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Toothaches

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• Treatment

Definition:

Toothache is pain in or around a tooth.

Alternative Names:

Pain - tooth or teeth

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 in other locations is perceived as occurring in the teeth (this is called referred pain or radiating pain).

Common Causes:

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

• Review Date: 8/12/2005
• Reviewed By: Johanna Jacobs, D.D.S., General and Cosmetic Dentistry, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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