TOOTHACHE
Main Symptoms
- Pain or discomfort in a tooth.
- Not due to an injury.
Causes
- Main Cause: tooth decay.
- Food wedged between the teeth
- Injured tooth.
See More Appropriate Topic (instead of this one) If
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If follows a tooth injury, see TOOTH INJURY.
WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR
Call your 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
Call your doctor within 24 hours (between 9am and 4pm) if:
- You think your child needs to be seen.
- Toothache present for more than 24 hours.
- Brown cavity visible in the painful tooth.
- Red or yellow lump present at the gumline of the painful tooth.
Call your doctor 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.
HOME CARE ADVICE
- 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.
- Floss: Floss on either side of the painful tooth to remove any wedged food.
- Pain Medicine: Give acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) or ibuprofen for pain relief.
- Local Cold: Apply an ice pack to the painful jaw for 20 minutes
- Expected Course: Most minor causes of toothache resolve in less than a day.
- Call Your Dentist If:
- Toothache persists for more than 24 hours
- The toothache becomes worse
And remember, contact your doctor if your child becomes worse or develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.
REFERENCES
- Bimstein E. Peridontal health and disease in children and adolescents. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1991;38:1183-1207.
- Dorfman DH, Kastner B, Vinci RJ. Dental concerns unrelated to trauma in the pediatric emergency department. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2001;155:699-703.
- Edelstein BL. Evidence-based dental care for children and the age 1 dental visit. Pediatr Ann. 1998;27:569-574.
- Marek MA, Lindsell CJ, Jauch EC, Panioli AM. Effect of education and guidelines for treatment of uncomplicated dental pain on patient and provider behavior. Ann Emerg Med. 2004;44:323-329.
- Mueller W. When baby teeth decay. Contemp Pediatr. 1993;10:75.
- Wilson S, et al. Nontraumatic dental emergencies in a pediatric emergency department. Clin Pediatr. 1997;36:333-337.
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.
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