Toothache - Causes 

Causes of toothache 

You get toothache when the pulp (containing nerves) in the middle of your tooth becomes inflamed. This may be caused by:

  • dental decay (caries), which can lead to cavities (holes) in the hard surface of the tooth
  • a fracture (crack) in the tooth, which is often so small that it cannot be seen with the naked eye
  • some types of dental treatment, such as a filling that has become loose or broken
  • receding gums (gums that have moved back), which leaves softer, more sensitive parts of the teeth exposed and may expose a tooth root

Teething in babies and young children can also cause toothache. This starts at around six months of age and can continue as the adult teeth start to come through.

  • show glossary terms

Glossary

Acute
Acute means occuring suddenly or over a short period of time.
Pain
Pain is an unpleasant physical or emotional feeling that your body produces as a warning sign that it has been damaged.
Abscess
An abscess is a lump containing pus, which is made by the body during infection.
Ulcers
A disintegration of the surface of the skin or a mucous membrane resulting in an open sore that heals very slowly.
Joint
Joints are the connection point between two bones that allow movement.
Inflammation
Inflammation is the body's response to infection, irritation or injury, which causes redness, swelling, pain and sometimes a feeling of heat in the affected area.

Last reviewed: 07/09/2009

Next review due: 07/09/2011

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Similar conditions

Some other conditions can cause pain similar to toothache, even though the teeth are not affected, such as:

  • an abscess in the gum (lateral periodontal abscess)
  • ulcers on the gums (acute ulcerative gingivitis)
  • sore or swollen gums around a tooth that is breaking through, such as when your wisdom teeth start to come through
  • sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses), which sometimes causes pain around the upper jaw
  • an injury to the joint that attaches the jaw to the skull, known as the temporomandibular joint
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