When it comes to a toothache, it's hard to tell sometimes if you have a truly bad tooth or if you have a sinus infection making your mouth feel sore. Sometimes you can even have a sinus infection and an infected tooth at the same time, which is excruciating and hard to diagnose. You need to see your dentist if you are experiencing any kind of mouth pain, but learning the difference between a sinus and dental infection will help you learn how to treat your condition.

Since the bacteria that makes your teeth sore and decay gets into your sinuses and causes issues there as well, use this guide to help you determine if you have sinus issues or a dental problem. Your dentist can prescribe antibiotics along with other treatments to help you feel better.

Your whole face hurts

If you have a sinus infection, more than just your tooth will hurt. Your face will hurt in random areas, like under your eyes, the middle of your forehead, in your neck, upper cheeks, and inside your ears.

Or, a sinus infection can cause localized pain in just one side of your face if you only one part of your sinuses is infected. While you may have aching teeth, gums, and jaws if you have a sinus infection, if you are also experiencing facial pain, your tooth may not be the problem.

You are showing signs of a cold

Do your eyes itch, are your ears stuffy and ringing, do you feel sinus pressure, and is your nose running? Are you coughing and sneezing? If you have a toothache that is causing you major pain, you likely won't have cold symptoms at the same time. However, if you have a badly infected tooth that has affected your sinuses, you may have triggered a sinus infection due to dental issues.

If you are showing signs of a cold but believe you have a dental problem on your hands, think about this: which of your symptoms started first? Was your mouth hurting before you got a cold, or did your mouth hurt after your cold symptoms started? If it's the former, your dental problems may be the cause of your cold-like symptoms.

Any facial pain should be seen by a dentist or medical professional. Your dentist will be able to help identify your symptoms and provide relief and treatment for you, especially if a cavity or decaying tooth is to blame for your problem.