Spring time is sinus infection season for a few reasons. The most common culprit is the return of allergy season.
If you’re a sufferer, you’re gearing up for the inevitable swelling of the nasal passages and the increased mucus in your nose. This blocks the opening of the sinus drainage pathways and can lead to infection.
But while pollen is the main reason for the increase in sinus infections at this time of year, it isn’t the only one.
There’s also the “do-I-or-don’t-I-wear-a-jacket-today” dilemma that most of us face when it’s sunny and 6˚C out there – because after a long winter, 6˚C feels like 16˚C. And while it’s true that you can’t catch a cold directly from not dressing appropriately, it does affect your immune system, making you more susceptible to catching someone else’s virus. Then the increase in bacterial mucus has the same sinus blocking effect and the increased possibly developing a sinus infection.
Tooth pain and a sinus infection
When a cold or a bout of allergies turns into a sinus infection, you can develop tooth pain. But it’s not the acute tooth pain that you’d experience from a chipped tooth, cavity or a root issue. The pain from a sinus infection is more like an overall feeling of pressure in all your teeth – because that’s exactly what’s happening. The mucus builds up in your maxillary sinuses, which are above your molar teeth roots. The pressure pushes down on your dental nerve endings, which is what causes the discomfort.
So what can you do about tooth pain caused by sinus infection?
Unfortunately, the only way to treat the pain is to treat the sinus infection itself. Over-the-counter cold-and-sinus medication will help, but here are a few home remedies that may offer some relief:
Drink Coconut Water
Hydrating the mucus membranes decreases mucus buildup so you don’t get any worse. The coconut water specifically is high in electrolytes like magnesium, potassium and sodium, all of which can give your immune system a bit of a boost to clear the infection a bit faster.
Eat Chilies
Getting your nose running and your eyes watering will help you clear some of the blocked mucus. And as a bonus, capsaicin (which is what gives chilies their kick) is a natural pain reliever.
Hum A Few Tunes
Seriously. Humming increases airflow to your sinuses, which can help clear and drain them. We’d recommend longer songs like American Pie or Inna Gadda Da Vida.
Sleep Sitting Up
Propping your head up will get gravity to do some of the draining work for you while you rest. If you can’t do that, some extra pillows will also work.
As for brushing and flossing with a sinus infection…
It may be a bit uncomfortable to keep up with oral care when you have sinus-infection-related tooth pain but keep it up. The last thing you’ll want after clearing the discomfort of a sinus infection is tooth problem. If think you are having a toothache, a sinus infection and you are unsure if they are related book an appointment to see your dentist. Often it is very simple to sort this out.
