Where Does It Hurt?

The pain from a toothache can be life-altering. It may keep you from eating the foods that you need to stay healthy and from drinking the hot or cold beverages that you are used to enjoying. If the discomfort is extreme it may even prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.

Call your dentist’s office at the earliest sign of trouble. The office staff will do their best to get you in asap but in the meantime, your dentist can recommend an over the counter pain reliever or send a prescription to your local pharmacy if you need something stronger.

It can really help your dentist to determine the source of your pain if you can describe the feeling and pinpoint the aching tooth. Your dentist may ask if the pain is constant and throbbing or if it is more of a sporadic sharp sensation.

Severe and abnormal sensitivity to hot or cold sensations such as when your teeth are exposed to an iced drink or a hot cup of coffee could mean that your gum tissue is beginning to recede from the tooth. It could also be a symptom of infection.

If you only notice the pain when you try to eat or bite down on something odds are that you have a cavity. A regular strength painkiller should bring relief until you can see your dentist.