What the pain can mean
A short, sharp pain on cold or sweet food usually comes from decay or from an exposed tooth neck. A throbbing pain that wakes you at night and spreads towards the ear or temple usually means the pulp is involved. Pain when biting on one particular tooth can be a sign of a crack or of inflammation around the root tip.
These are the usual patterns, not a diagnosis. The same pain can have different causes, and it is only visible at an examination and on an X-ray.
What we do
At the examination we work out where the pain is coming from and suggest what to do next: a filling, root canal treatment or, if the tooth cannot be saved, extraction. We tell you the plan and the price before anything begins.
Until you get here
- Take a painkiller as directed on the packet; do not place a tablet against the gum.
- Do not warm your cheek — heat makes a purulent infection worse.
- A cold compress on the outside can help.
- Avoid chewing on that side.
