During the development of acute respiratory viral infections and colds, many people not only develop painful sensations in the throat and muscles, but also begin to have toothache.
Such problems most often arise against the background of hypothermia due to wearing wet shoes, prolonged swimming in cool water, etc. When teeth hurt due to colds and acute respiratory viral infections, there is no need to specifically treat them.
The discomfort will go away on its own immediately after recovery. But if the pain intensifies and it becomes unbearable to endure, symptomatic treatment will come to the rescue.
And there can be several reasons for the occurrence of unpleasant sensations in the oral cavity - from the active proliferation of bacteria to inflammation of the sinuses, when swelling of the mucous membranes puts pressure on the nerves and causes pain.
And here it is important to accurately establish the cause of toothache, since sometimes its appearance is not at all associated with the development of infection.
Why do teeth hurt when you have a cold?
There are several reasons why teeth may hurt when you have a cold. The most common of these is inflammation of the maxillary sinuses, in which swelling puts severe pressure on the upper jaw.
When inflammatory processes in the sinus cavities are activated, mucous secretion is actively produced, which fills all available space and exerts strong pressure on nearby tissues. As a result of this, not only a toothache occurs, but also a headache. And if a person has previously been diagnosed with sinusitis, then with the development of a viral infection, it worsens, which is manifested by symptoms such as:
- feeling of fullness in the bridge of the nose,
- severe pain in the head, muscles, teeth,
- high body temperature,
- bad breath,
- labored breathing,
- purulent discharge from the nose.
If such symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor so that he can prescribe appropriate treatment. Lack of treatment can have serious consequences.
In addition, the reason that a person’s teeth ache during a cold may be:
- Drinking large amounts of drinks and foods containing acid. When viral infections develop, a person tries to consume as much fluid and food as possible with vitamin C, which is necessary for the body to maintain immunity. For example, lemons, raspberry jam, oranges, grapefruits, etc. The acids they contain have a negative effect on tooth enamel, destroying it and increasing tooth sensitivity. As a result, pain occurs, which intensifies when exposed to low and high temperatures.
- Dry mouth. Viral infections are often accompanied by nasal congestion, which forces a person to breathe through the mouth. Against this background, the mucous membranes of the oral cavity dry out and cease to perform their functions, one of which is the dissolution of sugar that enters the mouth with food and drinks. When sugar does not dissolve, it begins to deposit on the enamel, eroding it and leading to dental problems.
- Increased production of gastric juice. ARVI and colds often provoke disorders of the digestive tract, which is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. With such disorders, the stomach begins to actively produce digestive juice, which contains acids. When vomiting or gastro-digestive reflux, gastric juice enters the oral cavity, which also causes damage to tooth enamel.
If a person has a toothache due to a respiratory infection, the cause may also be a pathological microflora that develops in the oral cavity as a consequence of the activity of the virus.
As a result, fungi and bacteria begin to actively multiply in the mouth, provoking inflammatory processes in the gums and, as a result, the appearance of painful sensations in the teeth and jaw.
In addition, the active proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms can lead to inflammation of the trigeminal nerve, which consists of 3 branches, 2 of which affect tooth sensitivity.
In case of inflammation of the trigeminal nerve, a person begins to suffer from acute pain, which does not decrease even after taking a strong painkiller. In this case, you need to immediately consult a doctor, since without his help it will be problematic to relieve the pain syndrome.
In what cases does toothache occur with a cold?
There may be several answers to the question why teeth hurt when you have a cold.
The most common cause is inflammation of the trigeminal nerve as a result of a viral infection.
Therefore, it seems that the entire jaw and teeth hurt in addition. And only from the side where the inflammatory process is observed. In this case, the face becomes slightly swollen and puffy, and any facial movements, as well as chewing and swallowing food, cause unbearable pain.
However, this is not the worst case scenario.
Much more problems arise if the disease is accompanied by blockage of the maxillary sinuses - sinusitis.
In this situation, not only do your teeth hurt when you have a cold, but a serious complication can also arise in the form of the formation of purulent sacs on the gums, which put pressure on the roots of the teeth and cause unbearable pain.
In addition, inflamed gums pose a serious threat to health, so in this case it is unlikely to be possible without dental care. Of course, experienced doctors will never remove a healthy tooth because of such suppuration, but the soft gum tissue will most likely have to be cut, as well as cleaned and drained.
There are often situations when teeth hurt after a cold, which also does not add joy to women who have just coped with a runny nose and cough.
However, you should not be particularly worried about this, since the discomfort in this case is temporary and usually goes away after a few days without any treatment. To alleviate the condition, it is enough to take any painkiller.
When to see a doctor
Toothache during the development of a cold or ARVI is a symptom that worries many. If it is of a mild nature, then there is nothing to worry about. The discomfort will disappear immediately after recovery.
But if the pain in your teeth intensifies, accompanied by high fever, redness and inflammation of the gums, you should immediately consult a dentist.
With the development of infectious processes in the body, bacterial microflora in the oral cavity can become active, which is the cause of many diseases.
It causes inflammation of the pulp (pulpitis), and can also provoke stomatitis, candidiasis, gingivitis, periodontal disease and other diseases of the oral cavity that require immediate treatment.
How to relieve pain
Only a doctor can tell you what to do if your teeth ache from a cold. He will prescribe effective treatment based on the cause of the pain syndrome.
If its development is associated with inflammation of the trigeminal nerve or pulp, then in this case anti-inflammatory therapy is carried out, in which several drugs are prescribed at once, having different effects.
You may need to take painkillers, antibiotics, use antiseptics and drugs that relieve inflammation. If carious lesions of the teeth are detected, cleaning of the damaged tissues and filling will be required.
In addition to medications, a procedure such as mouth rinsing will help relieve toothache.
In this case, you can use special aseptic medicinal solutions prescribed by the dentist, or other remedies, for example, prepared according to folk recipes. However, when using the latter, you should definitely consult a doctor.
Solutions and decoctions
To slightly reduce pain before visiting a doctor, you can rinse your mouth with the following solutions and decoctions:
- Soda solution. To prepare it, you will need regular baking soda in the amount of 1 tsp, which should be dissolved in a glass of warm water. You need to rinse your mouth with this product at least 3 times an hour until the painful sensations disappear or become less pronounced.
- Sage decoction. To prepare it, you need 1 tbsp. l. dry sage and 1.5 cups of cool water. Pour the plant material into a small saucepan, add water and place on low heat. Cook for no more than 10 minutes. Then you need to cool it slightly until it becomes warm and strain. It is recommended to rinse your mouth with this decoction every 15-20 minutes.
Also, to relieve pain, you can purchase any dental drops that have an analgesic effect at the pharmacy. The main thing is that a person has no contraindications to its use (read the instructions carefully before use). Moisten a cotton swab with these drops (3-4 drops are enough) and apply it to the sore tooth. Keep it on until the discomfort disappears.
Some people use mints or tablets to relieve toothache. They are placed under the tongue and wait until they completely dissolve. As a rule, after using them, the pain disappears within 10-15 minutes.
You can also use anesthetic gels, which are sold at any pharmacy. By acting externally, they can significantly alleviate the symptoms of inflammatory processes.
If the painful sensations are localized in one point, then honey with alcohol will help to cope with them. In this case, you need to take 2 tbsp. l. honey, heat it and mix with 1 tsp. alcohol Apply the resulting mixture to the surface of the diseased tooth for literally 30 seconds, and then rinse your mouth with chamomile decoction. The decoction is prepared simply: 1.5 tsp. Chamomile flowers are poured into a glass of boiling water, simmered over low heat for about 2-3 minutes, and then cooled and filtered.
If a person’s entire jaw is aching, salt can be used to alleviate the condition. It should be heated and wrapped in a linen towel. The resulting bag is applied to the sore spot for 5-7 minutes. This procedure quickly eliminates pain, but it cannot be used for inflammation of the pulp or maxillary sinuses.
Remember that tooth pain may not be associated with the development of a viral infection at all. Therefore, before taking any action to eliminate it, you must consult with your dentist.
Why do your teeth hurt when you have a cold and your jaw ache when you have a runny nose? We answer disturbing questions
Sometimes an ordinary ARVI is accompanied by completely unexpected symptoms, for example, tooth pain. What causes this disturbance of well-being, and what to do if it occurs?
Can toothache occur due to influenza or acute respiratory infections?
In fact, teeth can really hurt due to colds, and there may be several explanations for this symptom. Most often, painful sensations are a consequence of intoxication of the body and are complemented by other health disorders:
- Aching in the joints.
- Bone pain.
- Increasing temperature.
- Loss of appetite.
- General weakness and lethargy.
When the body is intoxicated, the teeth ache along with the entire jaw, but this symptom goes away quite quickly - in one to three days.
Sometimes aching and even downright painful sensations in the teeth during ARVI or influenza are a consequence of:
- Consuming a significant amount of liquid containing a lot of acids (for example, rosehip infusion, tea with lemon, fruit drinks and juices). The organic substances of such drinks sometimes negatively affect the condition of tooth enamel; it exhibits increased sensitivity and responds with pain during inhalation of air, eating, talking, etc. To reduce the negative effect of acids on teeth, doctors advise not to chatter such liquids in the mouth, but immediately swallow them. It is also possible to drink warm drinks through a straw.
- Drying of the oral mucosa. Against the background of an increase in temperature and nasal congestion, a person who is ill breathes mainly through the mouth, which can also cause tooth enamel to suffer.
- Disturbances in the functioning of the digestive tract. If severe intoxication causes nausea and, especially vomiting, a certain amount of acid may enter the patient’s esophagus. If it penetrates into the oral cavity, it can settle on the teeth, again leading to disruption of the normal state of the enamel.
- Inflammation of the trigeminal nerve. Sometimes this condition develops as a complication of acute respiratory viral infection or influenza. When it occurs, the patient experiences severe pain in the teeth and jaw, which makes it difficult to open the mouth and, especially, chew food.
Usually, when you have a cold, all your teeth ache equally, and the discomfort usually goes away before complete recovery or soon after it.
If unpleasant symptoms appear after an illness, most likely they are in no way related to the acute respiratory viral infection or influenza.
Why does my jaw ache from a runny nose?
Aching pain in the teeth often occurs against the background of severe rhinitis (runny nose), when the inflammatory process spreads to the sinuses - the paranasal sinuses.
When the maxillary sinuses, located directly above the upper jaw, are affected, mucus and even sometimes pus begin to accumulate in them.
If the discharge cannot be fully expelled through the nose, it begins to create pressure. This is what explains the aching toothache.
When the inflammatory process is stopped and accumulated mucus is eliminated, the pressure normalizes and the jaw stops aching and aching.
What causes gum inflammation?
Most often, inflammation of the gums during colds (ARVI and flu) is explained by a banal lack of proper hygiene.
When feeling frankly unwell, not every person finds the strength to thoroughly rinse his mouth several times a day, remove food debris from the interdental crevices, and brush his teeth.
At the same time, a lot of pathogenic microorganisms actively multiply in the oral cavity. Therefore, the likelihood of developing gum problems due to the disease is very high.
In addition, inflammation of the gums during ARVI can be caused by:
- Lack of nasal breathing and dry mouth mucous membranes.
- The action of a significant amount of acids.
- Use of sugar-sweetened drinks and medications.
If there are hidden dental problems, they can suddenly manifest themselves during a cold, during a decrease in immunity. This is how gingivitis may first appear.
What to do in this case?
If your teeth hurt when you have a cold, you can try:
- Take pain medication. This is the simplest method to get rid of severe pain, and if you use a product with antipyretic properties, you can at the same time reduce the temperature and neutralize other symptoms of intoxication. A good option for taking would be paracetamol or ibuprofen.
- Use a special toothpaste designed for sensitive enamel to brush your teeth. This remedy is useful if there is a suspicion that the pain arose precisely because of drinking acidic drinks or breathing through the nose.
- Apply vasoconstrictor medication to the nose. This measure will help remove accumulated mucus from the maxillary sinuses. You also need to pay special attention to the treatment of a runny nose.
- Regularly rinse your mouth with solutions designed for dental care.
- Floss regularly, even when sick.
Usually, the aching sensation in the teeth goes away before complete recovery. But in any case, after the unexpected occurrence of such symptoms, it is better to stop by for an unscheduled appointment with a dentist.
Source: https://elaxsir.ru/zabolevaniya/gripp-i-prostuda/pochemu-pri-prostude-bolyat-zuby-i-lomit-chelyust-pri-nasmorke-otvechaem-na-trevozhashhie-voprosy.html
Preventive measures
To prevent toothaches from bothering a person during colds, he needs to constantly take preventive measures, which include:
- a ban on the use of toothpastes and other oral care products containing sodium lauryl sulfate,
- eating plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, especially in winter,
- hardening of the body,
- regular visits to the dentist.
Also, do not alternate hot food with cold food and eat a lot of fruits with a high acid content. Such measures will help maintain dental health for many years.
