toothache (tooth pain, dentalgia, odontalgia, odontodynia, dentagra)

Etiology

• dental caries
• infection
• trauma
• pharmaceutical agents
• referred pain from
  • earache or paranasal sinusitis
  • muscles of mastication
  • angina pectoris

Pathology

• most dental pain orignates from inflamed or injured dental pulp or periodontal ligament

Management

• see a dentist if
  • pain lasts > 2-3 days
  • fever
  • pain opening mouth
• empiric antibiotics may be prescribed if signs of infection
  • penicillin (anaerobe coverage)

More general terms

• pain [odyn-]
• tooth disease; odontogenic disease