Simple Toothache or Sinus Infection?

When you have a toothache, the first thing that comes to mind is that you might have tooth cavities, abscesses or other dental problems. Immediately, you visit a dentist for professional help. But did it ever happen to you where the dentist didn’t find anything wrong with your teeth? If this is the case, another possibility you might want to consider is having a sinus infection. How can this be? The connection can be found between the upper teeth and maxillary sinuses. The roots of the upper teeth, called maxillary molars, extend into the maxillary sinuses. So when there is infection in the maxillary sinuses, one of the symptoms manifested is pain in the upper teeth, along with facial pain and swelling. At the same time, there are also cases when a worsened dental infection of the gums or teeth can lead to sinus infection as well. Because of the close connection, differentiating dental pain from sinus infection can be very confusing at times.

Toothache vs. Sinus Infection
So the big question is how do you differentiate a simple toothache from maxillary sinus infection? There are simple steps you can undertake to determine the condition correctly. You can safely rule out dental problems if you are already experiencing other sinus infection symptoms such as clogged and runny nose, headaches, sore throats, post-nasal drip or facial pain. Also, if you have history of sinus infection, it is possible that you are having another bout of infection again.

To get accurate diagnosis, it is recommended to seek professional help, especially when your condition does not improve in a few days. A dentist can evaluate your teeth and identify possible dental problems using a percussion test. In this test, the dentist gently taps on your teeth to see which ones hurt. Pain in a single tooth usually indicates dental problem while pain in all of the teeth is a symptom of sinus infection. When the latter is experienced, it is time to visit an ENT specialist who will identify the cause of sinus infection and prescribe the right course of treatment.

Relieving Toothache and Sinus Infection
Toothache due to dental problems can be easily eliminated. You just have to work closely with your dentist and undergo procedures to get rid of the dental problem. Some of the most common procedures are tooth extraction, dental prophylaxis, or root canal therapy. It is important to follow your dentist’s advice immediately as waiting too long can only lead to more complications.

Compared to simple toothache, sinus infection is much more complicated to treat. More bad news is that this condition is usually accompanied by pain, discomfort and misery. However, relief is still possible as long as you follow your doctor’s advice and take your medications religiously. Herbal and home remedies are also helpful in eliminating the infection. Taking good care of the body and boosting the immune system is also advised to prevent sinus infection.