A FEW months ago, I had a terrible toothache that sent me to the dentist whimpering for help. Actually it was more than just four teeth that were hurting. A couple of others were also mildly throbbing. I couldn’t figure out how my teeth had gone so bad despite my diligent care.
Did I suddenly develop cavities or gum infection? Or worse still, would I need a root canal? Just thinking about all that was enough to give me anxiety attacks. If there is anything that I’m fastidious about, it’d be my teeth. I take great care of them.
But the pain was getting unbearable! I was having headaches and even chewing soft rice was painful. I lost my appetite. Going out for meals with family and friends was no longer fun. I was also going to travel abroad for a few weeks. The last thing I wanted was to have health problems when travelling. It was imperative that I sorted this problem before I went.
So I went to my dentist. He checked for cavities and gum infections. Nothing. Then he took x-rays to check for any problem that the naked eye might miss. Maybe I had cracked my molars from munching on nuts, my favourite snack. He found nothing there either; everything inside and around my teeth were fine.
He then asked if I were still grinding my teeth. A quick check on my retainers, which I wear nightly when I sleep, showed that all was in order. Then he asked: “How are your sinuses? Are they bothering you?”
That caught me off guard. I’ve not had any major problem for a while. It only got bad during bouts of cold or allergies and when the haze hits horrible levels on the air pollution index (API). This wasn’t one of those episodes, or so I thought.
I then touched my cheeks and eyebrows, where the sinuses are located and they felt rather tender. To confirm that I was suffering from sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses), the dentist asked me to bend down, low enough to feel any pressure in and around my face. If I felt some pressure in those areas, then it meant that my sinuses were acting up and I should consult an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist.
It had been so long since I had a bad bout of sinusitis that I’d forgotten the link between that and what seemed like a toothache. Indeed it all added up. Apparently a bout of sinusitis can cause the upper rear teeth to be sensitive, giving the impression that you have a toothache.
Suddenly I remembered my late father who had his teeth extracted one by one because of inexplicable toothaches. My poor dad! I didn’t know what he was told, but suffice to say he was left toothless at 60-something. He eventually had a few implants and he wore dentures.
On hindsight more than 20 years later, we suspect that what he had was untreated sinusitis. But he’d paid dearly for that misdiagnosis. He would still complain of toothaches despite the implants and dentures.
The dentist explained that when the sinuses in the cheeks get inflamed, causing the mucus lining to swell and blocking the nasal passages, it somehow makes the whole area more sensitive. This area of the cheeks is also where the roots and nerves of the upper molar teeth at the back of the jaw are located. When the roots of the upper molar teeth are near the affected sinus area, the teeth’s nerves get affected by the pressure. The pain that ensues is similar to toothache pain.
As people are built differently, some who suffer from sinusitis won’t have this problem. Unfortunately for my dad and I, our sinuses and the nerves of our upper molars are close together. So a bad bout of sinusitis can feel like a horrible toothache as well.
The next time you have a toothache and your dentist tells you there’s nothing wrong with your teeth, please go see your physician or an ENT specialist. It may be a sinus condition or other underlying medical problem that’s contributing to the toothache.
Putri Juneita Johari volunteers for the Special Children Society of Ampang. You can reach her at juneitajohari@yahoo.com