Why Do My Teeth Hurt After Rhinoplasty? -Causes And Cures

Why do my teeth hurt after rhinoplasty? It is the common concern after a rhinoplasty treatment. Many patients ask this question after the surgery. They wonder why their teeth are hurting when it was the nose job that they got done. 

Firstly, you should know that it’s completely normal to have teeth hurting after the surgery for up to a week. 

The upper teeth and the nose nerve passages are shared, and so the pain radiates between both. Let’s learn about the reasons in detail and also how you can ease out the pain.

Why Do My Teeth Hurt After Rhinoplasty?

When you feel an ache in the teeth after rhinoplasty surgery, then you should know that it’s normal. It happens due to nerve irritation and inflammation after the surgery. Your nose and the upper teeth share the same nerve pathways. 

When you get the surgery, the bruising, swelling, and tenderness put pressure on these pathways that lead to discomfort in the nose as well as in the teeth.

Teeth hurt after nose surgery is usually normal and can easily be managed with pain management medications or the instructions given by the surgeons.

Causes Of Teeth Hurt After Rhinoplasty

These are usually the causes of tooth pain after rhinoplasty:

• Nerve irritation happens when nearby nerves get disturbed, making teeth sore or numb.
• Swelling puts pressure on facial nerves, causing that odd toothache feeling.
• Bite alignment may shift a little from swelling, leading to sore teeth when chewing.
• Turbinates reduction can affect nerves, making teeth feel weird or sensitive.

How To Manage Tooth Pain After Surgery?

You’re given a full plan by an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon to manage the tooth pain after the rhinoplasty. You can just follow it. It usually includes:

Pain medications

The surgeon gives you the pain medications, such as the nasal sprays and the antibiotics that you need to take at the prescribed times. They help you manage your discomfort until it goes away after some days.

Oral Hygiene

Hygiene is also important to keep the tooth pain away during the healing process of the rhinoplasty. It minimises the inflammation and also the discomfort caused by the swelling and the bruising around the mouth. Brush your teeth regularly to keep them clean, which will reduce the pain.

Focus On Your Diet

You must have felt the weird numbness, sensitivity, and discomfort in your teeth, especially while chewing or biting food. It happens when you eat hard foods that require too much chewing.

To avoid the pain, eat the soft foods that don’t require excessive chewing. The cold and the hot foods increase the inflammation, further adding to the tooth pain. So, avoid such foods and drink plenty of water, which also reduces the discomfort.

Follow The Surgeon’s Instructions

If you get the rhinoplasty from an experienced surgeon, they usually give you post-surgery pain management instructions. 

They usually advise avoiding putting pressure on the nose, even by your glasses, strenuous tasks, or sports, and also gentle oral care. 

So, follow every single instruction given by them that will help you manage your toothache after the rhinoplasty surgery.

Additional Tips To Reduce Pain

Get a good quality mouthguard that creates a space between your teeth. You can wear it at night and then sleep. It’ll prevent your teeth from grinding against each other, which will keep you away from the pain.

Furthermore, consider getting a humidifier that will maintain the healthy moisture level in the air, making it easier for you to breathe and preventing your mouth and throat from drying out, also helping with pain management.

Prevent The Tooth Numb Post Rhinoplasty

Many patients experience tooth numbness after rhinoplasty surgery. This is how they can easily prevent it and keep it managed until it subsides:

• Cold packs: Try resting a cold pack on your cheeks now and then; it really helps bring the swelling down and gives the nerves a bit of relief.
• Sleeping with your head up: Prop yourself up with a few pillows when you sleep; it keeps the swelling from building up too much.
• Pain relievers: If your doctor gave you pain meds, take them as told; they’ll take the edge off both the pain and that weird numb feeling.
• Saltwater rinse: Gently rinse your mouth with warm saltwater. It’s simple but really helps soothe things and keeps your mouth clean.
• Easy breathing exercises: Take slow breaths through your nose. It can actually help relax the nerves and ease some of the tightness.

How to Clean Your Teeth After Rhinoplasty?

When your teeth are already aching, it can be extremely difficult to brush them. You may wonder what the right way of brushing them is. So, this is how you can brush your teeth after the rhinoplasty to avoid pain and complications:

• Give it a full day before you brush for the first time
• Go for a soft toothbrush that’s gentle on your gums
• Open your mouth slowly so you don’t strain anything
• Brush softly, especially near your upper teeth
• Wash your mouth out using saltwater or a mild mouthwash.
• Wait on flossing until you feel less swollen

How Long Does Teeth Ache Last?

It can last up to a week after the surgery. If the weeks pass by and the pain is still present in your teeth, it may be because of any complications. 

You must immediately talk to your surgeon, let them know about your condition and the pain. They’ll suggest the right medications, causes, and prevention.

Asli Tarcan – Your Aesthetic Partner

Why do my teeth hurt after rhinoplasty? It’s common for most people to have pain in their teeth after the rhinoplasty. It’s because the nerve pathways of the nose and the upper teeth are shared with one another. 

The rhinoplasty causes swelling, bruising, and discomfort on these pathways, so the pain is radiated from the nose to the teeth as well. 

It usually lasts up to a week. Your surgeons give you painkillers, antibiotics, nasal sprays, and also the instructions to manage the pain. Follow all those and you’ll stay at ease throughout the healing process. 

For getting affordable and top-class rhinoplasty with proper pain management, especially for your teeth, you can contact Asli Tarcan clinic.

When will my teeth stop hurting after rhinoplasty?

Your teeth usually stop hurting after a week from the rhinoplasty surgery. Meanwhile, you can take the painkillers.

Does rhinoplasty affect your teeth?

Not directly, but it can make them feel sore or numb because of having the shared pathways between the nose and the upper teeth.

Why does it hurt when I smile after rhinoplasty?

When you smile, it moves a lot of the muscles of your nose, which can cause pain.