinus infection tooth pain occurs when the fluid that builds up in the sinus cavities during a sinus infection puts pressure on your upper teeth, which are close to the maxillary sinuses. Typically, youll have facial pain/pressure, headaches, nasal drainage and congestion, decreased or loss of sense of smell, tooth pain and sore throat. First, it was a mild case.

Tooth pain is a common symptom of sinusitis. In the case of a mild infection An infection of the blood vessels within the sinuses.

Levels of the virus can be high in the nasal and sinus areas. The sinuses are pairs of empty spaces in your skull connected to the nasal cavity. Assuming it to be some teeth.

If you experience more pain when you bend over, your toothache is caused by a sinus infection. An infection of the bone surrounding the tooth. Severe, protracted sinus infections can cause neck pain that lasts weeks.

Ear Infection And Covid-19

Signs A Sinus Infection Might Be Causing Your Toothache

People with sinus disease can commonly have tooth pain, said Eugene Chang, MD, an otolaryngologist at BannerUniversity Medical Center Tucson Campus.

Look for these telltale signs that a sinus problem may be driving your pain:

  • You have other sinus symptoms besides a toothache.Isolated tooth pain by itself without other sinus symptoms is usually not related to sinus disease, Dr. Chang said. Sinus symptoms could be a runny or stuffy nose, facial pressure, colored nasal discharge, headache, post-nasal drip, cough, sore throat, or a change in your sense of smell.
  • Your toothache is in the back of your upper teeth. Your cheek sinuses, also called maxillary sinuses, contact the roots of your upper molars. So, youre more likely to notice a sinus-related toothache there. Toothaches in your bottom teeth or front teeth are less likely to be sinus related.

Don’t Miss: What To Do For A Sinus Infection Naturally

Root Canals Dont Cause Sinus Infections And Can Prevent Them

So, do root canals cause sinus infections? No. In fact, a root canal is one of the best ways to prevent an infected tooth from causing a sinus infection.

Thatâs because, in the root canal treatment process, a dentist like Dr. Danny will open up the tooth to clean and sanitize its interior. He will remove all of the decayed and damaged pulp and other tooth material, then flush the tooth with a special type of disinfectant to eliminate any remaining bacteria.

This destroys all of the bacteria inside the tooth, and ensures that it can be restored and kept intact for years to come. Killing these bacteria also means they will not spread into your sinus lining, eliminating the risk of a sinus infection.

Sinus Infections Can Be Caused By An Infected Tooth

Infected Tooth Or Sinus Problem?

First, its important to note that your sinuses are very close to your upper teeth. Because of this, an infected tooth can actually be the cause of a sinus infection.

If you have an infected upper tooth, the root of the tooth may be so close to the sinus lining that bacteria can spread throughout the sinus lining and into your sinuses. This is a relatively common issue in patients with serious tooth infections in their upper teeth.

Its so common that theres actually a medical name for it. This type of sinus infection is called maxillary sinusitis of endodontic origin. If you have a sinus infection after a root canal, its possible that your infected tooth was what caused the issue.

Treatment for this kind of sinus infection is the same as any other type of sinus infection. Your immune system will eventually destroy the infection, but you may need to get antibiotics from the doctor to speed up the recovery process.

You May Like: How Long Does Sinus Surgery Take

Can A Root Canal Cause A Sinus Infection Learn Everything You Need To Know

If you have symptoms of a sinus infection after a root canal in Port Orange, you may be wondering if your sinus infection is related to your recent treatment. Is it possible for a root canal to cause these symptoms? The team at Smillie Dental is happy to discuss the details about whether or not root canals can cause sinus infections.

How To Distinguish Infections

So, with so much overlap, how can you tell the difference between the two types of infections? First, you can look at the most distinguishing symptoms. Look for a discolored tooth or a sore on the gums near the affected tooth.

You can also see how your condition responds to treatment. Antibiotics often work well to control sinus infections. However, they at best will only temporarily impact a tooth infection. If repeated courses of antibiotics dont work on your infection, or if an infection seems to clear up then return repeatedly, you should consider that you might have an infected tooth.

If you have reason to suspect a tooth infection or are just tired of ineffective treatments for your sinus infection, its time to talk to a dentist. A dentist can evaluate your teeth more closely to determine whether one of them is the source of your infection. Then he can recommend appropriate treatment, such as root canal therapy if the tooth can be saved. If the tooth cant be saved, extraction plus replacement with a dental bridge or implant is usually best.

Read Also: Best Over The Counter For Sinus Pressure

Can A Tooth Abscess Cause A Sinus Infection Or Heart Disease

When it comes to what brings patients into our Grosse Pointe dental office for oral surgery, its not always about the pain. A tooth abscess is often the first sign of a tooth infection or fracture. A tooth abscess may also cause a sinus infection or headaches, which are also key indicators that you may need a tooth extraction or root canal.

If you have an abscess on your gums, you should seek dental treatment as soon as possible. Abscesses will eventually lead to tooth and gum pain, as well as sinus infections. Further, studies have shown that drainage from the sore may contribute to heart disease.

Following are several things you should know about tooth abscesses and their relationship to sinus infections.

A Case Of Sinusitis Caused By A Tooth

Tooth infection or sinus infection?

This person had chronic sinusitis for the last few years, that started shortly after she had a metal post put into one of her upper back teeth. Upon looking at her x-rays I noticed that the metal post that was put in one of her upper teeth looked like it had pierced through edge of the tooth and gone slightly into the bone. This caused an abscess that was leaking into her sinus.

Heres the x-ray of her upper right teeth:

To make the x-ray below easier to see, the tooth is green, the infection is red, and the sinuses are blue:

Sadly, due to the fracture in the tooth caused by the large metal post, the tooth had to be extracted.

The oral surgeon who extracted the tooth told me that the tip of the tooth broke off just above the metal post, causing the root fragment to get pushed into the sinuses during extraction. He had to open up the sinus to retrieve the root and he was able to suction out a lot of the infection he said it was a pretty bad infection.

Read Also: Who To See For Sinus Issues

Overlapping Symptoms With Sinus And Tooth Infection

It can be hard to distinguish between the symptoms of a sinus infection and a tooth infection. With a sinus infection, you might commonly experience:

  • Pain in the face or behind the eyes
  • Headaches
  • Discharge from tooth or gums
  • Foul taste in the mouth or persistent bad breath
  • Pimple-like sore on gums
  • Discolored tooth

In addition, more symptoms might cross over. A sinus infection can put pressure on your tooth, leading to a toothache. Infections can also spread from your tooth to your sinuses.

Chronic Sinus Issues Could Be Down To A Tooth Infection

If you have been suffering from chronic sinus infections, you will no doubt be wanting to find answers and solutions. But did you know that an infected tooth could cause frequent reoccurring sinus issues?Maxillary sinusitis of odontogenic origin is when an infection in the root of your tooth spreads to your sinuses. Your upper back teeth have roots that can extend towards the cheekbones, reaching the maxillary sinus. If one tooth has an infection, you are at risk of it spreading through the root of the tooth and into the sinus.

SymptomsSymptoms of sinus infections caused by dental-related sinusitis include sinus congestion, sinus pressure, allergy-like nasal issues, facial swelling, pressure pain, headaches and even nausea. Your doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics. This will be a temporary solution, as the issue with the offending tooth will remain untreated. The sinus infection will keep returning until the underlying tooth infection is rectified.As with many sinusitis sufferers who do not routinely experience tooth-related pain, it can be hard to identify that the sinus problems are a side effect of a tooth infection. This means that many sufferers will have reoccurring sinus infection for months or even years before the real cause of the problem is recognised and correctly diagnosed. Seeking advice from a dentist is the best course of action.

Don’t Miss: How Does A Sinus Infection Spread

Types Of Sinus Infections: Chronic Vs Acute

There are four types of sinus infections. These classifications depend on the length and frequency of the infection:

  • Acute sinusitis.This type of sinus infection lasts only for a short time, defined by the American Academy of Otolaryngology as less than 4 weeks. This short-term infection is usually part of a cold or other respiratory illness. It may also be caused by a bacterial infection .
  • Subacute sinusitis. A subacute sinus infection lasts between 4 and 12 weeks .
  • Recurrent acute sinusitis. An acute sinus infection is considered recurrent if the infection returns four or more times within a year, with each infection lasting 7 days or more.
  • Chronic sinusitis.Chronic sinus infections last for more than 12 weeks or continue to recur.

Many sinus infection symptoms are common in both acute and chronic forms. Seeing a doctor is the best way to learn if you have an infection, find the cause, and get treatment.

For cases of acute bacterial sinus infections, these symptoms last at least 10 days without improving, or they worsen within 10 days after seeming to improve. In this case, its important to talk with a doctor, such as a general practitioner or an ear, nose, and throat doctor , to get a diagnosis and treatment plan.

Learn more about the symptoms of a sinus infection below.

Popular Articles
Related news