Tooth Pain: What It Means

Tooth pain has patterns, and the pattern usually points to the cause. A quick zing with cold is often a worn surface or a small cavity. Pain that lingers after heat suggests a dying nerve. Pain on biting points to a crack or an infection. At Pearl32 Dentistry and Wellness in Laguna Hills, we sort it out with tests and x-rays rather than guesses. Same-day emergency slots are held Monday to Friday.

What does sharp pain with cold mean?

Short sharp pain with cold usually means exposed dentin, not a dying nerve. The common causes are a small cavity, a worn spot at the gum line, a cracked filling or recession. The jolt lasts a second or two and then it is over. That pattern is reversible.

The fix depends on the cause. A cavity is filled. An exposed root surface often responds to fluoride varnish and a potassium nitrate toothpaste used twice a day for two to four weeks. We check the bite too, since a high spot makes sensitivity worse.

What does lingering pain with heat mean?

Pain that lingers for thirty seconds or more, especially with hot drinks, usually means the nerve is inflamed beyond recovery. Heat sensitivity is the sign people describe last and worry about least. It matters. Relief from cold water is another classic clue.

At that point a filling will not settle it. The treatment is a root canal or extraction. We test the tooth with cold, check the bite, and take an x-ray to see the root tips. If the picture is unclear, a cone beam scan separates neighboring roots.

What does pain on biting mean?

Pain on biting points to one of three things: a crack, an infection at the root tip, or a high filling. Pain on release of the bite leans toward a crack. Pain on firm pressure, with tenderness when we tap the tooth, leans toward infection.

A new filling that feels tall can be adjusted in minutes. Cracks need full coverage, and sometimes a root canal first. Infections need the source cleaned out, not just antibiotics. Read more about general dentistry and what an exam includes.

What about throbbing at night, swelling or a dull ache in several teeth?

Throbbing at night usually means pressure is building inside the tooth or the bone. Lying flat increases blood flow to the head, which is why the pain arrives when you do. Swelling of the gum or face, a bad taste, or a pimple that drains means an abscess.

A dull ache across several upper teeth on one side is often not a tooth at all. Sinus pressure does this, and so does grinding. We test each tooth separately, ask about your sleep, and check for flattened, worn surfaces before recommending anything.

What can you do tonight?

Take an over the counter anti-inflammatory if your physician allows it. Ibuprofen as directed on the label does more for dental pain than most people expect. A cold compress on the outside of the cheek, twenty minutes on and twenty off, calms swelling. Warm salt water rinses soothe an irritated gum.

Do not put aspirin on the gum. It burns the tissue and does nothing for the tooth. Sleep with your head raised. Avoid very hot drinks and chewing on that side, then call (949) 830-0074 when we open at 8 AM.

When should you go to an emergency room instead?

Go to an emergency room if swelling affects your breathing or swallowing. Other reasons to go: swelling that closes the eye, swelling spreading under the jaw or down the neck, fever with facial swelling, or an injury with a possible broken jaw. Those are hospital problems, not office problems.

Everything else is usually handled here. We hold same-day emergency appointment slots Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, at 24022 Calle De La Plata, Suite 450. Street parking is free and there are free spaces behind the building.

What does an emergency exam cost?

The emergency exam and any x-rays are quoted in writing before we begin. Treatment is itemized and quoted after the examination, because the cause decides the cost. We will always separate the cost of relief today from the cost of the full repair.

We are in network with most major PPO plans and Delta Dental HMO. Third party financing is available and the practice is not the creditor, through CareCredit, Cherry, Sunbit and Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub). See financing or our membership plan.

Questions people ask about tooth Pain

Why does my tooth hurt more at night?

Lying down raises pressure in the head slightly, and an inflamed nerve sits inside a rigid chamber with nowhere to expand. Distraction also falls away at night. An extra pillow helps a little. Ibuprofen taken as directed on the label helps more. Night pain that wakes you usually means the nerve is involved, so call us in the morning.

Will antibiotics fix a toothache?

Not on their own. Antibiotics can quiet a spreading infection, but the source sits inside the tooth where blood does not reach. Once the course ends, bacteria return. They are useful before treatment when there is swelling or fever. The definitive answer is a root canal or an extraction, and we schedule that rather than repeating prescriptions.

The pain went away. Do I still need to come in?

Yes, and this is the trap. Pain often ends when the nerve dies, not when the problem resolves. The infection then moves quietly into the bone and returns as swelling weeks later. A quick exam and an x-ray settle it. If the tooth is fine, you have lost twenty minutes. If it is not, you have saved yourself an abscess.

Can I take ibuprofen and acetaminophen together?

Many people can, and the combination works well for dental pain, but ask your physician or pharmacist first. Follow the label on each product and do not exceed the daily limits listed there. Tell us everything you have taken before your appointment, including the timing. Do not place any tablet against the gum, since that causes a chemical burn.

Can you see me today?

We hold same-day emergency slots Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Call (949) 830-0074 early in the day for the widest choice of times. We are at 24022 Calle De La Plata, Suite 450, reached by elevator. Street parking is free, there are free spaces behind the building, and the parking structure charges.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. What is right for you can only be decided after an examination.