Toothache

Symptoms

DEFINITION

  • Pain or discomfort in a tooth
  • Not due to an injury

Causes

  • Main Cause: tooth decay
  • Food wedged between the teeth
  • Injured tooth

Tooth Abscess and Severe Pain

See More Appropriate Topic (instead of this one) If

Should I Call?

WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR

Call Your Dentist or Doctor Now (night or day) If
  • Your child looks or acts very sick
  • Fever is present
  • Face is swollen
  • Severe pain and not improved 2 hours after taking pain medicine
  • You think your child needs to be seen urgently

Call Your Dentist Within 24 Hours (between 9 am and 4 pm) If
  • You think your child needs to be seen, but not urgently
  • Toothache present over 24 hours
  • Brown cavity visible in the painful tooth
  • Red or yellow lump present at the gumline of the painful tooth

Call Your Dentist During Weekday Office Hours If
  • You have other questions or concerns

Parent Care at Home If
  • Mild toothache present less than 24 hours and you don't think your child needs to be seen

Care at Home

HOME CARE ADVICE FOR MILD TOOTHACHE

  1. Reassurance: Most toothaches are temporary and due to a sensitive tooth. If the pain becomes worse or doesn't resolve in 24 hours, it could be due to a small cavity.
  2. Floss: Floss on either side of the painful tooth to remove any wedged food.
  3. Pain Medicine: Give acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) or ibuprofen for pain relief.
  4. Local Cold: Apply a cold pack or ice in a wet washcloth to the painful jaw for 20 minutes.
  5. Expected Course: Most minor causes of toothache resolve in less than a day.
  6. Call Your Dentist If:
    • Toothache persists over 24 hours
    • The toothache becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.
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Disclaimer: This information is not intended be a substitute for professional medical advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.

Author and Senior Reviewer: Barton D. Schmitt, M.D. Clinical content review provided by Senior Reviewer and Healthpoint Medical Network.

Last Review Date: 6/1/2011

Last Revised: 8/1/2011

Content Set: Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker

Version Year: 2012

Copyright 1994-2012 Barton D. Schmitt, M.D.

Is Your Child Sick?

Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker is a parent guide for treating your child at home, calling your child's doctor or seeking immediate medical attention. Developed by Dr. Barton Schmitt, MD, FAAP, a board-certified pediatrician on staff at Children's Hospital Colorado. Dr. Schmitt has developed other health tools for parents, including the 3rd edition of Your Child’s Health (available in bookstores) and KidsDoc, a new iPhone and Android app for parents (available online).

Are You Sick?

David A Thompson, MD is the author of Adult HouseCalls Symptom Checker. He is a board-certified emergency medicine physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He has a national reputation in telephone triage, decision support tools, medical information technology and quality improvement. Adult HouseCalls Symptom Checker is a decision support tool for adults that has been reviewed and approved by adult physicians.

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