Maxillary Sinus or Tooth Infection Issue?

[shipleyml]

Hi! My name is Megan. In 2003 while in high school, I had to eventually go to the emergency room because the entire left side of my face swelled up awful out of nowhere and hurt.  They gave me antibiotics, a steroid shot and said it was 'Sinusitis'. The swelling eventually went away and things went back to normal with the exception that to this day I've had what I describe as extra tissue that is below my nose inside up upper lip.....you can't see it looking at me, I can only feel it when I run my finger along the inside of my upper lip towards my nose.  It is sensitive there and I have had some upper tooth sensitivity come and go.  

Every once in a while, if I get congested or sick, my left maxillary sinus (on the same side my face swelled) will get blocked up and be very stubborn.  When that sinus gets stopped up, it affects that extra tissue area I was describing inside my upper lip/base of nose....and I know this sounds gross....but sometimes I'll get a little bit of drainage there.  

I am writing this for a couple of reasons. I have been to the dentist and he said that I may need a root canal done on my upper front teeth because he could see an infection in x-rays of the area I've described.  I never got this done because of money/lack of insurance. I work full time now and just now got health insurance. My employer will partially reimburse me for dental expenses but I have to pay for them up front.  I'm wondering if I should go to a doctor and get a referral to an Ear, Nose & Throat doctor (is it a sinus issue?) OR should I go to a dentist (is it a tooth infection issue).

I am tired of having the maxillary sinus get stopped up and blocked....tired of the awkward 'sensitive extra tissue' that randomly drains in my upper interior lip.....(and I promise you can not see it looking at me, it's not some major abnormal growth or anything that is visible).

I am scared because I woke up this morning with a clump of blood in my mouth (that can come from the area I've described from my upper lip where it had apparently drained while I was sleeping) and blood all through my mouth.  Before when it has drained it's been a mucous-type...never any blood.....I brushed my teeth before bed and perhaps I brushed too hard and agitated it making it bleed? I don't know...but it seems odd either way...

I just don't want to go spending all this money up front with a dentist necessarily if it's actually a sinus issue and my health insurance can cover it.

If anyone has any ideas/tips, please let me know.  I know from research that maxillary sinus issues can be the result of either tooth infections or sinus cancer or some other sinus issue so I may be asking too vague a question.

I appreciate your thoughts and time.

Thanks!

Megan

[pmwagoner]

my son woke up with a very swollen upper lip this morning, we put ice on it and it is still swollen, he didn't tell me till now that he has a tooth bothering him, do you think these could be related? i know you said about the swelling on inside of his lip,but his is on the outside as well ?

[shipleyml]

Thank you!

[shipleyml]

That makes sense!  Thanks for helping! :)

[shipleyml]

Thank you so much!  I will definitely get it checked out as soon as I can.  Thanks again!

[friggy]

It's not unusual for an infection of an upper tooth to leak into the maxillary sinuses, so put your first money on the dentist.  Antibiotics work on tooth infections, but not sinus infections, so I'd recommend a Neilmed Sinus Rinse, which is effective for maxillary sinuses, and only costs $13