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Toothache
Toothache is often a little bit like an iceberg; what you see at the top is only part of the picture, because it’s usually a sign that something harmful is going on nearby in your tooth or gums.
Toothache can be anything from a dull, aching or throbbing pain to sharp, severe nerve pain, commonly felt, for example, when you drink an ice-cold or boiling-hot beverage.
Sometimes, you may find that your toothache resolves on its own without seeing a dentist, but often, the problem will present again, giving you a not-so-gentle reminder that it’s time to see the dentist.
What causes toothache?
There are several reasons for toothache. Here are some of the more common reasons…
Cracked/fractured tooth
Often, particularly with senior patients or those with silver/metallic fillings or large fillings after extensive repair work, a crack or fracture in the tooth can occur. This is even more common with ‘bruxers’ or tooth ‘clenchers’ as the constant tooth grinding can encourage a compromised tooth to crack. The tooth becomes more sensitive to chew on – and with temperature changes – resulting in a toothache. The best way to treat a fractured tooth is to see the dentist as soon as possible to stop the fracture enlarging.
Bruxism
If you’ve been involuntarily grinding or gnashing your teeth, this can wear down the enamel and make your teeth sensitive – and even fracture. Sometimes, bruxism can even cause crowns or fillings to become dislodged, which in turn, exposes the nerve, resulting in severe toothache.
Tooth impaction
Poorly aligned teeth may cause tooth impaction problems; however, wisdom teeth are the most common cause. Often, there is not enough room in the mouth the wisdom tooth to come through, which can irritate nearby nerves and cause pain.
Food or debris stuck in teeth
It may be surprising to know that food or debris stuck in teeth is a common cause of toothache, as food wedged between teeth can increase the pressure on the teeth, causing nerve pain. Therefore, if you see no apparent reason for having a toothache, make sure you brush and floss your teeth to make sure wedged debris is not the problem.
Sinus infection
A postnasal drip from a sinus infection can cause tooth pain, so if you have sinusitis, you may need to see a doctor for antibiotics.
Tooth decay
One of the more common causes of toothache, tooth decay develops when bacteria wears away the enamel in your teeth. Eventually, this decay will reach your sensitive nerve endings in your underlying tooth structure (dentine), and, without treatment, can reach the middle of your tooth (pulp).
Gum disease
Another common dental problem, gum disease is caused by the acid in your mouth, causing plaque, which sits on the tooth and gums. The plaque that sits under your gums, near your tooth, can damage your tooth structure and tooth roots, which causes your tooth to become wobbly and ache.
Abscesses
An abscess is a pocket of pus caused by a bacterial infection – often from either tooth decay or gum disease. The absence can be either on the side of the tooth in the gum pocket (periodontal abscess) or at the tip of the tooth root (periapical abscess)
Trauma
If you’ve had a sporting accident or mishap at work and have chipped your tooth, this can expose the pulp – the middle of your tooth – to bacteria, which can cause a painful infection.
Losing a filling or crown
If a crown or filling has dislodged from your mouth, it could expose a nerve root, which may be extremely painful.
How to treat a toothache
If you are suffering from toothache, please call our dental clinic and discuss your condition with one of our dentists. They will then decide how soon you should visit our clinic. A severe toothache is often classified as a dental emergency and, therefore, should be treated as soon as possible.
While you wait to see the dentist, you can try the following remedies at home…
Keep your head elevated
If it’s nighttime, pop your head up with pillows or cushions or elevate the head of the bed to help avoid the blood rushing to your head, which can exacerbate the pain and keep you awake.
Apply a cold compress
Applying an ice pack or cold compress against your cheek – not directly to the tooth (which can exacerbate pain) can help numb the pain.
Gargle saltwater
Create a saltwater solution of half a teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water, then gargle around the painful area for at least five seconds.
Take over-the-counter painkillers
Providing your pain is mild, simple pain relief medication such as aspirin can help to eliminate tooth pain quickly. Only swallow the aspirin and don’t apply to the gums as acid can burn the gum tissue.
Avoid hot, cold or hard-to-chew foods
Toothache can make you extremely temperature-sensitive, so avoid extremely hot or cold drinks – or foods – and stay away from hard-to-chew foods as all of these will may exacerbate a toothache.
Toothache FAQs
Will toothache go away on its own?
Occasionally, toothache will go away on its own, particularly if it is caused by food or debris stuck in the teeth or by short-term bruxism. However, most toothache is a sign that something unhealthy is happening with your tooth, and therefore you should always contact your dentist.
What does a toothache feel like?
Toothache can feel like a dull, aching sensation or an extremely sharp, electric-like pain. Pain from a toothache can range from minor pain that only requires over-the-counter pain relief to severe toothache with throbbing tooth pain or swelling around your tooth or gum – that requires immediate and strong treatment and pain relief.
What can I do to make my toothache go away?
To make your toothache go away, see your dentist to find out the cause of the toothache, such as a cavity, abscess or infection. While waiting for your dental appointment though, you can help alleviate the pain by rinsing your mouth with saltwater, taking aspirin, applying a cold compress and keeping your head elevated.
Does whiskey help a toothache?
Using whiskey to help alleviate toothache is, unfortunately, an old wives’ tale. According to Dr. Matthew J. Messina, a dentist from Cleveland and spokesman for the American Dental Association, the idea of swilling whiskey for toothache has been around since wartime, when whiskey was considered ‘a panacea for all ails’. Consuming alcohol will temporarily relax you, which may diminish your pain response; however, it will not heal an infection or numb excruciating pain. Although alcohol has a small ability to fight bacteria, it won’t cure an infection – and there are better options to choose. Alcohol will also not work as an anaesthetic. So if you have a severe toothache, get to the dentist as soon as possible, as the longer you delay, the worse the problem may become. In the interim, take over-the-counter pain medication.
What causes a sudden toothache?
A sudden toothache can be caused by any number of things, from trauma (such as a chipped or broken tooth) to tooth decay, gum (periodontal) disease, an abscess, a broken off filling or crown that exposes or irritates a tooth root, among many other reasons.
Does brushing teeth help with a toothache?
Brushing teeth only helps with toothache when your sore tooth is caused by food/debris stuck in between the teeth, which can cause pressure on the teeth and nerves. However, regular tooth brushing and flossing helps maintain good oral hygiene, which keeps cavities and gum disease at bay and hence, helps avoid the likelihood of toothache.
When should I go to the dentist for a toothache?
We recommend you always contact your dentist here in Wagga Wagga if you have a toothache. Typically, if you have a toothache that has lasted longer than a day or two, have severe pain or have an earache, fever, or pain when opening your mouth wide, you should see your dentist as soon as possible.
Will peroxide kill a tooth nerve?
Hydrogen peroxide will not kill to nerve; however, hydrogen peroxide can slightly reduce inflammation and kill bacteria. Therefore, it may be useful to swirl a dilute hydrogen peroxide solution around your affected area if you can see that you have inflammation or swelling.
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