Complications following a sinus perforation

Dr. Hall,
I have a question. I had all my teeth pulled upper and lower and ended up with two sinus perforations on right side. My dentist sewed those up but now about a week later my right nostril has been completely plugged for going on three days and is leaking perfectly clear fluid. I have tried cold, sinus and allergy meds. I have tried steam and salt water rinse but nothing works the only slight relief is when I hold the nostril open but I can’t do that all day. Now my face is starting to hurt there. I also have been taking antibiotics since getting the holes sewn shut too. What is this?
– Courtney K.

Courtney,
I would go back to your dentist and ask for a referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist (otorhinolaryngologist). There are several things that could be going wrong here. There is some lingering infection in your sinus. It could be that you just have some antibiotic-resistant bacteria involved and you just need to change antibiotics. It could be that with the sinus perforation a piece of bone or a tooth fragment got pushed up into the sinus and needs to be removed. Or it could be something else. I would get this addressed promptly, as it sounds like the infection is progressing.

From the sounds of what you are telling me, your dentist has done the right thing so far. A sinus perforation can happen very easily after a tooth extraction and can sometimes be unavoidable. If it can be closed surgically, which is what it sounds like your dentist did, that is helpful, and antibiotics are appropriate. But you’re at the boundary here between dentistry and medicine when you get up into the nasal sinuses, and I think the added expertise of a medical doctor specializing in this area of the body is what you need when your infection hasn’t resolved.

Dr. Hall

Do you have a comment or a question or anything else to add? We’d love to hear from you. Enter your comment below.

Click here to ask Dr. Hall a question of your own.