Toothache: Causes, Treatment and Great Tips

Toothache can have many causes. You can find out here which ones exist and which treatment can help against the unpleasant symptoms.

Toothache at a glance

Toothache is a nightmare for most people: the pain alone is bad, but the thought of a visit to the dentist often causes heart palpitations. But how do the complaints arise in the first place? In most cases, toothache is actually caused by problems with the teeth, but various illnesses such as inflammation can also be the cause. Depending on the trigger, treatment is different.

How does toothache develop?

Apart from blood vessels, a tooth also contains sensitive nerve fibres. They penetrate from the jawbone from below into the tooth root and then lie in the so-called tooth pulp. They are extremely easily irritated. The pulp is protected by a layer of dentine and enamel. However, this barrier is also sensitive: dental diseases such as caries can damage them, so that the nerve fibres are open to any kind of stimulus – which then causes toothache.

Common causes of tooth pain

The following basic diseases can cause toothache:

• Dental problems: caries, inflammation of the tooth root (pulpitis), periodontitis, fallen out fillings, crowns and temporary restorations, abscess, inflammation of the gums, tooth eruption or fracture, treatment at the dentist
• Generally pain-sensitive teeth: Lightning pain caused by cold ice cream or sweets, for example. Exposed tooth necks are often the trigger. However, worn chewing surfaces, grinding of teeth or constant excessive pressure when brushing teeth can also trigger a high sensitivity to pain.
• Other underlying diseases: e.g. headache or migraine, sinusitis, heart attack, shingles, earache. Inflammation of the middle ear, cysts
• Certain medicines: e.g. bisphosphonates

What helps against toothache?

Painkillers such as ibuprofen can be taken for acute pain. Please do not take aspirin – this reduces blood clotting, so that wounds bleed more easily or for longer. Toothache is treated depending on the cause – usually at the dentist. The following treatments are possible:

• Caries: Caries is removed from the tooth with a drill. Afterwards, the resulting hole is closed with a filling.
• Tooth root or jawbone problems as well as abscesses: A root canal treatment is performed. The pain is usually reduced by opening the tooth, as this reduces the pressure in the tissue.
• Gingivitis: The gum pockets are cleaned. Sometimes the doctor prescribes an antibacterial mouthwash or antibiotics, depending on the type of bacteria.

If the pain is not caused by the teeth, other specialists must be consulted. Important: If the toothache is severe, present throughout the lower jaw and if additional symptoms such as tightness in the chest, shortness of breath and chest pain radiating into the arm occur, the emergency doctor should be called immediately. It could be a heart attack!

Do home remedies for toothache also help?

Often you have a toothache exactly when you can’t go to the dentist – on the weekend for example or in the middle of the night. If you do not want to take medication directly, you can try to treat your toothache with home remedies first. They are suitable for this:

• Clove: It should be bitten near the aching tooth. The active ingredient Eugenol contained in the clove anaesthetizes (clove oil has the same effect, by the way). However, this is only a very short-term solution: Eugenol can kill the tooth nerve in the long run. You should therefore consult your doctor as soon as possible.
• Salt water rinsing: A highly concentrated salt water rinse with lukewarm water that is rinsed through the mouth for two minutes can relieve toothache.
• Sage tea: A mouth rinse with sage tea inhibits inflammation.
• Cold cloth or ice bag: A damp cloth can be placed on the cheek in this way, an ice bag is wrapped in a towel beforehand. This damps the blood flow to the inflamed area and the toothache subsides.
• Tea: A tea mixture of peppermint, St. John’s wort, lemon balm, valerian and quendel also reduces the pain.

More toothache home remedies you can find here.

Should I always go to the dentist with a toothache?

If you have a toothache of any kind, you should always consult your dentist. If dental problems remain untreated, they can also cause problems in other parts of the body. For example, bacteria can travel from the teeth via the bloodstream to the heart, where they can cause heart valve inflammation. If the inflammation is chronic, vascular diseases can occur in the long term. And pregnant women have an increased risk of miscarriage due to bacteria from various gum inflammations. Especially with

• Persistent toothache or one that is getting worse and worse,
• Swelling of the mouth or face,
• Toothache when chewing
• or frequently bleeding reddened gums

the doctor should always be consulted promptly.

The best thing: Prevention!

With thorough oral hygiene, bad breath and toothache can usually not occur at all. You should brush your teeth two or three times a day and use interdental brushes or dental floss to clean the spaces between your teeth. A balanced low-sugar diet and avoiding frequent stimulants such as coffee or alcohol will also help. It is also important to go for a preventive dental check-up twice a year.