In conclusion, a toothache does not necessarily mean infection. It's important to schedule an appointment with your dentist to identify the source of the problem. Once a diagnosis has been made, your dentist can move forward with an appropriate treatment plan to get you back to a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle.
A toothache can occur for many reasons — from a popcorn hull stuck in your gums to a broken tooth to a bacterial infection. Temporary gum irritation can cause some toothaches. But serious toothaches need professional treatment.
Patients experiencing tooth sensitivity may look to gum recession as the culprit. Recessed gum tissue causes the enamel at the gum line to wear away, exposing the tooth to the elements and creating sensitivity. This type of pain does not linger, but rather popping up every time the hot or cold foods hit the tooth.
One of the easiest ways to determine if you have an infection rather than a cavity is to use water. Take a mouthful of lukewarm water and swish it around the tooth. If you have an infection, the cool water will help reduce inflammation.
An X-ray of the aching tooth can help identify an abscess. Your dentist may also use X-rays to determine whether the infection has spread, causing abscesses in other areas. Recommend a CT scan. If the infection has spread to other areas within your neck, a CT scan may be used to see how severe the infection is.
an intense, throbbing pain in the affected tooth or gum that may come on suddenly and gets gradually worse. pain that spreads to your ear, jaw and neck on the same side as the affected tooth or gum. pain that's worse when lying down, which may disturb your sleep. redness and swelling in your face.
Tooth abscesses don't form overnight—there are multiple stages to formation, starting with enamel erosion and progressing to dentin decay, pulp decay, and finally abscess formation.
Symptoms of early dental infections include localised pain, facial swelling, halitosis and general malaise.
Sharp, severe, and throbbing pain
A tooth infection or dental abscess is indicated by a progressively worsening toothache and red or swollen gums. This is a major dental problem. A dental abscess is a pus-filled pocket in the tooth or its supporting structure. The pus leaves a terrible taste in the mouth.
Left untreated, a tooth abscess will eventually spread to the surrounding tissues and beyond, wreaking havoc on your oral and overall health. It can take weeks or months for the infection to spread — and it's impossible to know exactly how long that will take.
Tooth sensitivity occurs when the inner layer of your tooth, known as dentin, becomes exposed. This type of toothache occurs even when there's no cavity to find. Dentin usually becomes exposed when there's a wearing away of enamel or gum recession.
See your dentist or other healthcare professional right away if your toothache is accompanied by any of these symptoms: Severe pain that you cannot ignore. Pronounced discomfort is your body's built-in alarm system. You should never ignore what it's telling you.
A toothache may also be a warning sign of a heart attack or a serious lung disease or cancer, says Huang. “There is a nerve that runs from the head and neck to the thorax [where the heart and lungs live]. Pain from the heart and lungs may be referred to the jaw area and present as a toothache.”
There are cases when an abscessed tooth does not produce any symptoms at all. Since the tooth has lost its capability to feel stimuli or has lost its vitality, there may be no discomfort or pain linked to it. But, the abscess is still present and may still disperse the infection.
A disappearing toothache usually means that the nerve inside the tooth has died. The infection that caused the problem in the first place may still be present and continue to attack the surrounding tissues. Without treatment, the infection could seriously damage the jawbone and even cause systemic illness.
Try using the 3-3-3 method: taking 3 ibuprofen, 3 times a day, for 3 days. Make sure to keep taking it even if you start to feel better, as the goal is to reduce inflammation in addition to the pain. In addition, you may ice the area, keep your head elevated, and rinse with salt water three-to-five times a day.
Sharp, intense pain: Nerve toothache is often characterized by sharp, intense pain that may be constant or come and go in waves. Sensitivity to hot and cold: Nerve toothache may cause sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, which can worsen the pain.
On average, a tooth nerve pain can last from as little as just a few days to as long as 4-6weeks or, in some instances, even longer.
Your dentist will likely perform an X-ray to determine the extent of the infection. If there's any suspicion that the infection has spread to other parts of the body, your dentist may also perform a CT scan.
A persistently high fever, dizziness, lightheadedness, a rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, confusion, and digestive problems are potential signs of sepsis and should be treated as a medical emergency.
Signs and symptoms of a tooth abscess include: Severe, constant, throbbing toothache that can spread to your jawbone, neck or ear. Pain or discomfort with hot and cold temperatures. Pain or discomfort with the pressure of chewing or biting.
Acute oral infections take between three and seven days to resolve, but you may take antibiotics for longer. You may get a deep cleaning to open the tooth and remove the infected contents. If needed, your doctor will make an incision or drainage point on the soft tissue to relieve pressure and remove pus.
When Does a Toothache Require Antibiotics? When the dental infection is severe or impacts the gum around an erupting tooth, your dentist may recommend antibiotics. For instance, pericoronitis is an infection in the gum tissue that can develop around impacted wisdom teeth, as Merck Manuals explains.