A toothache is a pain in or around a tooth that may be caused by:
- tooth decay
- abscessed tooth
- tooth fracture
- damaged or loose filling
- repetitive motions, such as chewing gum or grinding teeth
- infected gums
- wisdom tooth eruption
- sinusitis
Symptoms of a toothache may include:
- tooth pain that may be sharp, throbbing, or constant. In some people, pain results only when pressure is applied to the tooth
- it can be worse at night, particularly when you’re lying down
- eating or drinking can make the pain worse, particularly if the food or drink is hot or cold
- swelling around the tooth
- fever or headache
- foul-tasting drainage from the infected tooth
Treatment options
The type of treatment you have for toothache will depend on the cause of the pain, so we will examine your mouth and may carry out an X-ray to try to identify the problem. If your toothache is caused by tooth decay, we will remove the decayed area and replace it with a new tooth-coloured restoration . If your toothache is caused by a loose or broken filling, the filling will be taken out, any decay will be removed and a new tooth-coloured restoration put in place. Sometimes we will choose to place a temporary filling rather than an immediate permanent restoration. This is done to allow a tooth’s nerve to settle down if the pulp has become irritated or if you have been seen as an emergency patient and we need to schedule a longer appointment for the final restoration. Temporary fillings are just that; they are not meant to last. They usually fall out, fracture, or wear out within a month. Please ensure you have your temporary filling replaced with a permanent one. If you don’t, the tooth could become infected or you could have other complications.
If the pulp inside your tooth is infected, you may need root canal treatment. This procedure involves removing the infected pulp and then inserting a special type of filling to seal the tooth and prevent re-infection.
If your toothache can’t be treated using these methods, or if your tooth is impacted (wedged between another tooth and your jaw), it may need to be removed.
If you have toothache please contact Gunyah Dental. We will always try to offer you a same-day appointment to make you more comfortable and we will organise a permanent solution at the earliest opportunity.