Introduction
A cold or a flu-like infection is mainly caused by a variety of viruses. It is a disease of the upper respiratory tract. The following symptoms typically occur: Sore throat, cough, rhinitis, hoarseness and sometimes laryngitis.
But toothache can also be a symptom of a cold. This mainly affects the maxillary posterior tooth region. The cause is then usually inflammation of the sinuses (sinusitis), which can be accompanied by headaches and earaches.
In general, it can be said that toothache severely affects the patient and the cold then feels even worse. In some cases the toothache persists even after the cold has healed. The reasons and treatment will be discussed in this article.
Cause
A cold, also known as a flu-like infection, is a disease of the upper respiratory tract, the nose or the sinuses, which can sometimes also affect the throat or larynx. Typical are the symptoms mentioned above. The cause of the less frequently occurring toothache is often a previously unrecognized inflammation of the tooth.
It comes out with the common cold, because the immune system is weakened and the body tries with all means to fight the flu-like infection. The suppressed inflammation of the tooth can then no longer be kept in check. The cold acts as an amplifier of the inflammation.
Furthermore, a cause is also conceivable that does not originate from the tooth itself. Through a connection of the nose with the paranasal sinuses, an inflammation of the mucous membrane located in them is possible. A nerve irritation causes pain.
Furthermore, bacteria can enter the middle ear and cause an acute inflammation (otitis media acuta) there. Due to the spatially close positional relationship, the resulting pressure pain can radiate to the upper jaw teeth. Headaches can also cause toothache. These lead to the body becoming generally more receptive to pain.
Associated symptoms
The toothache in this case is accompanied by all the symptoms of a cold. Cough, rhinitis, headache and aching limbs are typical. Otitis media causes pulsating pain, hearing loss or ringing in the ears.
Furthermore, the pain is likely to intensify during physical exertion and when bending over. These are explained by an increase in pressure in the maxillary sinus: the posterior roots in the upper jaw are thus strained and the teeth hurt. If the symptoms on the teeth persist beyond the cold for more than a week, or if a tooth hurts hot, cold, sweet or sour on the stimulus, this is a sign of tooth root inflammation and has nothing more to do with the cold. This disease is not to be trifled with, one should then quickly visit the dentist.
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