Sinus Pain and Teeth
You’ve had sinus pain that comes and goes every few months. Maybe you even have intense sinus pain right now and it just won’t go away. Did you know there’s a chance that your problem is tooth-related?
The roots of many of your upper teeth go near or even right up to your sinus cavity. The membrane that forms the sinus can then drape right over the roots of the teeth. In normal, healthy teeth, this is fine. When the tooth develops an infection in the nerve, however, this proximity can cause problems. As the tooth infection increases in size, the swelling from the tip of the tooth (called the apex) will actually push against your sinus, causing sinus pain.
In some cases, the infection will naturally subside and the pain will go away. You could even go months before it comes back again. Unfortunately, once a tooth’s nerve is infected it’s not so much IF the infection will flare back up, but WHEN it will return. The best thing you can do is have your dentist take an x-ray of the tooth. The image will show if the tooth is, in fact, infected. If it is, a root canal procedure will remove the infected nerve and put a stop to the sinus pain.
However, the best solution to this problem is preventative care! Keeping your teeth from ever getting to this point will ensure that you avoid tooth-related sinus pain altogether. Taking good care of your teeth will prevent cavities, which will keep your infections from occurring. Brushing, flossing, and regular dental check-ups can help keep cavities away. A
The roots of many of your upper teeth go near or even right up to your sinus cavity. The membrane that forms the sinus can then drape right over the roots of the teeth. In normal, healthy teeth, this is fine. When the tooth develops an infection in the nerve, however, this proximity can cause problems. As the tooth infection increases in size, the swelling from the tip of the tooth (called the apex) will actually push against your sinus, causing sinus pain.
In some cases, the infection will naturally subside and the pain will go away. You could even go months before it comes back again. Unfortunately, once a tooth’s nerve is infected it’s not so much IF the infection will flare back up, but WHEN it will return. The best thing you can do is have your dentist take an x-ray of the tooth. The image will show if the tooth is, in fact, infected. If it is, a root canal procedure will remove the infected nerve and put a stop to the sinus pain.
However, the best solution to this problem is preventative care! Keeping your teeth from ever getting to this point will ensure that you avoid tooth-related sinus pain altogether. Taking good care of your teeth will prevent cavities, which will keep your infections from occurring. Brushing, flossing, and regular dental check-ups can help keep cavities away. A