Learn About Respiratory Infections

Respiratory infections are one of the most common reasons for visiting a doctor. The upper respiratory tract includes various parts including sinuses, nasal passages pharynx and larynx, so any of those parts can be infected.

So sinusitis, the common cold, laryngitis and tracheitis are all considered respiratory infections. If you have a runny nose, sore throat, cough, or have difficulty breathing, there’s a very big chance you have a respiratory infection.

Dr. Gatgens knows dental health can be related to respiratory infections.

If you’ve had symptoms for a little while and regular treatment is not working for you, it might be time to visit Dr. Gatgens to see if your teeth are what’s affecting your health.

The Link Between Respiratory Infections and Dental Health

Under certain circumstances, there can be a connection between a toothache and a sinus infection.

Sinuses can be infected for a number of reasons from an allergic reaction to an obstruction in the nasal passage and an infected maxillary tooth/teeth.

Also, in general, there’s a lot of bacteria in our mouths, gums and the entire oral cavity, so it’s not surprising that bad oral health can lead to respiratory infections.

Research shows there’s a link between a sinus infection and:

  • Bad dental hygiene
  • Cavities
  • Impacted wisdom teeth
  • Incomplete dental treatment
  • Tooth fracture
  • Crown fracture
  • To make matters even more complicated is that a respiratory infection makes it hard to keep up with dental hygiene which can cause bad breath.

Overcome a Respiratory Infection

A dentist can help you diagnose whether a respiratory infection is the result of your dental health through a consultation and a percussion test. Also, Dr. Gatgens from Accent Smile Center in Dickson can help you reach better dental health.

So if you haven’t seen your dentist in a while or have untreated dental work, then you should be making your dental appointment right now. Great dental care means properly brushing your teeth, restoring cavities, getting crowns if needed and a variety of other general dentistry treatments.

If you live in the Dickson, Tennessee area, visit Dr. Gatgens and the rest of the team at Accent Smile Center for a consultation and diagnosis.