Causes

• Main cause: tooth decay
• Food wedged between the teeth
• Injured tooth

Tooth Abscess and Severe Pain

• A tooth abscess can cause severe pain not controlled by normal pain medicines.
• Root canal therapy by an endodontist is needed to cure this problem.
• In the meantime, call your dentist's office. If you can't reach your dentist, call your doctor for advice. They can often bring the pain under control by calling in a prescription. Most often, this is for an antibiotic such as penicillin or amoxicillin.

1. What You Should Know:
   • Most toothaches don't last too long. They are due to a sensitive tooth.
   • If the pain becomes worse or doesn't go away in 24 hours, call your dentist. The pain could be due to a small cavity.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Floss:
   • Floss on either side of the painful tooth to remove any wedged food.
3. Pain Medicine:
   • To help with the pain, give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen. Use as needed. See Dose Table.
4. Cold Pack:
   • Put a cold pack or ice in a wet washcloth on the painful jaw. Do this for 20 minutes.
5. What to Expect:
   • Most minor causes of toothache go away in less than a day.
6. Call Your Dentist If:
   • Toothache lasts more than 24 hours
   • The toothache gets worse