Tooth Aches

A toothache or tooth pain is caused when the nerve in the root of a tooth or surrounding a tooth is irritated. Dental (tooth) infection, decay, injury, or loss of a tooth are the most common causes of dental pain. Pain may also occur after an extraction (tooth is pulled out). Pain sometimes originates from other areas and radiates to the jaw, thus appearing to be tooth pain. The most common areas include the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint or TMJ), ear pain, sinuses, and even occasional heart problems.

Bacteria growing inside your mouth can contribute to gum disease and dental decay, both of which can cause pain. Often, gum disease will not result in any pain.

You can prevent most dental problems by flossing, brushing with fluoride toothpaste, and having your teeth professionally cleaned twice a year. In addition, the dentist may apply sealants and fluoride, which are especially important for children’s teeth.

• Pain is not relieved by over-the-counter drugs.
• You experience severe pain after a tooth is pulled; this may occur on the second or third day after tooth extraction. This results from the clot falling out and the bone exposed until a new clot and covers the exposed bone. The condition is known as alveolar osteitis or “dry socket syndrome.” If you develop this condition, you should see a dentist within 24 hours.
• Pain is associated with swelling of the gums or face or discharge around a tooth; fever is an important sign of infection in dental disease. Simple dental decay (caries) does not cause fever. These signs may signify an infection surrounding the tooth, the gum, or the jaw bone (mandible). Fever and swelling may indicate the presence of an abscess. Dental abscesses may require antibiotics and surgical opening (drainage) of the abscess. When this procedure is recommended inside the tooth (endodontic drainage), “root canal” therapy is performed.
• Broken or knocked-out teeth occur from an injury; unless associated with more severe injuries, your dentist should be contacted as soon as possible. Swallowed teeth and permanent tooth loss are considered dental emergencies. Tooth loss due to injury (traumatic loss) is treated differently in children who have lost their primary teeth than in older children and adults with injury to their secondary — or permanent –teeth. If a child’s permanent (adult) tooth is entirely knocked out, try to rinse it off gently and re-implant it as soon as possible, and seek dental care. If you cannot get the tooth back in their mouth, place it in a small amount of milk or even water and seek dental care.
• Pain is present at the angle of your jaw; if every time you open your mouth, widely you have pain, the temporomandibular (TMJ) joint has likely been injured or inflamed. This can occur from an injury or just by trying to eat something too big. Your dentist may be able to suggest solutions to this problem.
• Wisdom teeth are causing pain; as wisdom teeth (third molars) are coming into the mouth — or erupting — they cause inflammation of the gum around the visible portion of the crown. As a result, the gum overlying the crown may become infected. The tooth is most commonly involved in the lower third molar. The pain may extend to the jaw and ear. There may be swelling in the affected area so that the jaw cannot be closed properly. In severe cases, pain in the throat and the floor of the mouth may make it difficult to swallow.

Frisbee, E., DMD. (2020, November 17). Toothaches: Causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, remedies.         Retrieved March 11, 2021, from https://www.webmd.com/oral-                                                                     health/toothache#:~:text=A%20toothache%20or%20tooth%20pain,                                                             (tooth%20is%20pulled%20out).