Can dental problems cause an ear infection? i know it can cause ear pain, but it feels like i had liquid in my ear. the pain started a few days after a bad tooth infection. can this be related?

It : It may be. Infections from bacteria and viruses can be spread to contiguous structures. For instance, bacteria which originated from an infection in you mouth/tooth could spread tthrough your upper respiratory tract. You could develop conditions like otitis media (middle ear), mastoiditis or sinusitis.

If : If you have temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) and malocclusion (bad bite) due to crowding, loss of teeth, or chipped/fractured teeth. E.G., an infected bad tooth that is damaged and lost part of the structure due to decay, can cause further imbalance and trauma in the surrounding structures. The interrelation of innervation in the head and neck can explain how pain can be referred. The same applies to blood vessel distribution how can infection travel where blood goes - including your heart! "prevention is the best medication"- i read this quote in reader's digest when i was a kid.

Yes, : Yes, dental problems can cause an ear infection. You had a bad tooth infection and started to have pain and fluid in your ear a couple of days later. I do not know whether you saw a dentist for the infected tooth. If you did, he should have placed you on antibiotics to clear up the infection before he treats the tooth. If you did not see a dentist, and are not on medication for treatment of the infection, it will travel to other areas of you head, including sinus and ears. Your pain is due to the infection and the water or fluid buildup in the ea, r causing pressure and pain. This usually is in the back of the eardrum. My advice to you is too seek medical treatment for the infection if you have not already, to stop it from spreading to other parts of the body. Please see a dentist or a doctor and take care of this. It will not get better by itself!

Yes: A dental infection can spread to your ears. The infection should be treated as soon as possible. Please see your dentist or family doctor as soon as possible.