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Archive:
- 2021
- January (5)
- Hoping to Show Your Smile Again in 2021? Be Sure You're Ready
- Your Gums Need Extra Care After Periodontal Disease
- Infection Control at the Dental Office Isn't Something New
- How to Ensure Your Child's Teeth and Gums Stay Healthy Now and Later
- Keep Your Child's Fluoride Intake at a Safe but Effective Level
- 2020
- December (6)
- Don't Let Bad Breath Ruin Your Date Under the Mistletoe
- The Kind of Tooth Pain You Have May Identify the True Problem
- Although Challenging, Cleaning Around Implants Boosts Their Longevity
- Here's What To Do If Your Child Complains of a Toothache
- Targeted Tooth Removal Could Aid Treatment for Certain Bite Problems
- Your Food's Micronutrients Make a Difference in Your Dental Health
- November (6)
- New Recommendations Make Water Fluoridation Safer Than Ever
- That Energy Drink You Take for a Boost Might Be Hurting Your Dental Health
- Keep Your Implants Clean to Avoid a Damaging Gum Infection
- Today's Dentures Are More Secure and Comfortable to Wear
- How to Avoid This Painful Condition After Tooth Extraction
- A Mild NSAID May Be All You Need To Manage Discomfort After Dental Work
- October (6)
- Preventing Gum Disease Could Help More Than Your Teeth and Gums
- Dental Implants Could Help You Avoid This Long-Term Effect of Losing Teeth
- 3 Ways to Protect Your Dental Work From an Early Demise
- Use Appropriate Hygiene Products for Maximum Smile Protection
- Far From a Safer Alternative to Smoking, Vaping Could Ruin Your Oral Health
- A Little Daily Brushing and Flossing Can Add Up to a Lifetime of Healthy Teeth and Gums
- September (6)
- How to Care for Your Child's Valuable Primary Teeth
- Improve Your Smile With These Dental Enhancements
- Get Your Teeth Examined if You Have Frequent Sinus Infections
- Replace Your Teeth in Stages With the Help of Dental Implants
- Your Dentist Could Help You Overcome Sleep Apnea
- Eliminating an Infant's Lip or Tongue Tie Can Make Breastfeeding Easier
- August (6)
- We Need to Act Quickly to Save Your Loose Tooth
- Keep These Top Factors in Mind When Buying Your Next Toothbrush
- Sedation Can Help a Child Receive Needed Dental Care Now and in the Future
- Your 'Toothache' Might Signal a Problem Other Than in Your Mouth
- Porcelain Veneers Could Change Your Smile and Your Life!
- Use This Product to Check Your Brushing and Flossing Effectiveness
- July (6)
- A Shingles Outbreak Could Interrupt Your Dental Care
- Getting Implants Can Be a Long Process - But Worth it
- Here Is How We May Be Able to Bring an Impacted Tooth Where It Should Be
- Some Simple Cosmetic Techniques Could Help Your Smile Age Gracefully
- Even All-Natural Fruit Juices Could Raise Your Child's Risk for Tooth Decay
- Implants Make Dentures More Secure, Comfortable and Bone-Friendly
- June (6)
- Answering Your Questions about Your Upcoming Teeth Whitening
- A Little Dairy Can Go a Long Way for Maintaining Healthy Teeth
- Prevention and Early Detection of Root Cavities Could Save a Tooth
- Here's the Scoop on Your Upcoming Root Canal
- That Odd 'Lacy' Mouth Sore is No Cause for Alarm
- Treating Gum Disease is Good for Your Whole Body, Not Just Your Mouth
- May (7)
- 3 Surprising Things You Should Be Doing to Improve Your Dental Health
- 3 Reasons a Root Canal Treatment Might Fail and What You Can Do About It
- With Outdoor Sports (Hopefully) Poised to Begin, Be Prepared for Oral Injuries
- 3 Things You Should Do to Protect Your Teeth Later in Life
- Instill These Habits in Your Child for a Lifetime of Great Dental Health
- Diabetes Can Make Getting an Implant Difficult, But Not Impossible
- Friendly Bacteria Can Help Protect Our Mouths From Disease
- April (6)
- Are Lasers the Future for Treating Advanced Tooth Decay?
- These High-Tech Tools Help Your Veneers Look Attractive and Natural
- Need a Root Canal? Here's a Step-by-Step Guide on What to Expect
- Give Your Child Added Protection Against Cavities With Topical Fluoride
- Oral Cancer Is Deadly - But You Can Lower Your Risk With a Healthy Lifestyle
- Managing Diabetes and Gum Disease Together will Lessen the Effect of Both
- March (6)
- What to Do For Mouth Injuries Your Child Might Encounter
- A Pediatric Dentist Could be a Great Choice for Your Child's Dental Care
- Make Efforts to Protect Your Teeth from Disease While Wearing Braces
- Conscious Sedation can Help Ease Your Child's Dental Visit Anxiety
- Removing One or More Teeth Could Improve Orthodontic Outcomes
- See Your Dentist ASAP to Save Your Loose Tooth
- February (6)
- A Root Canal Treatment can Save Your Tooth and Relieve Pain
- A Loose Tooth is a Sign of Deeper Dental Trouble
- One Visit May Be All You Need to Restore a Chipped Tooth
- Here's How to Avoid Dry Socket After Tooth Extraction Surgery
- Extracting a Tooth is a Routine Procedure
- An Infected or Injured Primary Tooth Can Be Saved - but it's Complicated
- January (6)
- 4 Things to Do to Keep Your Child's Dental Development on Track
- Like the Pros, the Athlete in Your Family Needs a Mouthguard to Prevent Dental Injuries
- Cosmetic Gum Surgery Can Help Restore Lost Tissues Around Teeth
- Improve Your Brushing and Flossing Techniques for a Healthier Mouth
- 4 Ways You Can Improve Your Smile in the New Year
- You May Need Something Other Than Ointment to Clear up This Facial Rash
- 2019
- December (6)
- Here's How to Cut Through All the Choices to Find Your Right Toothbrush
- You may need a Periodontist to Fully Treat Your Gum Disease
- How Dentists Provide Your Child the Benefit of X-Rays as Safely as Possible
- For a Smooth Transition, Be Sure Your New Dentist Has Your Dental Records
- 4 Common Causes for Gum Recession
- Teeth Grinding Could Endanger Your Dental Health
- November (6)
- Share These Timely Dental Care Tips With Your College-Bound Son or Daughter
- Professional Whitening Offers an Effective Way to Restore Your Smile's Luster
- Teens May Need a Temporary Restoration for Missing Teeth
- Seek Coordinated Treatment If You Have Both TMD and Fibromyalgia
- Don't Let Gum Disease Cut Short Your Implant's Service Life
- To Extract or not Extract? The Big Decision About Your Child's Wisdom Teeth
- October (6)
- Implant Failure Is Rare, but Possible. Here Are a Few Ways to Avoid It
- There Are a Lot of Bacteria in Your Mouth but Only a Few Mean You Harm
- The Triple Partnership That Could Save a Cancer Patient's Oral Health
- Clean Your Implants Just Like Your Other Teeth
- You May Need an Endodontist for a Tooth With Interior Decay
- How to Lower Your Child's Tooth Decay Risk From Halloween Candy
- September (6)
- Behavioral Therapy Could Reduce a Child's Dental Anxiety Without Drugs
- Don't Delay Seeing the Dentist If You Suspect Gum Recession
- Dental Sealants Give Children an Added Boost Against Tooth Decay
- Two Mouth and Face Pain Disorders and What You Can Do About Them
- Watch Out for These Dental Health Issues as You Age
- 4 Ways You Can Take Years off Your Smile
- August (6)
- That Toothache Might Not Be From Your Tooth: The Problem of Referred Pain
- Implant-Supported Dentures Could Improve Your Bone Health
- Considering a Smile Makeover? Be Sure You Include Your Bite
- Look for These Basics When Buying Your Next Toothbrush
- Don't Let Summer Heat Increase Your Risk of Dental Disease
- Do a Little Extra Food Prep to Ease TMD Discomfort
- July (7)
- A Child's Damaged Tooth may require a Different Approach than an Adult's
- Jaw Joint Disorders may be Connected to Other Health Problems
- Simple or Surgical? Choosing the Right Kind of Tooth Extraction
- How to Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy During Pregnancy
- Even All-Natural Fruit Juice Could Increase the Risk of Tooth Decay
- This Rare Tongue Condition Often Looks Worse than it Actually is
- Take a Look into Your Future with a Trial Smile
- June (6)
- Root Canals are a Safe Way to Save Teeth
- Here's How You Can Protect Your Child's Teeth from Tooth Decay
- Tooth Type and Condition can Affect Root Canal Therapy Effectiveness
- Manage Your GERD Symptoms to Prevent Enamel Erosion
- Getting a New 'Tooth in a Day' Will Depend on Your Bone Health
- Dentures with Implants Could Help You Avoid Bone Loss
- May (6)
- Your Teenager not Ready for an Implant? Here's What We Can Do Instead
- Affordable Veneers Can Give You a New Smile
- Root Canal Therapy Might Just Save Your Tooth!
- A Detailed 'Smile Analysis' Sets the Stage for a Successful Makeover
- Keep an Eye on Your Family's Fluoride Intake
- 3 Things You Can do to Help Promote Your Child's Dental Development
- April (6)
- Gum Disease Could be Affecting More Than Just Your Mouth
- Prompt Treatment for Gum Disease Could Ultimately Save Your Teeth
- Don't Use Benzocaine Products to Ease Your Baby's Teething Pain
- Here's How to Care for 3 Common Dental Restorations
- Your Teenager's Teeth May Not Be Mature Enough for Veneers
- Stress and Nighttime Teeth Grinding
- March (6)
- March Is the Time to Evaluate Sleep Problems
- Get a Look at Your Future Makeover Look Now with a 'Trial Smile'
- Treating Gum Abscesses and the Underlying Gum Disease
- What You Should Do to Protect an Older Loved One's Dental Health
- Catch Root Resorption Early for Best Chances of Saving Your Tooth
- Dental Sealants can help Prevent Tooth Decay in Children
- February (6)
- Watch Out for Signs of Gum Recession
- You May Need Your Dentist's Help Easing the Pain of Severe Canker Sores
- 4 Things to Avoid if You Want to Support Your Child's Dental Development
- Here's What you Need to Know about a Root Canal Treatment
- Stop Gum Disease Before it Harms Your Health
- Your Regular Dental Visits Might Change if You've had Gum Disease
- January (6)
- A New Veneer with Minimal or No Tooth Alteration
- 3 Reasons Why Your New Dentist Needs Your Treatment Records
- What Happens in a Root Canal Treatment and How it Can Save Your Tooth
- 'Get Rid' of Those Unattractive Teeth with Porcelain Veneers
- Dental Implants Better than Ever thanks to Ongoing Tech Advances
- 4 Ways to Check on Your Brushing and Flossing Effectiveness
- 2018
- December (6)
- Treating Gum Disease around Tooth Roots is Hard - but Not Impossible
- Take Care of Your Dental Appliance and It Will Take Care of You
- Porcelain Veneers Might not be the Best Option for Teenagers
- Be Alert to the Unintended Consequences of Cancer Treatment to Oral Health
- Early Action Needed to Save Your Tooth from Root Resorption
- Keeping Your Smile Healthy Through the Holidays
- November (6)
- A Stainless Steel Crown Could Help a Struggling Primary Molar Last Longer
- Have Your Child's Chronic Mouth Breathing Checked to Avoid Bite Problems
- Don't Ignore Sudden Tooth Pain - Your Teeth may be Telling you Something
- Advanced Equipment and Safe Practices Ensure X-Ray Safety for Children
- TMD and Fibromyalgia Could Share Links in Chronic Pain
- Practice Caution with Energy or Sports Drinks to Protect Your Enamel
- October (6)
- Five Tips for Top-Notch Tooth Brushing
- New Dental Advances Promise Better Outcomes for Treating Decay
- Dental Implants can also Support Other Traditional Restorations
- Inflammation is a Key Element in Both Oral and Systemic Diseases
- Loose Permanent Teeth is a Problem - take Action Now
- Stay Ahead of Plaque Buildup with Effective Brushing and Flossing
- September (6)
- The Parent-Dentist Partnership: Establishing Better Oral Health for Your Child
- 4 Reasons Why You May Need to See a Periodontist for Your Gum Disease
- What You Should Know About a Home Teeth Whitening Kit
- 3 Surprising Sugar Sources Your Baby Might be Consuming
- Protect Your Teeth During Football Season
- Ease Your Child's Teething Discomfort with these Tips
- July (7)
- Implant-Based Removable Dentures a Good Choice for Patients with Extensive Bone Loss
- Think Water First for Summer Thirst
- Don't Take a Vacation From Oral Hygiene This Summer!
- No- or Minimal-Prep Veneers Reduce Permanent Alterations to Your Teeth
- We'll Help You Maintain Your Oral Health After Gum Disease
- Your Dental Care Efforts are Just as Important as Your Dentist's
- Tips for Picture-Perfect Summer Smiles
- June (6)
- Bone Grafting Might be Necessary Before You Obtain an Implant
- FAQs About Children's Dental Development
- Take These Measures to Lower Your Child's Tooth Decay Risk
- Finding the Right Solution for Your Gummy Smile
- June Is Men's Health Month
- Use the Same Prevention Strategy to Defeat Tooth Decay and Gum Disease
- March (5)
- It's Spring Cleaning Time...for Your Teeth!
- Provisional Restorations let you Try out Your New Smile First
- 3 Fluoride Sources You Should Monitor for Your Family's Dental Health
- 3 Tips for Helping Your Kids Develop Great Tooth-Friendly Habits
- Why the Ointment You're Using Could be Making Your Facial Rash Worse
- 2017
- 2016
- November (5)
- Reduce Your Oral Cancer Risk with Better Diet and Lifestyle Choices
- Clear Aligners Make it Easier for Teenagers to have Their Teeth Straightened
- 4 Reasons you may want Your Dentist to Whiten Your Teeth
- Transform Your Smile and Dental Health by Correcting Your Bad Bite
- Follow These Common Sense Steps When Your Child has a Toothache
- October (5)
- What to Expect Before, During and After Implant Surgery
- Don't let Gum Disease - the 'Other Dental Disease' - Rob you of Your Smile
- Reduce Sugar Consumption - for a Healthier Mouth and Body
- Keeping up Good Hygiene Still a Necessity with Dental Implants
- Teenagers May Need a Temporary Tooth Replacement
- August (5)
- Do you need Simple Tooth Removal or Surgery? It Depends on a few Factors
- People Born with Missing Teeth can Still Gain a Beautiful Smile
- You can Still have Implants with Diabetes - if you have it under Control
- See Your new Look Before Dental Work with a 'Trial Smile'
- Topical Fluoride Adds Extra Protection against Tooth Decay
- June (5)
- Keeping Gum Disease at Bay Could Help Your Overall Health
- The Risk for Gum Disease Increases While Wearing Braces
- Monitoring Blood Pressure is Also Important During Dental Care
- Adult Tooth Root Resorption is a Serious Issue that Requires Prompt Action
- Weigh a Poor Smile's Emotional and Social Cost when Considering Restorations
- March (5)
- Surgically Accessing Sinuses can Help Grow New Bone for Implants
- Kids, Cats and Canines: Dental Development Through the Ages
- Removable Dentures Remain a Viable Option for People with Total Tooth Loss
- Advancing Gum Disease Requires Thorough Treatment to Control it
- Support Your Child's Teeth Development with Proper Hygiene and Dental Care
- 2015
- 2014
- December (5)
- Reduce Your Risk of Oral Cancer With a Healthy Whole Food Diet
- Periodontal Surgery may be Needed to Halt Gum Disease and Encourage Healing
- Extend the Life of Your Dental Appliance With Proper Care
- More Than a new Smile - Dental Implants Help Stop Bone Loss as Well
- Dealing With Dental Emergencies While Traveling Abroad
- August (5)
- Does Your Toothbrush Need A Cleaning?
- Replace Missing Teeth to Prevent Other Teeth From Moving Out of Place
- Composite Resins are a Viable Restoration Option for Mildly Defective Teeth
- A Fixed Bridge Remains an Effective Option for Tooth Replacement
- Make Informed Choices on Drinking Water by Knowing the Facts
- April (5)
- Five Things You Should Know About Sleep Apnea
- Seeking Relief From Burning Mouth Syndrome
- Non-Vital Bleaching Removes Unsightly Tooth Discoloration From Within
- Considering Bone and Gums Critical to Achieving a Better Smile With Implants
- Know What to do to Ease Your Child Out of the Thumb Sucking Habit
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
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Categories:
My Blog
Posts for tag: toothache

Perhaps the only thing worse than having a toothache of your own is when your child has one. Tooth pain can be a miserable experience, especially for children. It can also be confusing about what to do to deal with it.
Fortunately, a toothache usually isn't a dental emergency, so take a deep breath. Here's what you should do if your child is experiencing tooth pain.
Get the 411 from them. Before you call the dentist, find out more first about the tooth pain from your child with a few probing questions: Where exactly does it hurt? Do you feel it all through your mouth or just in one place? Is it all the time, or just when you bite down? When did it start? You may not get the same level of detail as you would from an adult, but even a little information helps.
Take a look in their mouth. There are a lot of causes for toothache like a decayed tooth or abscessed gums. See if any of the teeth look abnormal or if the gums are swollen. You might also find a piece of food or other particle wedged between the teeth causing the pain. In that case, a little dental floss might relieve the problem.
Ease the pain. While you're waiting on your dental appointment, you can help relieve some of their discomfort by giving them a child-appropriate dose of ibuprofen or acetaminophen. You can also apply an ice pack on the outside of the jaw for five minutes on, then five minutes off to decrease swelling. Under no circumstances, however, should you give your child aspirin or rub it on the gums.
See the dentist. It's always a good idea to follow up with the dentist, even if the pain subsides. In most cases, you may be able to wait until the next day. There are, however, circumstances that call for a visit as soon as possible: if the child is running a fever and/or has facial swelling; or if the tooth pain seems to be related to an injury or trauma.
It can be unsettling as a parent when your child has a toothache. But knowing what to do can help you stay calm and get them the care they need.
If you would like more information on pediatric dental care, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “A Child's Toothache.”

You expect a decayed tooth, a fracture or a gum infection to be the cause for that toothache causing you grief. Sometimes, though, the answer may be “none of the above”—there's nothing wrong going on in your mouth to cause the pain.
You pain is real—but its source is elsewhere in the body, a situation known as referred pain. It's important to find out the pain's true source to determine what kind of treatment you'll need to alleviate it.
Here are some of the likely candidates for a “toothache” that's not a toothache.
Facial nerves. Tooth pain may be associated with trigeminal neuralgia, a misfiring disorder of the trigeminal nerves that course through either side of the face. The nerve is divided into three branches, two of which are located in the upper face and one in the lower jaw. Because they're interconnected, a problem with one of the branches in other parts of the face could be felt in the branch around the jaw.
Jaw joints. Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMD) can cause pain in the pair of joints that connect the lower jaw to the skull. The joints can become inflamed due to stress or trauma and the associated muscles begin spasming, causing severe pain. Because of their proximity to the teeth, the pain from the joints can radiate into the dental area and mimic a toothache.
Ear or sinus infections. Both the ears and the maxillary sinus are subject to infections that can cause severe pain and pressure. With the close proximity of both the ears and the sinus to the upper jaw, it's quite possible for pain originating in these structures to be felt within the mouth.
These are only a few of the possibilities that also include migraines, shingles, fibromyalgia and even vitamin deficiencies. As such, your dentist or physician may need to do a little detective work to locate the true cause. But the effort to locate where your mouth pain is actually coming from will help ensure you get the right treatment to give you lasting relief.
If you would like more information on referred tooth pain, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Referred Pain: When a Toothache Is Not Really a Toothache.”

Pain is the body’s warning system: It tells us something is wrong. And depending on the location and intensity of the pain, it can give us vital clues about the problem.
Sometimes, though, it’s not so clear and direct—the pain could arise from any number of sources. Toothaches often fall into this category: Although it’s likely indicating a tooth or gum problem, it could be something else — or even somewhere else.
This is known as referred pain, in which you may feel pain in one location, like your mouth, but the actual source of the problem is somewhere else, like an infected and congested sinus passage. If we’re able to identify the true source and location of the pain, the better the chances of a successful treatment outcome.
Besides sinus infections, there are other conditions like trigeminal neuralgia that can refer pain to the mouth. This painful condition involves the trigeminal nerve, a large nerve running on either side of the face that can become inflamed. Depending on where the inflammation occurs, you might feel the pain at various points along the jaw, feeling much like a toothache.
There’s also the case of an earache mimicking a toothache, and vice-versa. Because of the proximity of the ears to the jaws, there is some nerve interconnectedness between them. For example, an infected or abscessed back tooth could feel a lot like an earache.
These and other possible problems (including jaw joint disorders or teeth grinding) can generate pain as if it were coming from the mouth or a single tooth. To be sure you’ll need to undergo a complete dental examination. If your dentist doesn’t find anything wrong with your mouth, he or she may refer you to a medical doctor to explore other possible causes.
Getting to the root cause of pain can help determine which treatment strategy to pursue to relieve it. Finding the actual source is the most efficient way to understand what a pain sensation is trying to tell us.
If you would like more information on dental pain, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.

A child's toothache is no fun for either the child or the parent. But if you're faced with this situation, don't panic — unless they have a fever or you notice facial swelling, it's unlikely an emergency.
 Instead, take the following steps:
Find out where it hurts and for how long. Tooth pain can stem from a lot of causes, including decay or a localized area of infection called an abscess. See if your child can tell you if it's coming from one particular tooth or from a general area. Although children can't always judge how long they've hurt, try to get a general idea so you'll know if you need to call us sooner rather than later.
Look for problem signs in the mouth. As you look where they say it hurts, see if you can see brown spots or cavities on any teeth — this would indicate tooth decay. Look also at the gums or inner areas of the mouth for sores or swelling. Unless they've had an injury, this could indicate an abscess.
Try to dislodge any food shards between teeth. It's also possible the pain is coming from a piece of hard food like a popcorn kernel wedged between their teeth. Help them gently floss between the teeth to see if you can dislodge any.
Try to ease the pain. Although you may not need to see us immediately, your child's mouth still aches. You can help relieve it temporarily with a child's dose of ibuprofen or acetaminophen. You can also apply an ice pack to the outside cheek for swelling, but don't apply the ice directly to the skin, which can burn it. And don't rub aspirin or other pain relievers on the gums — they're acidic and can irritate soft tissue.
See us for a full examination. It's wise to have any tooth pain checked — the question is often how soon. You should see us the same day or first thing in the morning if the pain has persisted for more than a day or night, pain relievers haven't eased the pain or they have fever or facial swelling. If the pain is short-lived you can usually wait until the next day — but do get it checked out.
If you would like more information on treating your child's toothache, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “A Child's Toothache.”