When you're noticing symptoms that are consistent with a sinus infection, such as blockages in your sinuses and an achy feeling in this part of your face, you might either see your family doctor or attempt some home remedies. These ideas are worthwhile, but there's one thing that you might be overlooking — the chance that you're not actually dealing with a sinus infection, but that you have a tooth-related issue instead. Don't hesitate to book an appointment with your family dental service. If your apparent sinus infection occurs over the weekend and you're in considerable discomfort, you may even want to see an emergency dentist. Here are some points to note about this situation.

It Could Be An Abscess

Dental abscesses are extremely painful, and while many people who suffer from this dental problem are able to quickly identify that something is wrong with one of their teeth, this isn't always the case. Your back molars sit in close proximity to your sinuses, which means that if you were to experience an abscess in one of these teeth, it's possible that the whole area would be so sore that you'd just assume you have a sinus infection. Abscesses aren't problems to ignore or to put off dealing with, so a quick dental check-up will reveal whether this issue might be behind your supposed sinus pain.

It Could Be A Damaged Tooth

It's also possible that you've suffered some sort of trauma to a tooth — again, something wrong with one of your back molars could lead you to mistakenly believe that you're dealing with a sinus issue. If you've recently had some sort of impact to your face or jaw, it's possible that you've sustained damage to a tooth without necessarily knowing. Over time, and especially through lots of chewing, the damage can get worse — and this can leave you in pain that you initially mistake for a sinus infection.

It's Better To Be Safe Than Sorry

While there might be a part of you that doesn't want to bother your dentist or spend the money on a check-up, the reality is that it's always better to be safe than sorry. It's entirely possible that your dentist rules out a tooth issue that is causing your discomfort, which means that you can then focus on solutions for dealing with a sinus issue. If you have a dental cleaning that is scheduled for a short period of time after your emergency visit, you may be able to have your teeth cleaned while you're already at the dental clinic, thus negating your need to visit again.