What is referred pain?

Question:

“For about two months, been having terrible teeth pain, lower and upper left side.  Ringing and pressure in ears, along with awful headaches.  [I am] going to a second dentist tomorrow [for an opinion], with lots of dizziness.   My lips are inflamed as well as the inside of my mouth.  I have drainage in the back of my throat.  My sinuses are too clear and it hurts when I breathe through my nose.  Does anyone know what this could be?  I am suffering badly.  Thank you.”

Answer:

There are several common causes for tooth pain. Please refer to posted article. Another less well known cause is what is called referred pain. This basically means that the tooth pain may not actually come from the tooth in question, instead it is carried over (or referred) from another tooth or another area in the body (i.e. ear infection).

Causes of Referred Pain

Reasons a tooth may ache due to referred pain include:

• A tooth infection (such as a tooth abscess) that travels to another tooth/teeth
• Referred tooth pain from an ear infection
• Referred tooth pain from heart attack
• Referred tooth pain from trigeminal neuralgia, a condition where there is pain in trigeminal (facial) nerves that supply sensation to teeth.
• Referred tooth pain from a sinus inflammation or infection.

Maxillary Sinus Infection (Sinutitis)

The maxillary sinuses are located in the upper jaw and behind the cheekbones. A sinus infection can be the cause of severe headaches, discomfort or pressure in or below the (eyes), pain in the ears, and upper facial pain. This type of infection affects teeth because of how close teeth in the upper jaw are to the sinuses. Causes of maxillary sinus infection include:

• An allergen (a substance or particles that you are allergic to)
• A ‘bug’ (some kind of virus, bacteria or fungus)
• An oral infection that has travelled to the maxillary sinus

Even small oral infections (for example a tooth cavity or a small tooth abscess) can lead to a maxillary sinus infection.

Symptoms of sinus infection

Symptoms of a sinus infection include:

• Sinus headache
• Facial pain
• Toothache- this is the most common cause of referred pain in a tooth or teeth
• Cough

It is very important to have a full evaluation and proper diagnosis by a dentist to determine if any oral condition is the cause, or if they can be ruled out, and what treatment is necessary. Good luck with your search for dentists.  We are sure this information can help guide you and your health care provider along the right course towards a proper diagnosis.

We hope that this information was useful to you!

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What is Burning Mouth Syndrome?

What is Burning Mouth Syndrome?

Burning Mouth Syndrome is a condition in which the tongue and inside of the mouth experience a persistent burning, and sometimes painful, sensation.  This condition affects 2-3% of the general population and 14% of post menopausal women.

Signs of Burning Mouth Syndrome

Most symptoms appear spontaneously and usually start on the tip of the tongue.

Symptoms include:

• Burning sensation on tongue
• Burning sensation on inside of cheek
• Burning/pain has been reported to start in the morning and gradually increase as the day progresses
• Tongue may appear redder than normal, or smoother than normal.  This indicates an underlying infection is present
• Bitter/metallic taste in mouth

Causes/Related Factors of Burning Mouth Syndrome

• Most often unpredictable and not related to a specific cause
• The following are not causes, but have been linked to the condition:
  • Decreased saliva production
  • Chronic mouth breathing
  • Trigeminal neuralgia
  • Candidiasis (fungal infection in the mouth)
  • Trauma to the mouth
  • Chronic tongue thrust habit
  • Allergy to medications
  • Vitamin B deficiency
  • Anxiety
  • Stress
  • AIDS
  • Depression
  • Diabetes
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Estrogen deficiency (thus the higher occurrence in post menopausal women)

Treatment for Burning Mouth Syndrome

• If the dentist can identify an underlying systemic condition (such as vitamin B deficiency or fungal infection, etc.), you can receive treatment for the primary condition and, as a result, burning mouth syndrome will resolve also
• If no cause can be identified, the following treatments may be used
  • Clonazapam
  • Vitamin B
  • Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
  • Pain medications (aspirin, ibuprofen)
  • Antibiotics
  • Antifungals
  • Counseling
• Being that this condition has a high correlation with depression, anxiety, and stress, if means are taken to RELAX and create a stress-free, anxiety-free home/work environment symptoms will alleviate

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