Toothache is a condition when pain appears in the in or in around the teeth and jaw. The severity of the pain can vary, from mild to severe. Stoothache can be felt continuously, can also come and go.
Often a toothache is a symptom of disease in the teeth or gums. However, in certain cases, toothache can be a sign of disease in other parts of the body that causes pain that radiates to the surrounding teeth, for example, a heart attack or nerve disorders in the face.
Although toothaches are generally not life-threatening, you should immediately see a dentist and treat them, because they can be caused by dangerous things, such as tooth decay or a heart attack.
Causes of Toothache
Toothache usually appears as a symptom of disease, both in the oral cavity and other body parts. Toothache due to problems in the oral cavity can be caused by:
- Cavities or broken fillings
- Teething (usually experienced by infants and children)
- Broken tooth
- loose teeth
- Inflammation or infection of the teeth or gums
- Pus appears on the teeth
- Swollen gums
- Wisdom teeth that grow abnormally
- Tooth decay
- Problems with braces
- Habit of grinding teethbruxism).
Meanwhile, toothache, which is the propagation of pain from other parts of the body that are affected, can occur in:
- Sinusitis
- Heart disease
- Lung cancer
- Facial nerve disorders (tRigeminal neuralgia).
A person will be more at risk for toothache if:
- Smoke
- Suffering from diabetes
- Suffering from AIDS
- Taking certain medications, such as phenytoin or immunosuppressive drugs.
Toothache Symptoms
The severity of toothaches varies widely, from mild pain that only causes discomfort, to severe and unbearable pain. The pain itself can be throbbing or prickling. In addition to pain, toothache can be accompanied by swelling of the gums, headache, and fever.
See a doctor immediately if your toothache has lasted more than two days, or if it is accompanied by:
- Bad smell in the mouth
- Pain when chewing
- Swollen gums
- Difficult to swallow
- Hard to breathe
- Difficult and painful when opening the mouth
- Ear pain
Toothache Diagnosis
In patients who complain of toothache, the dentist will first trace the symptoms felt by the patient, namely by asking:
- Place pain
- How severe is the pain?
- When does the pain usually appear?
- Things that make pain worse
- Things that can relieve pain.
After that, the doctor will examine the teeth, gums, tongue, jaw, sinuses, nose, throat, and even neck. Sometimes the examination is also carried out by stimulating the teeth, for example with cold temperatures, biting or chewing something, or pressing the teeth with fingers.
If needed, the doctor will ask the patient to undergo additional examinations, such as dental X-rays and CT scans.
Relieve Toothache at Home
If you have a toothache, you should immediately see a dentist to find out the cause, so that it can be treated appropriately. But before that, there are several ways you can do at home to relieve toothache, namely:
- Clean between teeth with dental flossdental floss) to remove stuck plaque and food debris.
- Gargle with warm water.
- Gargle with an antiseptic mouthwash.
- Compress the cheek with a cold compress if the toothache is caused by an injury.
- Take paracetamol to relieve pain. Use according to the directions on the medicine package.
Toothache Treatment
Treatment for toothache depends on the cause. As an example:
- The doctor will perform dental fillings if the toothache is caused by cavities. If the cavities have decayed, the dentist will clean and sterilize them before filling them.
- The doctor will do the filling again if the toothache is caused by damage to the previous filling.
- The doctor will perform root canal treatmentroot canal) if the root of the tooth is infected.
- The doctor will perform tooth extraction if the above treatment methods do not succeed in curing toothache. Tooth extraction will also be done if toothache is caused by problems with the growth of wisdom teeth.
- To treat toothache caused by bacterial infection, the doctor will give antibiotics.
Actions You Can Take to Prevent Toothache
Preventing is always better than curing. Therefore, even if your current teeth are still healthy, start taking the following steps to prevent toothache:
- Brushing teeth the right way, twice a day, using a toothpaste that contains fluoride.
- Clean between teeth with dental flossdental floss).
- Limit consumption of sugary foods or drinks, such as chocolate, cakes, and sweets.
- Regularly check your teeth to the dentist, at least every 6 months.
- Quit smoking.