Everything you need to know about toothache

Toothache is pain felt in or around the tooth. Most often, toothaches indicate that something is wrong with your teeth or gums. Sometimes, however, toothaches are referred pain. This means that they are caused by a problem elsewhere in your body. Whatever the cause, you should never ignore them, as they can worsen if left untreated.

 

How does toothache feel?

Tooth pain can range from mild to severe and can be constant or intermittent. You may feel:

• throbbing pain or inflammation inside the tooth (pulpitis, nerve inflammation), inflammation around the tooth and the surrounding gum (abscess);
• fever;
• sharp pain when you touch your tooth, when you bite down or close your jaws
• painful sensitivity in the tooth in response to hot or cold foods and drinks;
• Pain similar to shock on the tooth, which is unusual.

 

Causes of toothache

 

Common causes:

• Tooth decay is the most common cause of toothache. If left untreated, tooth decay can eventually lead to an abscess. This is an infection near the tooth or in the pulp inside the tooth. Make an appointment with your dentist immediately if you think you have a tooth abscess. In rare cases, the infection can spread and even enter the body's bloodstream, which can be life-threatening.
• Toothache can also be caused by an impacted tooth. This occurs when one of the teeth, usually a wisdom tooth, is stuck in the gum tissue or bone. As a result, it cannot erupt or grow.

 

Common causes of toothache: Sinusitis is a condition in which the sinuses become inflamed due to a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection in the sinus cavity. Because the roots of the upper teeth are close to the sinuses, sinusitis can cause pain in the upper teeth.

 

Less common causes of toothache:Heart diseaseand lung cancer can also cause toothache. In some cases, toothache can be a warning sign of a heart attack. Heart and lung conditions can cause toothache due to the location of the vagus nerve. This nerve runs from the brain to various organs in the body, including the heart and lungs, passing through the jaw area.

 

Rare causes of toothache: Trigeminal neuralgia and occipital neuralgia are painful neurological conditions that cause irritation or inflammation of the trigeminal and occipital nerves. These nerves serve the skull, face, and teeth. When they become inflamed, the pain may feel like it is coming from the teeth.

 

Treatment for toothache

Toothache usually requires medical treatment. Home treatment can temporarily relieve the pain while you wait for your dentist appointment. The types of treatment that can be performed if you are in pain are:

 

Dental treatment

Most people go to the dentist for toothache, as most discomfort is caused by dental problems. The dentist will use X-rays and a clinical examination of the teeth to detect tooth decay or other problems in the oral cavity. If the toothache is due to cavities, the dentist will remove the decay and fill the space with appropriate dental materials. Sometimes, an affected tooth may even need to be surgically removed.

If the dentist cannot find the cause of your toothache, he or she may refer you to another doctor in the field of general medicine for further diagnosis and treatment.

 

Treatment of sinusitis

Your doctor may treat sinusitis with antibiotics or decongestants. In rare cases, you may need surgery. In this case, your doctor will refer you to a specialist.

 

Treatment for trigeminal neuralgia and occipital neuralgia

There is no cure for these conditions. Treatment usually consists of administering medication to control toothache.

 

Treatment for heart attack, heart disease, and lung cancer

If the dentist suspects that you are having a heart attack, they will immediately send you to the emergency room of a hospital, and may even call an ambulance in serious cases. If the dentist suspects that you have heart or lung disease, they will refer you to specialists for further testing.

 

Home treatment

Among the things that can help you temporarily relieve toothache, we can include:

• over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications, such as aspirin
• OTC topical pain medication, such as benzocaine*
• OTC decongestants, such as pseudoephedrine, if the pain is due to sinus congestion
• clove oil applied to your tooth (relieves pain)

*Consult your dentist before using any product containing benzocaine. Children under 2 years of age should not use products containing benzocaine.

 

When does toothache become an emergency?

You need emergency treatment if your toothache is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• swelling of the jaw or face, which may be a sign that the tooth infection is spreading
• chest pain, shortness of breath, or other signs of a heart attack
• wheezing, a cough that won't go away, or coughing up blood
• problems with breathing and swallowing, which may be signs of lung cancer

 

How to prevent toothache

To prevent toothache, you should brush your teeth at least twice a day, in the morning as soon as you wake up and in the evening before going to bed, use dental floss or a mouthwash, and schedule regular check-ups and cleanings twice a year or as often as recommended by your dentist.

You can also keep your heart and lungs healthy by quitting smoking, eating a low-fat, high-fiber diet, and exercising for at least 30 minutes a day.