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Toothaches - Overview

Alternative Names

Pain - tooth or teeth

Definition of Toothaches:

Toothache is pain in or around a tooth.

Considerations:

A toothache is generally the result of dental cavities (tooth decay) or sometimes an infection. Tooth decay is often caused by poor dental hygiene, although the tendency to get tooth decay is partly inherited.

Sometimes, pain that's felt in the tooth is actually due to pain in other parts of the body. This is called referred pain or radiating pain. For example, an earache may sometimes cause tooth pain.

Common Causes:

Abscessed tooth
Earache
Injury to the jaw or mouth
Heart attack (can include jaw pain, neck pain, or toothache)
Sinusitis
Tooth decay

Reviewed last on: 5/28/2008
Jason S. Baker, DMD, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Private Practice, Yonkers, New York. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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