Darlinghurst Dental will do everything we can to see you in a dental emergency. We reserve appointments each day to ensure there is always availability and our dental staff work extended hours to make sure easing your pain gives relief from toothache. If you need an appointment urgently, book online now or call (02) 9331 1766. We are located at 30 Burton Street, so you can come into Darlinghurst Dental and book an appointment directly. If no regular appointments are available online, this does not mean we will be unable to see you. For emergency treatment, we will see you outside normal appointment times if none are available.
There are many causes of dental pain and your dentist will assess your teeth, gums, jaw and muscles and possibly take x-rays to diagnose the problem. When the source of the pain is found, all available options for dental treatment will be discussed. In an emergency, a temporary sulution to stop the pain may be best, but sometimes the permanent solution can be fixed on the day.
Common Causes of Dental Pain and Toothache:
Wisdom tooth pain
Wisdom teeth often come through at unusual angles and can cause pressure and are prone to trapping food and plaque. This can lead to infection in the gum surrounding the tooth. This is called pericoronitis. The treatment will depend on the position and angle of the tooth, its relationship with other structures in your mouth and jaw, as well as the severity and past history.
Dental Decay
Tooth decay can cause symptoms from the nerve of the tooth. For early decay, the pain can be resolved with a filling. This is best treated as soon as possible as when the nerve is more badly affected, the tooth can end up dying, needing either root canal treatment or extraction of the tooth.
Cracked tooth
A cracked tooth can be extremely painful. It can occur due to a large filling or can be due to trauma to the tooth. Sometimes a crack is painless, but it is still best treated immediately as there is a reason the tooth has cracked and your dentist will need to assess this. Sometimes a cracked tooth can be a cosmetic problem. This is sometimes also a dental emergency.
Tooth Abscess or Infection
When a tooth has an abscess or infection, it can be related to the tooth itself, of the gum. Your dentist will assess the tooth and gum to check where the problem is coming from. In certain circumstances it can be both a gum infection and a tooth infection at once. Treatment will vary depending on the source of the infection, but certainly emergency treatment can relieve the pain. This may include emergency root canal treatment or extraction.
Jaw Pain and Joint Pain
Jaw and joint pain can be due to the muscles, joint, jaw or teeth. Your dentist will assess them all to ascertain the cause of the pain. Muscular pain in the jaw is particularly problematic, as unlike other muscles, you cannot rest it. You need to eat, drink breathe and talk. Dental pain or jaw pain can make eating very difficult.
Referred Pain
Sometimes toothache is not actually coming from the tooth, but can in fact be referred from other areas. Sometimes those areas are close by, such as the ear or sinus, but in rare cases, they can be further in the body, such as the heart. It is for this reason that toothache should never be ignored. If left untreated, the tooth is likely to be at higher risk of being lost, but in other cases, your general health may be at risk.
