At William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, many patients come in with a toothache. In some cases, the toothache is a secondary symptom of a sinus condition. Let’s discuss the relationship.
Your maxillary sinuses are very close upstairs neighbors of your top teeth. In some areas, only a sliver of tissue separates the upper tooth roots from the bottom of the sinus cavity. It’s no wonder that when there is pain in that general area, the specific location can be hard to identify.
Allergies, infections, and the common cold can irritate sinus tissues. When sinus tissues become swollen and infected, it can affect the teeth.
In extreme cases, swollen sinus tissues can actually move the teeth slightly, changing the bite. The reverse scenario can also transpire. The infection surrounding an abscessed tooth can easily travel to the sinus cavity.
An abscess is an infected pocket of pus in a tooth and/or the surrounding bone and tissue. The most prevalent type of oral abscess originates in the pulp of the tooth and is generally caused by tooth decay.
When an abscess is small, it may go unnoticed but it will eventually lead to pain.
An abscess can cause complete tooth loss and the infection can also destroy jawbone.
If an abscess damages the tooth until it is beyond saving and requires extraction, a dental implant is one replacement option – but only if there is enough bone to anchor the implant.
How can you tell an abscessed tooth from a sinus infection?
Sinus pain typically manifests itself as a dull, continuous pain while the pain from an abscessed tooth increases in intensity. If you tap on an abscessed tooth, you will possibly feel a sharp jolt of pain.
You have several sinus cavities, and pain can emanate from any or all of them, so if you have an infection in more than one sinus cavity, you may have pain behind the nose and eyes. As mentioned previously, it’s possible to be in a world of hurt with both problems—an abscessed tooth and a sinus infection.
Call William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry is you have pain in your upper jaw and lower sinus area. An abscessed tooth should never be ignored. If it’s a sinus infection, your doctor can help you. This is a situation where you need counsel from both your dental and medical care provider.
Contact William J. Stewart Jr. DDS Advanced Family & Cosmetic Dentistry:
210-493-3040
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
13220 Huebner Rd
San Antonio, Texas
78230
