Pain is the most common complaint in diseases of the teeth and the main reason for visiting the dental clinic. The type and character of the pain are specific to each disease, and to a large extent the dentist works out the likely disease from them.
Pain can vary in intensity, duration and character. It can be localised in one or several teeth, or even involve all the teeth.
What does the type of pain indicate?
- Mild pain, triggered by cold and sweet things and appearing from time to time, is characteristic of caries.
- Severe, throbbing pain that gets worse at night is indicative of pulpitis.
- Severe, constant pain, even when the tooth is touched by the tongue or by food, means that periapical periodontitis has already developed.
- With a broken tooth there may be no pain, there may be mild pain on hard biting, or severe pain even from the normal contact of the teeth when eating.
- With periodontitis there is most often no severe pain, but there is some discomfort in the gum area; severe pain is seen only in rare cases.
- Tooth wear is characterised by pain and sensitivity to thermal (hot and cold) or chemical (sweet) irritants because of the exposed dentine.
- With an abscess the pain is severe and is in the area of the affected tooth and the soft tissues around it.
- With mouth ulcers the pain is only in the mucosa in the area of the ulcer, which is very painful to touch and when eating.
How does toothache show itself?
Toothache can be spontaneous or provoked by thermal irritants (cold or hot). If cold makes the pain worse, there is a serous inflammatory process; if the pain is made worse by heat, the process is purulent.
Often the pain comes in attacks, between which the pain-free periods vary in length. Another feature is that it can be felt somewhere other than in the tooth causing it (referred pain). In pulpitis the pain can radiate to the neighbouring teeth on that side and even to the ear or the temple.
In other cases the pain can intensify over time and go from mild and tolerable to unbearable and hard to relieve with painkillers.
Is pain the same for everyone?
No. Depending on individual characteristics, the sensation of pain differs. Some people can endure stronger pain (a higher pain threshold), while others have a low pain threshold, and even milder pain causes them great suffering.
Pain is the leading symptom of dental diseases and is of great importance for the diagnosis and correct treatment of damage to the teeth.
Frequently asked questions
What does severe, throbbing pain that gets worse at night mean?
It is indicative of pulpitis.
What does pain from cold and sweet things mean?
Mild pain, triggered by cold and sweet things and appearing from time to time, is characteristic of caries.
Why is the pain not always in the diseased tooth?
The pain can be felt somewhere other than in the tooth causing it (referred pain). In pulpitis it can radiate to the neighbouring teeth on that side, to the ear or to the temple.
What does it mean if heat makes the pain worse?
If cold makes the pain worse, there is a serous inflammatory process, while if heat makes the pain worse, the process is purulent.