Your Ear May Hurt Due to Poor Oral Health

There are some instances where the pain from an infected or decayed tooth can affect other areas of the head or neck, resulting in an earache. These could be indicative of an impacted wisdom tooth or even an untreated cavity or an abscess. Those patients who practice good oral hygiene generally do not have these issues and therefore do not exhibit ear pain.

Can Ear Infections Cause Tooth Pain?

If patients have untreated ear infections the pain and discomfort can actually impact their mouths causing tooth and jaw pain. The radiating pain can extend into the oral cavity and make the jaw ache, teeth hurt, and make it difficult to chew. Typically, over-the-counter pain medication can usually take care of the pain and discomfort. The buildup of bacteria in the ears, which leads to ear infections, can, in fact, move to the mouth which is a veritable breeding ground for bacteria. Despite this, even though there is pain and discomfort associated with an ear infection, there is no lasting effect on the overall oral health of the patient.

Maintaining good oral health by brushing and flossing regularly can eliminate the bacteria in the mouth which would lend itself to potentially fewer infections. Most patients fail to understand that the sinus cavity is directly above the upper jaw and the root structure of those teeth can extend into the empty space. They are linked. And the fact the ear canals are connected to the sinus space too, it is easy to see how they can affect each other in a variety of ways.
Because there are so many antibiotic-resistant bacteria, it is recommended to try over-the-counter solutions first when treating ear infections. If symptoms persist, then antibiotics will be necessary. If there are questions about ear infections and their impact on your oral health, by all means, contact us.