Sinus inflammation as cause of toothache

The sinuses are air-filled bony cavities of the head that are often closely associated with toothache due to their position near the nasal and oral cavities. Sinusitis – Sinusitis is an inflammation of the lining of the sinuses and nose. Viruses and bacteria cause sinusitis. Teeth in the upper jaw – premolars and molars with their root tips and nerves are in the immediate vicinity of the maxillary sinus, and with sinusitis you can feel pain in the area of ​​these teeth.

Toothache caused by sinusitis is reflected as pain in one area and affects several teeth, it is difficult to determine which tooth it is, while the mucosa of the same area may be slightly swollen due to sinus fluid that creates pressure on the tissue. Toothache due to tooth disease affects one tooth, and the pain itself is short / long, dull / sharp and / or pulsating, depending on the degree of the disease.

Toothache caused by the tooth itself or the sinus needs to be properly diagnosed in order to relieve the patient of the pain and start treatment on time. If a patient who feels pain in the tooth and / or a certain region of the oral cavity comes to the dental practice, it is necessary to take an X-ray to see the condition of the tooth (presence of the disease – caries, periapical lesions), the relationship of the tooth to the sinus. After a detailed analysis of the X-ray, a clinical examination is performed. Detailed tooth inspection (caries, periodontal disease), palpation (light pressure in the soft tissue area), percussion (tapping the tooth with a blunt metal object) and the vitality test (cold cotton wool is applied to the tooth, and the tooth reaction is monitored). If, after all the tests, it is determined that the sinusitis is the cause of the patient’s toothache, they are referred to an otorhinolaryngology specialist.