Pain in and around a tooth is the main sign of a toothache. Depending on the cause, a toothache can feel dull or sharp, with tooth sensitivity, earache, and difficulty chewing among other symptoms. Identifying the symptoms of your toothache may help you better understand what’s causing it.
Tooth pain may have these characteristics:
- Sharp pain: This pain comes on quickly and gets worse when you chew or bite down. Common causes of stabbing and sharp tooth pain include cracked teeth, bruxism (tooth grinding), tooth decay (cavities), and receding gums.
- Dull pain: Consistent, dull pain may be a sign of tooth infection, bruxism, a TMJ disorder, or gingivitis and periodontitis (gum disease and infection).
- Throbbing pain: Throbbing or pulsing tooth pain may be a sign of inflammation in the pulp of the tooth, the soft inner tissue, which may happen with a tooth abscess or severe tooth decay. This symptom may worsen with pressure or chewing, and the tooth can become loose.
- Changing pain: Aches and pains from a toothache may worsen when you lie down.
- Tooth sensitivity: Tooth brushing, cold air, hot beverages, and cold foods like ice cream can trigger short, jarring bursts of discomfort and stinging. Tooth sensitivity may be a sign of tooth decay or damage to fillings or dental appliances.
Along with your toothache, you may also experience pain and other symptoms in your gums, jaw, and face.
- Gum symptoms: You may notice swelling, reddening, bleeding, or receding gums, which may leak pus or have a pimple-like growth if there’s gum disease or an abscess.
- Jaw symptoms: Jaw pain and swelling in the upper or lower jaw may worsen with movement, a sign of more serious tooth infection or TMJ.
- Facial symptoms: Pain or pressure in the sinuses from congestion may accompany or mimic a toothache.
- Ear symptoms: Earaches or pressure in the inner ear may also be related to a toothache.
- Severe symptoms: Severe cases of gum disease, tooth decay, or a tooth abscess may cause bad breath, a bitter taste, fever, and a general unwell feeling
A toothache is often a sign that you need dental care. Many causes of tooth pain get worse without treatment. It’s especially important to call a dentist if you have:
- Severe tooth pain
- Symptoms lasting longer than 24-48 hours
- Fever
- Facial swelling or swelling in your gums
- Trouble opening your mouth wide
Delaying treatment for some causes of tooth pain may lead to serious complications.
Over time, untreated cavities, abscesses, and other dental issues can lead to loss of the entire tooth. Infections can spread to the underlying jawbone, which can also erode due to missing teeth and severe dental concerns.
Bacteria from tooth abscesses or infections can sometimes spread to your lungs, blood, brain, or heart, causing severe infections such as pneumonia, sepsis, brain abscess, or heart infection.
Toothaches can be sharp and stabbing, pulsing, or persistent and dull. You may also notice tooth sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures.
Depending on the cause of your toothache, other symptoms may include bleeding gums, loose teeth, pain in other parts of your face, bad breath, and fever. A dentist can help find the cause and ease your toothache pain.
