Treating toothache

The type of treatment you have for toothache will depend on the cause of the pain, so your dentist will examine your mouth and may carry out an X-ray to try to identify the problem.

If your toothache is caused by tooth decay, your dentist will remove the decayed area and replace it with a filling.

If your toothache is caused by a loose or broken filling, the filling will be taken out, any decay will be removed, and a new filling put in place.

Ifthe pulp inside your tooth is infected, you may need root canal treatment . This procedure involves removing the infected pulp and then inserting a special type of filling to seal the tooth and prevent reinfection.

Your tooth may need to be removed if the toothache can't be treated using these methods orthe tooth is wedged between another tooth and your jaw (impacted).

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018