When Your Mouth Hurts, Call Our Glendale Dental Office
If you have a toothache or discomfort in your mouth or jaw, it is important to have complete oral exam to determine the cause. The chart below may help you describe the pain and symptoms to us. This will in turn help us determine the cause and best solution for the problem.
| Symptom | Possible Causes | Possible Solutions |
|---|
| Sharp pain when you bite down | - Tooth decay or a loose filling
- An infection inside the inner pulp layer of your tooth
- A cracked tooth
| - A new restoration to restore the tooth
- You may need root canal therapy to remove the infected tissue
- Cracked teeth can often be saved by placing a crown to protect and strengthen
|
| Severe pain, pressure, or swelling in your mouth that does not go away | An abscess of a tooth root, in the gum tissue, or in the jaw bone | Call us for an emergency appointment and take over-the-counter pain meds until we see you. Root canal, extraction, gum treatment, or other therapies may be needed. |
| A dull ache in upper teeth and jaw | - A sinus headache or sinus infection (upper back teeth are very close to the sinus)
- Grinding or clenching your teeth (bruxism)
- An abscess of a tooth root, in the gum tissue or bone
| - Your physician can treat if pain is from sinus. Antibiotics and over-the-counter sinus meds can reduce sinus pain.
- A night guard, bite adjustment, muscle relaxants, or other therapies may be needed.
- Root canal therapy, gum cleaning, or other therapy
|
| Pain in your head, neck, or ear that does not go away | - Damaged or infected nerve tissue in your teeth
- Problems in your jaw joints or muscle spasms
| - Root canal therapy may be necessary to remove the infected tissue
- Possible solutions could be a night guard or full-time orthotic, muscle relaxants, and anti-inflammatory medication
|
| Sensitivity to heat, cold, or sweets | - Dental treatment (temporary tooth sensitivity)
- Tooth bleaching
- Gum recession
- Loose or cracked filling
- Cracked tooth
| - Usually subsides within several days. Over-the-counter meds or bite adjustment may help.
- Pain should subside after several days. Sensitive-teeth toothpaste or fluoride is also helpful.
- Tooth-colored filling to cover area, sensitive-teeth toothpaste, or fluoride
- Replace with new restoration
- Can often be saved with an onlay or crown to protect tooth
|
| Lingering pain after eating something hot or cold | Deep decay or a fractured tooth | You may need a crown and/or a root canal to save your tooth |
As always, if you are concerned about pain in your teeth or mouth, do not hesitate to contact our Glendale Dentist at Desert Smiles. After we diagnose the cause we will make recommendations for treatment. Keep in mind we will make that treatment as comfortable as possible, probably much more so than the pain you are feeling now. It certainly will help keep your mouth healthy in the long run.
