Why do my teeth feel tickled when I take a deep breath?

August 5, 2021 3:23 PM

When I take a deep breaths in and out through my nose, my lower front teeth get a sensation that's sort of like being tickled. What's that about? My tongue can be completely covering my teeth when it happens, so I don't think it's that the teeth are actually feeling the air; I presume it's some referred sensation, but from where? Am I freakishly alone in this, or is it a known thing?
posted by The corpse in the library to Grab Bag (7 answers total)

Now that you mention it, I definitely have felt this before and can feel it now that I pay attention. This is pure speculation, but it seems like maybe the pressure difference from breathing in could be enough to cause a physical change that is noticeable. I agree it's not air flow that does it. It could also be something about holding the jaw/throat differently when doing a "deep" breath, I definitely hold those a bit different than normal when deep breathing.
posted by JZig at 3:54 PM on August 5, 2021

I wonder if you’re somehow stretching or irritating your Jacobson’s organ and getting some referred sensation from that.
posted by tchemgrrl at 5:24 PM on August 5, 2021

I have felt this and I think it's referred from sinuses. I feel mild sensation in my sinuses when I breathe normally through my nose, and it gets stronger for deeper breaths.
posted by medusa at 5:24 PM on August 5, 2021

I feel a lot of sinus-related stuff in my teeth, so I'd also guess it's that neighborly relationship that's referring sensations.
posted by quince at 6:58 PM on August 5, 2021

For me, this sensation is one of the signs that I'm getting a sinus infection.
posted by ZaphodB at 8:05 PM on August 5, 2021

My molars tend to hurt when I have sinus problems, and my dentist explained that the roots of the teeth in your upper jaw get close to the sinuses, so they're affected by things going on in that vicinity.
posted by telophase at 8:24 AM on August 6, 2021

Well when I run I am breathing heavy and I have felt itchy teeth then, sometimes so maybe it is a thing?
posted by aetg at 6:49 PM on August 6, 2021