So I was on a plane two weeks ago, and there was an older man next to me who was coughing and sneezing the whole way. I kind of forgot about it, but then a few days later I started getting a pain in my tooth. That’s right; my back tooth, on the bottom, on the right side.
I thought it was strange but since I’ve never had dental issues before, I figured it would go away. Then the next day my right nostril closed up, and the tooth pain was getting worse. Except now it was the back top tooth!
Long story short, I did some research online and discovered that sinus congestion can cause pain in teeth. Who knew? I didn’t, anyway. It’s really strange; when I hold my nose and breathe out, my ears pop and the pain subsides for a moment. But then my sinuses close back up and the pain comes back. It also feels like my jaw isn’t lining up correctly anymore. Like, when I close my mouth, the bottom teeth on the right are hitting the top teeth before the ones on the left are. But the pain is inconsistent; it keeps bouncing around between the top and bottom teeth, and sometimes it’s hard to tell where it’s coming from. And sometimes I’ll sneeze and the pain will go away for a few hours, and my jaw will line back up, but then eventually it comes back.
Obviously I’m going to go to the dentist to rule out everything, but since I’m still out of town it’s a little more difficult. But honestly, with the evidence presented, I really feel like it’s a sinus issue rather than a dental one. I’ve started attacking that with sinus medication so we’ll see what that does, but has anyone else experienced this?
My mother gets almost the identical symptoms every few years, minus the sneezy old guy and the feeling that her jaw isn’t lining up right. Every time, she panics and thinks she’s got a tooth infection and goes to the dentist, who tells her it’s a sinus infection and gives her antibiotics and everything goes back to normal.
On the other hand, I once got pain like that and went to the dentist, who said a recent crown had messed up my bite. He filed a bit off one corner of the crown and everything was fine. Any recent changes to your teeth?
Yeah, I once got a cold that moved into my sinuses and was very worried when my back left teeth suddenly became very sensitive and ached all day. I did the same internet research, went, “Huh! Sinus pressure can press on your teeth and make them hurt! I’ll just wait a day and see.” After a day it was half there and after two days the cold went away and the pain went too. I was quite relieved since at the time I didn’t have any insurance.
Glad to hear it’s not just me! No, no recent changes to my teeth, and everything looks normal. I investigated the TMJ thing and was convinced that’s what I had, but the more research I do the more it seems like it’s the sinus/tooth connection. I just wish it would go away!
You may wish to try some aerosol saline spray, from the drug store, before you move to sinus medication.
Sinus medication works, in part, by drying up your sinus, causing the inflammation to ease, and the pain as well. However that drying is effectively turning what you need to drain out of your sinus, into gummy bears. When what you really need to do is increase drainage. The saline spray keeps everything slippery and moist and it thins the mucus, both improve drainage immediately. The saline helps fight the actual infection. (Always sterilize the tip after use, always. To avoid reinfect ion!)
I learned all of this from the Dr that did my sinus surgery. He also taught me to drink a half ounce of Apple cider vinegar twice a day, as an aid to drainage when having sinus issues. Apparently this vinegar is fermented with the skins on the apples. This concentrates something in the skin that thins mucus. You can mix it with chocolate syrup, or maple syrup. Or just take it like a shot of tequila! (Always brush your teeth afterward, vinegar is hard on tooth enamel.)
If I had known this twenty years ago I’d have saved enough money on sinus meds to buy a car, I swear! And I have not purchased sinus meds in the decade since I had my surgery! I still tend to sinus infections, but these two things have cured every one in less than four days!
I realize most people would rather just take a pill, but you should really give it a try first, in my opinion.
In your gut. And be prepared, it will clear your sinus in but a few minutes!
Also, I should have mentioned, this method will lead to a lot of nose blowing as the thinned mucus will begin to slip and your sinus to drain. But I figure what the Hell, I’m already doing that!
The other benefit to this path is it isn’t curing you, it’s just aiding your body to do what it does naturally to cure you. This amounts to making you stronger against future infection, unlike sinus med.
After a lifetime of sinus agony, I had some mighty big doubts about the effectiveness of these two things let me tell you. But the guy was a great surgeon, did an awesome job and has an outstanding reputation so I tried it.
I was not disappointed in any way whatsoever! And it’s so, so much cheaper…BONUS!
Hum, going to try the apple cider thing the next time I have a sinus infection. But man, I don’t think I’ll be able to eat gummy bears for a while…blah.
Don’t focus entirely on the apple cider vinegar, it may work, but the saline rinse several times a day definitely works! My ENT physician recommended this before surgery and it works so well that surgery has been postponed indefinitely. Not just a saline spray but a saline rinse.
Apple Cider Vinegar Diary - Day 1
I ingested between .5 and 1 oz. apple cider vinegar last evening at 10PM EST. Within a short time mild sinus discomfort eased. I did not feel any sinus pain last night sleeping on either side.
I can safely conclude that one of the following explanations applies here:
It’s the one two punch that’s really the winner, saline spray to moisten the passages and fight the infection, and ACV to actually thin the mucus. Drainage is everything with sinus issues.
Also though you may get relief directly, in my experience, it’s best to keep with it for three days so it doesn’t just resurface in a few days. This part was challenging for me as I really need the symptoms as a trigger to remember!
Mostly though I came back to say I should have mentioned to take the ACV preferably not on an empty stomach. Kind of important, feel bad for overlooking it.
I wonder if he had bronchitis if he was constantly coughing. It seems that bronchitis, pneumonia, ear infections and sinus infections are all caused by pneumococcal viruses.
Okay, I gave in and bought (and tried) the apple cider. It does seem to help, albeit temporarily. The effect seemed to last about two hours. Only to be taken when my nose is so stuffed up that my mouth can’t taste much. Even then the cider cuts through it.
