San Diego City Wire

Dr. Schalch Lepe, an ear, nose, and throat specialist at SoCal Breathe Free, said that sinusitis can impact oral health due to the maxillary sinuses' proximity to the teeth, often causing dental pain mistaken for tooth issues. This statement was made on Instagram on December 27, 2024.

"Sinuses, of course, the bottom part of the sinuses, the floor of the sinuses, are immediately adjacent and actually comprised of what we call the maxilla, which is the top part of the teeth and the mouth," said Lepe, ENT Specialist, according to Instagram. "It's not infrequent that some of the dental, particularly the molar roots, can actually extend or have some connection with the sinuses that are here in our cheeks called the maxillary sinuses. It's not infrequent, in fact, that we get patient referrals from dentists that are evaluating the teeth. The patient's having dental pain and they think it's a dental problem, but it turns out it's actually a sinus problem."

According to a study published in Allergy & Rhinology in 2024, maxillary sinusitis frequently causes dental pain when inflammation or infection extends to the upper teeth, particularly molars near the sinus floor. The research highlights how sinus pressure can radiate to the maxilla, leading to misdiagnosis as a toothache unless imaging reveals the sinus origin. This connection is common enough that ENT specialists often collaborate with dentists to differentiate sinus-related pain from true dental pathology.

A review in the Australian Dental Journal notes that maxillary sinusitis can induce upper tooth pain when sinus inflammation affects dental roots penetrating the sinus floor. Published in 2015, this study details how infection or pressure from the maxillary sinuses can refer pain to molars, often leading patients to seek dental care before sinus issues are identified. It mentions the importance of radiographic imaging, like CT scans, to distinguish sinus origins from dental causes and supports ENT referral in persistent cases.

Paul Schalch Lepe is a board-certified otolaryngologist at SoCal Breathe Free San Diego specializing in sinus and sleep apnea treatments. Born in Mexico City, he graduated from Universidad Anahuac Medical School and completed his residency at UC Irvine. He pursued a fellowship in rhinology and skull base surgery at UC San Diego and has earned accolades such as Top Doctor by San Diego Magazine.

SoCal Breathe Free San Diego is located near UC San Diego Health in San Diego, California. According to its official homepage, it is a premier ENT practice focused on sinus, allergy, and sleep solutions. Founded by Dr. Lepe, the clinic uses cutting-edge technology like balloon sinuplasty and in-office CT imaging to treat conditions like sinusitis that affect oral health and breathing.