When To See Your Dentist

Not all toothaches become serious health concerns. But if youre experiencing a toothache, its best to get treatment before it gets worse.

• pain when chewing or biting

If you have a broken tooth or if a tooth comes out, see your dentist right away.

While youre waiting to see the dentist, you might find relief by:

• avoiding hot or cold drinks and food
• avoiding chewing on the side of the tooth ache
• eating only cool, soft foods

Youre at risk of tooth infection if you dont have good dental hygiene. Take good care of your teeth by:

• brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day
• flossing your teeth at least once a day
• decreasing your intake of sugar
• eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables

If untreated, a tooth infection could potentially travel to other areas of your body, resulting in a potentially life-threatening infection. Signs of a tooth infection spreading to the body may include:

• increased breathing rate

Last medically reviewed on May 28, 2019

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• Dental abscess. .

How Do You Rule Out An Ear Infection

When you describe symptoms and have an exam, your doctor is able to diagnose an ear infection or another condition. During an otoscope examination, the doctor will likely use a lighted instrument to examine the ears, throat, and nasal passages. Your child will also likely be able to breathe with a stethoscope as well.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Tooth Infection

You may only experience toothache and sensitivity in the early stages of a dental infection. However, it will go away if you take any pain medication.

If the underlying problem is not treated in a timely fashion, the infection can lead to the formation of a tooth abscess. According to the National Health Service, an abscess is a pus-filled cavity that forms around infected teeth, gums, or the bone that supports our teeth. Dental abscesses are not only painful, but they indicate a severe infection that should not be overlooked. According to the American Dental Association, some of the symptoms of a tooth infection include:

• Swelling and redness of the face on the side of the affected tooth
• Severe, throbbing pain in the affected tooth
• The pain may also radiate towards the ears, jaws or neck on the same side
• Tender and mobile teeth
• Shiny, red, and swollen gums
• Pus discharge from the affected tooth
• Bad breath or unpleasant taste in the mouth
• Difficulty in chewing or opening mouth

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How To Diagnose An Abscess

A dentist/doctor can identify an abscess easily. An x-ray will confirm if theres a pus-filled pocket near the

tooth root. If there is, the dentist may do one of three things make a small incision and drain the abscess,

perform a root canal or remove the tooth. If the infection has spread, the doctor will most likely prescribe

an antibiotic to treat it.

An important thing to remember is that an abscess will not go away on its own and will need to be treated

ER. The infection can spread as quickly as a day or two. If it begins to spread throughout your body, the

seriousness increases and it can even cause death. An abscess is nothing to ignore so act as soon as possible

if you have any suspicions that you have one.

Throat And Ear Pain That Doesn’t Go Away

Throat and ear pain can come and go or can be constant and slow to get better, depending on what is causing the symptoms.

For example, acid reflux is more likely to cause pain that is worse in the morning and gets better later in the day. Seasonal allergies, strep throat, and mono are more likely to come with throat and ear pain that does not go away until the conditions are treated.

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Can Poor Oral Health Affect The Ears

Pain in the ear can indicate a problematic tooth. Dental problems that cause earaches include an abscessed tooth, cavity and an impacted molar or wisdom tooth.

Any issue with the jaw, especially in the temporomandibular joint, such as arthritis, can cause tightness and pain in your ears.

You can also experience earaches and tinnitus because of teeth grinding. Studies on the relationship between oral hygiene and the middle ear show that poor oral health rarely affects the ears.

So Yes Wisdom Teeth Can Cause Ear Pain But What About Sore Throat

If the problem causing the tooth is not resolved quickly, bacteria can accumulate in this area. This is because it can be difficult to reach the brush in this way or it can be very painful to brush well and floss. In that case, you can get an infection in this area. In that case, symptoms such as sore throat, fever or swollen lymph nodes may occur.

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The Connections Between Ears Teeth And Jaw

Issues with the temporomandibular joint affect the ears and jaw because it is a connection point between the ears and jaw. It ties the skull to the lower jaw, located next to the ear.

Disorders in this region often result in ear pain and hearing loss. In such cases, pain in the ear indicates a dental problem.

How Is A Tooth Infection Treated

Treatment options for a tooth infection include:

• Drainage. A dentist will make a small incision in your gums to drain the abscess. However, this is typically used as a temporary measure, and further treatments are often needed.
• Root canal. During a root canal, the infected pulp is removed from the tooth. The inside of the tooth is carefully cleaned and filled. A crown is then placed to help restore the tooth.
• Tooth extraction. In situations when an infected tooth cannot be saved through a root canal, it may be extracted instead.
• Antibiotics.Antibiotics are drugs that can kill bacteria. Theyre sometimes used to treat tooth infections. Depending on the severity of your infection, you may receive oral antibiotics or intravenous antibiotics. Your tooth will also need a root canal or extraction along with the antibiotics.

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What You Can Do To Keep Your Teeth Healthy & Thriving

Protect Your Brain Health By Preventing Poor Dental Health

Do you want to minimize your risk of developing brain diseases like memory loss, dementia and Alzheimerâs?

You can prevent poor brain health by maintaining proper oral hygiene.

Here are the top three things you should do to keep your teeth healthy and thriving:

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Great news: the best dental office in Leander is accepting new patients right now.

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Toothache And A Pain In The Same Side

If you are experiencing a toothache that is radiating towards other teeth or the ears, neck and jaws of the same side, it could indicate an underlying dental abscess. If you feel that you have a tooth abscess, you should not take it lightly. This is because the infection from a dental abscess may travel to organs of the body and cause severe, even life-threatening systemic conditions.

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Can An Abscessed Tooth Be Prevented

You can reduce the risk of developing a tooth abscess by seeing your dentist routinely and getting regular dental exams and cleanings. Its also important to see your dentist if a tooth becomes loose or chipped. Oral hygiene is very important for dental health. At home, brush teeth twice a day and floss once a day.

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I Get Earaches Could There Be A Dental

Besides problems within the ear itself, pain from the ears can be caused by dental abscesses, neuralgia, sinus infections, temporomandibular dysfunction, and sore jaw muscles along with other conditions. Each of these conditions is associated with dental structures such as the teeth and jaws. Here are some other causes:

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Can Toothache Cause Earache

Toothache can be fooled. Typical oral health issues such as abscessed teeth, wisdom teeth, molars, and even tooth decay can cause earaches. If you rub your teeth, clenching your jaws, such as temporomandibular joints or arthritis, you may also feel tension and pain in your jaw that reach to your ears. Many people falsely believe that ear infections and earwax buildup cause earache, but they know they need to see a dentist.

Inflamed Gums Sore Throat And Earache

When a tooth has decayed or is infected, pain and inflammation can radiate throughout the area, causing inflamed gums, sore throat, and earache symptoms. Infections and abscesses can often cause ear pain, leading the patient to suspect an ear infection. Conversely, an earache can also lead to tooth pain. If you have inflamed gums, a sore throat, or an earache in addition to symptoms listed above on this page, we recommend getting in to see us as soon as possible. Infections can spread quickly, and in addition to being incredibly painful, can also be incredibly dangerous.

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Can Ear Infection Cause Toothache

Many people experience minor toothaches at certain points in their lives. While not all aches are serious and problematic, still it is better to seek professional dental help when necessary. What many dont realize is that the cause of a toothache is not limited to dental problems. There are non-dental causes which may be serious when not diagnosed and treated.

Can A Toothache Cause An Earache

The short answer is yes a toothache can cause an earache.

Often, this is due to the close proximity of the jaw joint, known as the temporomandibular joint , to the ear. When a tooth has decayed or is infected, the problem with the tooth can radiate from the jaw and be felt in the ear.

Conversely, a toothache can be the sign of an earache. In this case, cold and flu symptoms will likely be present as well. There are various causes and symptoms associated with each case. These will be discussed more thoroughly below.

The most pressing concern for many will be how to alleviate this pain, regardless of its source. Until a medical or dental professional can be seen, there are a number of home remedies that can be used to provide relief from jaw, tooth, and ear pain.

While 40% of annual costs for chronic pain are due to orofacial problems, research has shown that roughly half of those experiencing tooth pain do not seek treatment and only 33% of those who did not seek treatment cited financial reasons.

Yet, dental pain has been shown to have a massive effect on a persons ability to function, interfering with sleep, mood, eating, work, and social life.

The following will explain why a toothache may be the cause of ear or jaw pain, how to differentiate between a toothache and an earache, and the symptoms, causes, and home remedies for each.

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Can An Infected Tooth Affect Your Heart Health

What puts you at risk for heart disease and other cardiovascular problems? For most people, the risk factors that typically come to mind are a poor diet, a lack of exercise, excess body weight, and excessive alcohol consumption. While these are all definite risk factors, most people dont realize that having an infected tooth or poor oral hygiene can also increase your chances of problems like heart attacks or heart disease. While its still not exactly known how your heart and oral health are related, theres a definite correlation.

Research points to poor dental health as a potential risk factor for heart disease. Its been shown that people with gum disease, tooth decay, tooth loss, and tooth infection have a higher incidence of cardiovascular problems like a heart attack or stroke. There are a few theories about why this happens. When you have an infection in your tooth or gums, the bacteria from the infection can enter your bloodstream and travel elsewhere in your body. This bacteria can cause inflammation in your blood vessels and blood clots. Other research suggests that its the bodys immune response to the bacteria that can potentially damage your blood vessels or heart. Evidence of oral bacteria has been found throughout the body, which means that the health of your mouth has a clear effect on your overall health.

Will You Feel Dry Socket Right Away

7. Does dry socket hurt instantly? You will not feel a higher amount of pain the first two days after the extraction. However, if healing does not progress well and if the clot falls out, then you will start to feel a dull, throbbing, and radiating pain that keeps increasing to the point of becoming simply unbearable.

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Toothache Relief: Dos And Donts From A Trusted Dentist

• Do try over-the-counter pain medication such as Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen
• Do apply oral numbing gels around the affected tooth
• Do apply ice packs for swelling
• Do apply moist heat for soreness
• Dont place aspirin on your tooth, gums or cheek
• Dont take any medication such as antibiotics or narcotics that were not prescribed for you or for your toothache
• Dont ignore your symptoms

What Happens If A Tooth Infection Spreads To The Jaw

A tooth infection will not go away if it does not receive the right treatment.

You may feel less pain once the abscesses rupture, but dental treatment is still necessary.

If the abscess is not drained by a dentist, the infection can spread throughout the mouth and into your jaw. Infection that affects the jaw can harm the soft tissue surrounding this area.

The following are the potential health concerns that could happen when you leave a dental abscess unattended:

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Surprising Effects Of An Infected Tooth

If youve had an infected tooth in the past, you know how painful it can be. But did you know that an infected tooth can affect your body and your overall health in unexpected ways? Tooth, gum, and mouth problems can cause severe pain and serious complications when left untreated, butnearly half of Americans fail to see their dentist every six months. While its never a smart idea to ignore any pain or infection in your body, an infected tooth can be serious and should always be treated by your dentist immediately, before it becomes a more serious problem. Read on to learn more about the dangers and also the suggested treatment of an infected tooth.

When To See A Doctor

If youre fairly certain that the tooth or ear pain is coming from somewhere inside of your mouth, the first professional you want to see is your family dentist. Theyll perform a thorough exam and take either a single-tooth PA X-ray or a full-mouth pano At that point your dentist will be able to rule out any specific types of dental infections, TMJ disorder, and evaluate the adjacent anatomy for possible causes.

If your pain isnt related to your teeth or TMJ, the next provider to see would be your primary care physician. They can examine your ears to screen for a possible infection or sinusitis. Or, they may go ahead and refer you directly to a specialist such as an ENT, who is best equipped to treat non-oral-related issues causing ear or tooth pain.

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Tooth Decay And Ear Pain

Another common cause of earache and toothache at the same time is tooth decay. If your tooth has suffered major damage, or if you notice that you have a bad cavity, your mouth is going to cry for help via sending pain signals up your neck and into your ear. Fortunately, tooth decay is something that can be easily treated at your dental clinic.

If you have a bad cavity or have suffered major damage to a tooth, it can be quite painful. When one of your molars has been affected, its possible for the pain you experience in the back of your mouth to radiate to the ear area. This mistake is common and thankfully cavities and tooth decay can be treated with relative ease.

How To Cure A Tooth Infection

If you have signs and symptoms of a tooth infection, it is important to call your dentist as soon as possible. Dentists can help in a few ways, but remember that this infection will not go away on its own- treatment is necessary.

If you notice the symptoms go away, and you are no longer in pain, this does not mean the infection is gone. An infection can eventually kill the nerves that cause pain in your tooth, meaning you wont feel it anymore. The infection is still present and can potentially spread to your body and damage the surrounding teeth and your gums.

• A dentist or endodontist can perform a root canal, which is a procedure in which the infected pulp in your teeth is removed to prevent further infection.

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