Symptoms

Toothache and jaw pain are common complaints. There may be severe pain to pressure or to hot or cold stimuli. The pain may persist for longer than 15 seconds after the stimulus is removed. As the area of inflammation increases, the pain becomes more severe. It may radiate to the cheek, the ear, or the jaw. Other signs and symptoms that may lead you to seek care include the following:

• Pain with chewing
• Hot or cold sensitivity
• Bleeding or discharge from around a tooth or gums
• Swelling around a tooth or swelling of your jaw
• Injury or trauma to the area

Diagnosis

A thorough medical history and oral exam usually lead to an appropriate diagnosis.

Sometimes, X-rays called periapical and Panorex views (panoramic X-rays of the teeth and jaw) are taken. If the cause is something other than a dental or jaw problem, the doctor may prescribe drugs directed at the problem. If the condition is more severe, you may be referred to a dentist for further treatment.

Causes

Toothache can be caused by:

• tooth decay
• dental abscess
• a cracked or damaged tooth
• a loose or broken filling
• an infection – this often happens when a tooth (such as a wisdom tooth) has broken the skin, but does not have enough room to fully come through
• problems with your braces

Prevention

The best way to prevent toothache is to keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible.

To do this:

• have regular dental check-ups
• cut down on sugary foods and drinks – only have them as an occasional treat at mealtimes
• brush your teeth twice a day for about 2 minutes with a fluoride toothpaste
• clean between your teeth using floss or an interdental brush every day to remove food, debris and plaque

Most people go to a dentist for a toothache, since most toothaches are caused by problems with your teeth.

Your dentist will use X-rays and a physical exam of your teeth to detect tooth decay or other dental problems. They may give you pain medications and antibiotics to treat an infection.

If your toothache is due to tooth decay, your dentist will remove the decay with a drill and fill the space with dental materials. An impacted tooth may require surgical removal.

If your dentist cannot find the cause of your toothache, they may refer you to a doctor for further diagnosis and treatment.

There are a lot of tooth pain remedies out there today, many of which only mask the pain of a toothache without getting to the root cause. Actually, most tooth pain is attributable to problems in the tooth’s root structure.

In this case, the root structure of a tooth includes the underlying pulp as well as nerves and blood vessels. Now, the tooth can be said to be broken down between the crown – i.e. a patient’s enamel and dentin – and the root – i.e. the underlying pulp, nerves, and blood vessels.

The majority of dental problems that cause patients the most discomfort are attributable to some kind of problem in the tooth’s root structure or in the functionality of the gums that encase the teeth. That said, a wearing away of a patient’s enamel or gum issues like gingivitis can certainly cause pain and exacerbate dental problems.