Did you know that the reason behind your ear pain might be a tooth??
Did you know that some dental conditions can be the underlying cause of ear pain?
In this article I will discuss about the relationship between your teeth and ear. What causes the pain and discomfort?
You may be curious to know how toothache and ear pain are related to each other. Our jaw joint and ear are closely linked, and poor oral health can cause pain in nearby body parts.
This type of pain is called “Referred Pain,” which means the pain is felt in one area, but the actual source of pain is in a different adjacent area.
Depending on the cause and intensity, the pain and tenderness from an infected or decayed tooth can extend beyond the tooth and feel like a headache or earache. In fact, many common dental and oral health problems can result in symptoms, like ear pain. A dental exam is necessary to determine the cause of your symptoms, so you should schedule an appointment if your pain intensifies or lasts for more than a few days.
Dental issues that can cause earaches
Dental pain can be deceptive. Common oral health problems, like an abscessed tooth, an impacted wisdom tooth or molar, or even a cavity, can result in an earache. If you grind your teeth or clench your jaw, or have joint issues, like temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder or arthritis, you may also experience tightness in the jaw and pain that reaches up to your ears. In fact, many people mistakenly believe that their ear pain is caused by a problem, like an ear infection or wax buildup, only to learn that they actually need to visit the dentist.
When to see the dentist
Ideally, you should go to the dentist every six months to a year on average for preventive dental care, including a check-up and dental cleaning..
But emergencies happen and some dental problems require immediate attention. Pain is usually the main sign that something’s wrong, so you shouldn’t wait more than a day or two to schedule an appointment if the pain persists.
