Toothache – symptoms
At first, a toothache may cause symptoms only on rare occasions. It is typical that at first short-term pain is felt in the tooth only when a person eats something sweet or cold, for example. As the inflammation progresses, temperature fluctuations and mechanical stress (e.g., biting, tapping on the tooth) cause longer-term pain. If the inflammation is not treated, the pain increases, intensifies and starts to feel throbbing. Eventually, the toothache can be very intense, and the pain may radiate to a wide area.
Before the dentist
When you have a toothache, it is of the utmost importance to see a dentist. If you can’t get an appointment right away, it is good to relieve the pain with an over-the-counter medicine, for example paracetamol or ibuprofen. Cold or hot compress treatment may also to some extent relieve the pain.