Sinus Infection and Tooth Pain: What Is the Connection?
Yes, a sinus infection can cause tooth pain. It usually shows up as a dull ache in several upper back teeth at once, along with congestion or facial pressure, and it often gets worse when you bend over. The reverse also happens: an infected upper tooth can cause a sinus infection. Because the two can look alike, an examination with X-rays is the reliable way to tell them apart.
Why can sinus problems feel like a toothache?
The maxillary sinuses sit behind your cheeks, directly above the upper premolars and molars. In many people the root tips of these teeth sit right at the floor of the sinus, separated by only a thin layer of bone. When the sinus lining swells during an infection, the pressure is felt through the same nerves that supply those teeth. The teeth themselves can be healthy and still ache.
What does sinus-related tooth pain feel like?
A dull, aching pain in the upper back teeth rather than a sharp pain in one tooth
Several teeth on one side hurting at the same time
Pain that gets worse when you bend forward, lie down or step hard
Congestion, facial pressure, nasal drainage or headache at the same time
Sinus-related pain usually isn't set off by hot, cold or biting on one particular tooth. A tooth that hurts sharply with cold or chewing points more toward a dental cause. Our article on why a tooth hurts explains those patterns.
Can a tooth problem cause a sinus infection?
Yes. An infection at the root of an upper back tooth, a failed root canal, gum disease around those roots, or complications from an extraction or implant can spread into the sinus. This is called odontogenic sinusitis, meaning sinusitis that starts from a tooth. It often affects one side only, may come with a foul smell or taste, and tends not to clear up with sinus treatment alone because the source is still there. Treating it usually means treating the tooth, and sometimes the sinus as well.
Should I see a dentist or a physician?
See a dentist first if:
One tooth hurts more than the others
The pain is sharp with biting, chewing, hot or cold
Your gum or face is swollen
The tooth still hurts after your sinus symptoms clear
Sinus symptoms keep returning on one side only
See your physician if you have congestion, fever, nasal discharge or facial pressure, and a dental exam hasn't found a tooth problem. Some people need both. A 2021 international consensus of ear, nose and throat surgeons and dentists concluded that diagnosing sinusitis caused by a tooth generally needs a dentist to confirm the tooth problem and a physician to confirm the sinusitis. [1]
How is the cause diagnosed?
In the office, I test the suspect teeth with cold and with tapping and biting, check the gums, and take X-rays of the upper back teeth. When a standard X-ray doesn't answer the question, 3D imaging can show the root tips and sinus floor more clearly. If the teeth are healthy, that is useful information for your physician too.
Where can I have this checked in Jacksonville?
If an upper tooth aches and you aren't sure whether it's your sinuses, call our office at 904-398-1549 or contact us. A comprehensive dental examination can rule a tooth in or out. Swelling that spreads quickly, trouble breathing or swallowing, or swelling near the eye needs emergency medical care right away.
Sources
Craig JR, Poetker DM, Aksoy U, et al. Diagnosing odontogenic sinusitis: an international multidisciplinary consensus statement. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2021;11(8):1235-1248. doi:10.1002/alr.22777 (retrieved via PubMed)
Craig JR, Tataryn RW, Aghaloo TL, et al. Management of odontogenic sinusitis: multidisciplinary consensus statement. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2020;10(7):901-912. doi:10.1002/alr.22598 (retrieved via PubMed)
American Association of Endodontists. Tooth pain. Accessed October 6, 2026.
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.