Headaches and Sinus Pain: Can a tooth be the culprit?

Our teeth and sinus cavity have a connection that can affect patients in many ways.

Pressure in the sinus can be awful and cause pain in your eyes, ears, head, and even in your teeth.

The sinus cavity is the area of the skull where air passes through before moving to the lungs. It is here that the air first gets warm and wet. Our body usually can fight bacteria in this air that passes through by producing mucous. Sometimes the bacteria are too strong and when this occurs the bacteria cause infections by growing aggressively.

There are several different sinuses in the body. Only one of them, the maxillary sinus, can cause issues with your teeth. The maxillary sinus is located above your teeth and under your eyes.

The maxillary sinuses sit on either side of your nose. The roots of the upper teeth are located very close to them and there is a lot of communication between these teeth and your sinus.

Often patients come into the office with a horrible toothache that, believe it or not, is caused by a sinus infection. When pressure builds up in the sinus it can cause the teeth to ache, be sore, hurt upon biting down, and be temperature sensitive, especially to the cold.

Keep in mind this does work both ways, as a tooth can be the cause of a bad headache or sinus pressure. Chronic sinus problems may be the result of a serious dental infection that needs treatment.

It is important to contact your primary care physician and dentist if you are experiencing pain. The doctor will be able to determine whether the pain is coming from the sinus or from a tooth and treat as needed.

Call our office at 215-568-6222 so that Dr. Ken Cirka, Dr. Mimi Jeon, and Dr. Stephanie Smith can do a free examination and help you.

We look forward to meeting you soon!