Nov 22, 2008

Encyclopedia of Children's Health | Toothache

Definition

A toothache is any pain or soreness within or around a tooth, indicating inflammation and possible infection.

Description

A toothache may feel like a sharp pain or a dull ache. The tooth may be sensitive to pressure, heat, cold, or sweets. In cases of severe pain, identifying the problem tooth is often difficult. Any patient with a toothache should see a dentist for diagnosis and treatment. Most toothaches get worse if left untreated.

Demographics

Toothaches are common. Yet people have fewer cavities on average in the early 2000s than they did in the nineteenth or twentieth century, in part because in the late 1900s many towns added...

[The entire page is 1650 words long]

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