Pain with a cold
A cold causes local inflammation in the body. In most cases they are caused by viruses, but they can also be caused by bacteria. The inflammatory cells that are active during an inflammation release messenger substances that are supposed to activate the immune system.
These reaction pathways can cause pain. In the case of a cold, the paranasal sinuses are usually also inflamed. This means that the mucous membrane of the paranasal sinuses is swollen.
The secretion and the mucus cannot drain off properly as a result. This leads to a strong increase in pressure in the sinuses, which in turn leads to a strong feeling of pressure and discomfort. The teeth of the upper jaw anatomically border directly on the lower edge of the sinuses.
Due to the direct anatomical proximity, the increasing pressure is transferred to the teeth and thus to the upper jaw. The swelling subsequently causes pain in the teeth and/or in the upper jaw. As soon as the cold has subsided and/or an antibiotic has been taken, in most cases the pain disappears.
Pain when chewing
Chewing is an everyday and self-evident activity. There should be no pain during chewing. However, if this is the case, there can be various reasons for this.
The pain can come from the jaw joint or the muscles, or it can be a biting pain of the teeth. In most cases, chewing increases the pain in tense muscles of the jaw and is an indication of the cause of the pain. These tensions are caused by stress-related nightly teeth grinding.
A grinding splint can help here. Furthermore, relaxation exercises should be used to get away from the stressful everyday life. However, the pain when chewing can also manifest itself as a kind of biting pain. The cause can be an accumulation of pus underneath the teeth, a fistula (= a passage from the root of the tooth into the oral cavity) or inflammation in the area of the roots or root tips. If the discomfort caused by chewing does not subside after a few days, a dentist must be consulted.
