C Ear Infection Symptoms: What Your Tooth Pain Could Be Telling You
The symptoms of an ear infection can vary depending on where the infection is located. You may experience earache and fever, or dizziness and nausea. However, there is a symptom that you may not be aware of and that is related to the infection: a toothache.
Thats right toothache can result from an untreated ear infection. Although pain can be treated, people with chronic ear infections often wonder if the problem can have lasting effects on their teeth. Learn more about the relationship between ear infections and oral health below.
Can A Tooth Infection Cause Ringing In The Ears
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.
Mild Pain In Your Jaw Or Ear May Not Be A Cause For Concern
Since root canal treatment requires you to hold your mouth open for a long period of time during the procedure, you may experience some discomfort in your jaw. This pain could radiate to your ear, particularly if an upper molar was treated for an infection.
In addition, the area near your tooth and ear may feel sore due to the injections used to numb the area prior to treatment, causing similar sensations of soreness and pain. This type of pain is nothing to worry about, and it should fade after a few days.
Also Check: How To Connect Phonak Hearing Aids To Iphone
The Process Of Hearing
First, lets review how hearing works. When your outer ear collects sound waves, the vibrations funnel into the ear canal, through the eardrum, and into the middle ear, where they vibrate tiny bones called ossicles. The vibrations then reach the innermost part of the ear, an organ called the cochlea. Here, the vibrations stimulate fluid and tiny hair cells, which translate the vibrations into electrical impulses. The brain detects these impulses via the auditory nerve and interprets them.
If any of these components fail to complete its job properly, you will experience auditory issues. Common complications include damaged hair cells, perforated or ruptured eardrums, ear infections, and otosclerosis.
What To Do If You Have A Dental Abscess
You should see a dentist as soon as possible if you think you have a dental abscess. Avoid visiting your GP, as there is little they can do to help.
You can get help from:
- your registered dentist if it’s out of hours, they should have an answerphone message with details of how to access out-of-hours dental treatment
- NHS 24 service who can give you details of dental services in your area
- your local clinical commissioning group who can tell you the phone number of your local dental access helpline
- your local accident and emergency department if there are no other options or you’re having difficulty breathing
You may have to pay for emergency NHS dental treatment, depending on your circumstances. Read about NHS dental charges.
Also Check: Phonak Icom Pairing
Dont Let Oral Problems Lead To Hearing Loss
Isnt it amazing how much the health of your mouth can affect the health of your entire body? From tooth decay and gum disease, to impacted wisdom teeth and TMJ, there are a variety of oral problems that may impact your ability to hear things clearly. But you can rest easy, knowing that these are all problems that could be resolved with the help of a smart hygiene routine that includes trips to your dentist.
When To See The Dentist
Ideally, you should go to the dentist every six months to a year on average for preventive dental care, including a check-up and dental cleaning according to the American Dental Association . If you have ongoing oral health problems or have a higher risk for periodontal disease or underlying medical problems, like heart disease or diabetes, Dr. Darj may recommend more frequent visits.
But emergencies happen and some dental problems require immediate attention. Pain is usually the main sign that somethings wrong, so you shouldnt wait more than a day or two to schedule an appointment if the pain persists.
- Swollen, red, or tender gums
- Persistent bad breath
- Signs of infection, like pus, blisters, or sores on the gums or inside your mouth
- Jaw pain
- Loose teeth
- Changes to your bite
It can be difficult to tell the difference between a toothache or an earache, so its important not to ignore your symptoms to ensure that you get timely and accurate treatment. If you have an infection, you may need prescription medication to clear it up.
In the case of tooth decay or gum disease, the earlier you get treatment the better. Waiting too long can make your symptoms worse, and increase your risk of permanent damage or even tooth loss.
If youre experiencing pain or other symptoms of an oral health problem, dont wait to get help. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Darj at our office in El Paso, Texas.
You Might Also Enjoy…
Read Also: How Do You Sign Merry Christmas
Can A Toothache Cause A Sore Throat
Many patients have secondary symptoms, like a sore throat, and dont realize the cause of the pain is actually their teeth. A wisdom tooth infection may feel like a sore throat and may even be accompanied by swollen lymph node glands as if you had a common cold. It is important to look out for addition wisdom teeth infection symptoms such as pain in the tooth, swelling of the face and/or jaw, a bad taste or smell in your mouth, or difficulty chewing and contact your dentist immediately for treatment.
What Causes Dental Abscesses
Your mouth is full of bacteria, which form a sticky film on your teeth called plaque.
If you don’t keep your teeth clean, acids produced by the bacteria in plaque can damage your teeth and gums, leading to tooth decay or gum disease.
The following can increase your chances of developing a dental abscess:
- poor oral hygiene plaque can build-up on your teeth if you don’t floss and brush your teeth regularly
- consuming lots of sugary or starchy food and drink these can encourage the growth of bacteria in plaque and may lead to decay that can result in an abscess
- an injury or previous surgery to your teeth or gums bacteria can get into any damaged parts of the teeth or gums
- having a weakened immune system this includes people with certain underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, and those having treatment, including steroid medication or chemotherapy
Also Check: How To Teach Yourself Asl
Blaming Bacteria That Starts In The Mouth
The nasty bacteria that are able to thrive in your mouth and wreak havoc there also have the potential to get into your bloodstream. Once there, the bacteria are capable of traveling to other parts of your body, causing further damage. Scary, right?
Basically, when you arent keeping the bacteria in your mouth in check with a consistent at-home oral hygiene routine and regular trips to the dentist, youre upping the odds that the bacteria will travel into the blood, leading to inflammation. Your blood vessels and arteries might end up becoming narrower than they should be, and that may, in turn, adversely affect your hearing. But the worst part is that, if hearing loss does occur, it might be permanent!
Wait, how do blood vessels play a role in your ability to hear? Well, the hair cells in the ear could become damaged, or even die, when blood vessels become narrow because the cells will no longer receive enough blood. Beyond that, however, bacteria that originated in the mouth might also cause inflammation within blood vessels in your brain, and that may end up reducing blood flow to the area of your brain that receives information through the auditory nerve, thereby impacting your ability to hear clearly. Who knew?!
Symptoms Of A Tooth Infection Spreading To The Rest Of The Body
Did you know that you can die from a toothache? That’s a sobering thought.
Most of the time toothaches are caused by infections that are merely painful inconveniences. But if the infection worsens and spreads to the rest of the body, it can be serious. For a small number of people, it’s even deadly.
To avoid this happening to you, you can simply learn the symptoms of a tooth infection spreading to the body. Then you’ll know when to seek immediate medical attention for your annoying toothache.
You May Like: How To Sign Poop In Asl
Oral Health And Ear Infection Symptoms
If you experience pain in your mouth, it may be a sign of ear infection. In some cases, undiagnosed ear infections can cause pain in the teeth or jaw. Fortunately, pain in the ears, teeth or jaw can often be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers. If you have ear infections on a regular basis, the long-term side effects on your teeth shouldnt be a problem.
What Is A Tooth Infection
An untreated dental cavity, a tooth injury, and prior dental work can result in an infection inside or under your tooth. The pulp is the most affected area of the tooth and is comprised of nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissues.
When a tooth infection occurs, bacteria has the potential to travel from the tooth to the surrounding tissues and bones. Bacterial infection causes a pocket of pus to form in the center of the tooth, this is called a tooth abscess.
Also Check: Sign Language For Pee And Poop
The Ancient Meridian System Of Arteries And Nerves May Explain How Bacterial Migration To All Parts Of The Body Is One Of The Greatest Dangers Of Tooth Infection
Studies have found significant evidence to associate oral bacterial infection with cancer of the lung, kidney, and pancreas with hepatitis and with cardiovascular disease.
Swollen gums, halitosis, and cavities are serious concerns, but may be insignificant problems compared to greater dangers of tooth infection: hepatitis, cancer, heart disease, and more. Bacteria in the mouth can multiply in damaged teeth and migrate throughout the body, causing significant damage.
Treatment Of Ear Infections
Given the possible side effects of antibiotics used to treat ear infections , Nemours suggests a wait-and-see approach to treat most types of infections by ear. This is because, in many cases, the body can fight ear infections on its own, without the need for antibiotics.
Over-the-counter pain relievers, like ibuprofen, are used to treat pain . If ear infections are common or severe, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics.
Don’t Miss: Witch Hazel For Dog Ear Infection
What Is A Sinus Infection
The sinuses are air-filled cavities in the skull. They are located in the bony structures of the cheeks, behind the forehead and eyebrows, on either side of the bridge of the nose, and directly in front of the brain, behind the nose. When these cavities are irritated or swollen, they can be painful, with many symptoms.
Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinus cavities. Its common for people with seasonal allergies and asthma to experience sinusitis on a regular basis, or one can come on after a cold or the flu. People with weakened immune systems are also more susceptible to sinus infections.
Normal sinuses have a thin layer of mucus that traps pollen, dust, germs, bacteria, and other particles from the air you breathe, reducing the amount of debris that gets into your lungs. Tiny, hair-like cilia sweep this mucus mixture from the sinuses into your throat, where you naturally swallow it on a regular basis. Sinus infections keep the cilia from being able to clear the dust-filled mucus, stopping it from reaching the back of your throat. Sometimes, allergies or nasal/respiratory infections can cause swelling that inhibits the function of the cilia hairs. This keeps microorganisms in the sinuses, where infections can develop.
More severe sinus infections can be deadly if the infection spreads to the brain.
Read Also: What Can Help Sciatic Nerve Pain
What Causes Tooth Infection
When healthy, our teeth are covered by a tough, mineralised layer called the enamel, which protects the underlying softer layer of the tooth, the dentin and pulp. The innermost pulp layer of the tooth contains nerves and blood vessels that provide innervation and nourishment to our teeth.
Things get complicated when one starts to ignore their oral hygiene routine. As a result, a fine layer of food and bacterial debris forms on the surface of the teeth. This layer, called the plaque, gradually hardens and becomes the dental calculus. Both the calculus and plaque offer an excellent breeding environment for harmful bacteria. These bacteria utilise the sugars from the plaque and calculus and release toxins that damage the enamel layer of the teeth and expose the underlying dentin and pulp.
At this point, you will only be sensitive to hot and cold foods. However, if this condition is not treated timely, bacteria penetrate the teeth and lead to an infection of the dental pulp. The only option to save the affected tooth is to perform a root canal treatment procedure. You can know more about root canal treatments by visiting the website of the British Endodontic Society.
Read Also: Ears Ringing Alcohol
How To Diagnose An Abscess
A dentist/doctor can identify an abscess easily. An x-ray will confirm if theres a pus-filled pocket near the
tooth root. If there is, the dentist may do one of three things make a small incision and drain the abscess,
perform a root canal or remove the tooth. If the infection has spread, the doctor will most likely prescribe
an antibiotic to treat it.
An important thing to remember is that an abscess will not go away on its own and will need to be treated
ER. The infection can spread as quickly as a day or two. If it begins to spread throughout your body, the
seriousness increases and it can even cause death. An abscess is nothing to ignore so act as soon as possible
if you have any suspicions that you have one.
When Dental Pain Is Trigeminal Neuralgia
If someone is experiencing chronic pain in their teeth or face that is described as a sharp, shooting pain, the problem may not be dental at all. Trigeminal Neuralgia occurs when the trigeminal nerve is compressed. Because this pain is often felt in the teeth, jaw, and face, it is often misdiagnosed as a dental issue.
Pain that is triggered by chewing or swallowing, talking, head movement, vibrations, or a cool breeze could indicate trigeminal neuralgia . Described as a monotonous pain with bouts of electric shocks of pain, TN may worsen overtime. Medical treatment can help and should be sought.
Don’t Miss: How Do You Sign Hungry
Can Sinusitis Cause Mouth Problems
It is possible for your sinuses to become irritated all the way to your upper teeth when you have sinusitis or similar respiratory conditions. In addition to causing pain to multiple teeth on the same side of your mouth, this pain can also cause you to worry about your dental health, such as a cavity or tooth sensitivity.
Common Oral Symptoms Of A Dental Abscess
Symptoms of a dental abscess may worsen over time, may resolve on their own, or may come and go. At times, any of these dental abscess symptoms can be severe. Symptoms may be localized to the mouth or involve the entire body.
Common oral symptoms of a dental abscess include:
-
Bitter taste in the mouth
-
Draining pus
Don’t Miss: Ears Ring When Drunk
Does Poor Oral Hygiene Affect Your Ears
Poor oral hygiene appears to be the cause of ear infections, as the accumulation of bacteria in the ears often leads to infections and the mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria. Surprisingly, one study found that there was no significant link between ear infections and poor oral hygiene. The link between mouth and ear infections is simply the pain you may feel in your teeth and jaw if your ears are infected.
How Do Toothaches Affect Your Ear
You may have toothaches and earaches at some point in your life, but they can be linked together. How can you tell the difference? Doctors and dentists can usually tap your teeth or gums to find out if a tooth problem is causing pain in the back of the ear. You can also distinguish earache caused by toothache instead of earache caused by specific symptoms. Earache is usually related to cold symptoms, congestion, loss of appetite, hearing loss, and balance problems, but these are not symptoms of a toothache.
Read Also: Beltone Hearmax Pairing
Toothache And A Pain In The Same Side
If you are experiencing a toothache that is radiating towards other teeth or the ears, neck and jaws of the same side, it could indicate an underlying dental abscess. If you feel that you have a tooth abscess, you should not take it lightly. This is because the infection from a dental abscess may travel to organs of the body and cause severe, even life-threatening systemic conditions.
Dehydration And Stomach Pain
You may notice that you don’t have to pee very much. And when you do, your urine is a darker color than normal. This means that you’re getting dehydrated and moving into the second stage of sepsis.
You may also begin to experience stomach pain and even diarrhea and vomiting. Both of these symptoms will speed your rate of dehydration and cause even more severe problems.
Recommended Reading: Can You Use Witch Hazel On Dogs Ears