Dental Sinusitis And Apical Tooth Disease

A rotten cheek tooth root can cause sinusitis and extensive facial swelling, warns Dr Mac.

- Dr Mac

Cheek teeth (molars) in the upper (mandibular) and lower (maxillary) jaws of horses are used to chew or masticate grass before it is swallowed. Sometimes, rotten molars in the upper jaw can cause a draining sinus infection on the side of a horse’s face.

Like humans, horses have sinuses on each side of the head, above, below and between the eyes. The paranasal sinuses lie above the nasal cavities and each has a smooth membrane lining a thin layer of bone. These membranes produce mucus and the sinuses also contain mucus produced elsewhere in the upper respiratory system. Mucus moisturises the nasal passages and flushes dust and infectious particles out of the nostrils.