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Do you have sinus pressure or toothache?

What are sinus cavities?

Lying behind your eyes, cheekbones, and forehead are four air-filled cavities that moisten and warm the air you breathe as it comes into your body. Sinus cavities make your head lighter and also provide resonance to your voice. The mucus produced by them acts as a filtering mechanism, keeping debris and dust from entering further into your lungs. Blockage of the sinus cavities by fluid can cause infection.

How does sinus pressure cause toothache?

sinus location in human jaw

You may be wondering that the sinuses aren’t located in your mouth, so how can they cause toothache. The culprit is the maxillary sinuses (located in the cheekbones) which are quite close to the roots of the upper molars. When the sinuses become infected and inflamed, fluid accumulates in them. This puts pressure on the nerves that enter the upper teeth. As sinuses, teeth, and gums all share similar nerves that can transmit pain signals, your brain fails to distinguish the source of pain and interprets it as coming from the nearby teeth. The best dentists in Mumbai say that this isn’t actual toothache, it is because of the rising pressure in the head.

Sinus pressure vs. regular toothache

As reported by the best dentists in Mumbai, a toothache caused by dental concerns will likely involve a single tooth. It would be the only source of pain, and it could be more intense and focused. Conversely, if you’re experiencing a toothache from sinus pressure, you’ll probably feel discomfort in several upper teeth. Pain in the upper molars (back teeth) on both sides coupled with some or all of the symptoms listed below are indicative of sinus pressure due to an allergy or infection.

  • Blocked or runny nose
  • Headache
  • Fever
  • Tenderness around the eyes or forehead
  •  Heaviness behind the cheekbones
  • Discharge down your throat
  • Thick, discolored mucus
  • Ear Pain
  • Cough and sore throat
  • Inability to smell and taste

Pain from a sinus toothache will worsen with certain types of movement like jumping up or bending over because the sinus pressure shifts as you move and is felt more in your teeth. Tooth pain from sinus pressure will begin to reduce after a few days, whereas the one from dental concerns will show no improvement.

The symptoms indicative of toothache due to a dental problem as stated by the best dentists in Mumbai include

  • Tooth pain while having something cold or hot
  • Swelling on the face
  • Swelling on the gums near a tooth

Pro tips from the best dentists in Mumbai to relieve sinus-induced tooth pain

Regardless of the cause of the pain, you should visit your dentist to rule out the presence of dental disease. Your dentist will examine you clinically and take X-rays to check for any cracks, decay, or abscesses that could be contributing to your toothache. If your dentist gives the all-clear, head to your doctor to discuss potential sinus care.

Meanwhile, you can try these home remedies to ease sinus pressure-

water pouring from bottle into glass
  • Stay hydrated- Drinking lots of fluid like water, soup, and tea will help relieve sinus congestion.
woman taking steam
  • Steam inhalation-It will help to open your nasal passages and relieve sinus pressure. Alternately, a hot steam shower twice a day would also help.
garlic and red chillies
  • Try including spicy foods like garlic, black pepper, and chilli peppers in your diet that will thin out mucus.
Haldi Turmeric
  • Eat foods that are known to reduce inflammation. Herbs like turmeric may work wonders.
Orange Juice
  • Add Calcium and Vitamin C to your diet to ease inflammation.

Ready for your first appointment?