When you catch a cold or the flu in Littleton, it is common to notice some strange symptoms. One of the weird things people often experience is tooth pain. You might wonder why your teeth hurt even though you didn’t have any dental problems before. The answer mostly comes down to how your body reacts when you’re sick, especially with nasal congestion and sinus issues. This post explains why your teeth hurt during a cold or flu and what you can do about it.
How a Cold or Flu Can Cause Tooth Pain
When you have a cold or flu, your sinuses can get inflamed and filled with mucus. The sinuses are air-filled spaces located behind your forehead, cheeks, and around your nose. The upper sinuses, called maxillary sinuses, are right above your upper back teeth. When these sinuses swell or fill up with mucus, they press against the roots of your upper molars. This pressure can cause a dull or throbbing pain in those teeth.
This type of pain is not coming from the teeth themselves but from the pressure in your sinuses. Sometimes, this pain can feel like a regular toothache, which might make you think you need dental work when you don’t.
Tooth Sensitivity During Illness
Besides sinus pressure, your teeth can become more sensitive to temperature changes when you’re sick. Your body’s nerves might react differently due to the cold or fever. If you have fillings or dental work that is more sensitive to heat and cold, you may feel sharper pain when drinking hot or cold drinks. This happens because the dental work can conduct temperature changes faster than natural teeth.
How Nasal Congestion Affects Your Mouth and Teeth
When your nose is stuffy, you often breathe through your mouth. Mouth breathing can cause your mouth to get dry because you’re not producing enough saliva. Saliva is important because it helps wash away food particles and acids. Without enough saliva, acids stay in your mouth longer, which can irritate your gums and make your teeth more sensitive. This dry mouth can also increase your chances of getting cavities or gum disease if it lasts a long time.
Teeth Grinding and Jaw Clenching During Illness
Feeling sick can also make you stressed or uncomfortable, which might cause you to grind your teeth or clench your jaw. This is called bruxism. When you grind or clench your teeth, it puts extra pressure on your teeth and jaw muscles. This can lead to pain not just in your teeth but also in your jaw and even your ears. Bruxism is often worse at night, and you might not even realize you are doing it until the pain starts.
Keeping Up With Oral Hygiene When You’re Sick
Even when you feel unwell, it is important to keep brushing and flossing your teeth. Using a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste twice a day helps keep plaque away. Plaque is a sticky film that builds up on your teeth and can cause cavities and gum disease if not removed. Flossing daily helps get rid of food stuck between your teeth.
Good oral hygiene helps keep your mouth clean and reduces the risk of gum infections like gingivitis, especially when your immune system is busy fighting a cold or flu. If you stop brushing and flossing, plaque builds up faster, and your gums can become sore and swollen.
When to See a Dentist
Most of the time, tooth pain during a cold or flu will go away once you start feeling better and your sinuses clear up. However, if the pain lasts long after your cold is gone or if the pain gets worse, it is a good idea to contact a local Littleton dentist for your next checkup. Also, if you notice swelling, fever, or severe pain that doesn’t improve, these could be signs of a dental infection or other issues that need treatment.
If your teeth hurt while you have a cold or flu, remember that it is usually related to your sinuses and changes in your mouth, not a dental problem. Keep up with good oral care even when you’re sick, and pay attention to how your body feels. If the pain sticks around or gets worse, call your dentist to check for any other causes. Taking care of your teeth and gums is important, no matter how you feel.
Category: General