In the article, we will consider how to determine which tooth hurts.
Healthy teeth are an indicator of a healthy body. However, in some cases, toothache occurs unexpectedly, and determining its exact location is not so simple. The most difficult task is if the pain is very intense. The pain is able to radiate to the neck, nape of the neck, ear, intensify when a person chews food or yawns. However, there are several ways to determine which tooth hurts.
Localization
It is possible to determine in which tooth the pain is localized by a simple external examination. This method does not guarantee a completely accurate result, therefore, after an independent examination, you must visit the dentist.
So, how to determine which tooth hurts in a child or an adult?
Mirror Inspection
You should take a small mirror and carefully examine the entire oral cavity. A tooth that is damaged will differ from healthy ones by the presence of black dots and color. When decaying, teeth become yellowish and brown. This is due to the fact that internal tissues are affected.
In addition, inflammation, and sometimes flux, can occur on the gums in the area of the damaged tooth. When pressing on the flux, severe pain will occur, and after a while a purulent exudate will appear.
How to determine which tooth hurts?
Easy tapping method
The easiest way to determine the location of pain is the method of light tapping. You can use a spoon for this, check should be done very carefully.
The most damaged tooth will respond very quickly to such an effect. However, this method also does not always provide a positive result.
Circumstances in which a problem occurs
Attention should be paid to the circumstances in which toothache occurs. In cases where pain occurs after eating cold, sweet, hot food, when inhaling cold air, we can assume that it is provoked by damage to the gums, and not the tooth.
Such a problem can cause unpleasant consequences for the entire jaw. That is, when examining the oral cavity with a mirror, you should pay attention not only to the teeth, but also to the gums.
How to determine which tooth hurts if the whole face aches?
Diseases underlying dental symptoms
Toothache of uncertain location can also cause damage to wisdom teeth. Sometimes these dental units do not grow properly.
Wisdom teeth are located in the area of the facial nerve, throat, ear, so soreness can be felt in these places.
How to determine which tooth hurts if it aches in the right side? This, of course, is a joke, but the discomfort associated with a toothache can lead to another place.
Inflammation of the trigeminal nerve
Another cause that causes pain in the entire jaw is the inflammation in the trigeminal nerve. This nerve passes through the entire face, its three main branches are located on the cheek. One of them moves away from the ear in the direction of the lower jaw, the second - in the direction of the upper jaw, the third - in the direction of the eyes. In many cases, pain and inflammation of the trigeminal nerve occur due to hypothermia.
Also, other diseases can accompany toothache:
- Otitis.
- Headache.
- Angina.
These conditions and pathologies can exacerbate existing dental problems, and in some cases they simply give pain to the oral cavity.
How does a dentist determine which tooth hurts?
Medical examination
If you cannot determine the localization of toothache on your own, you need to visit a dentist. The specialist has a wider arsenal of tools for diagnosing. In addition, during the inspection, he will use his professional knowledge. The doctor will palpate the sore spot. In addition, this technique will allow you to identify possible tooth mobility.
The dentist can also determine how a tooth hurts, using the method of metal tapping or hot applying to the gums.
Palpation and visual inspection do not always accurately determine the cause of the pain. Many dentists use a safer method - visiography. The visiograph is a highly accurate innovative equipment that can significantly reduce the time of the diagnostic procedure due to the fact that there is no intermediate stage associated with the manifestation of the film. In addition, this method helps to reduce the level of radiation exposure.
You can also determine the source of pain with a CT scan, panoramic or aimed shot. Experts choose the method that will be most suitable in a particular situation.
X-ray examination allows you to determine the condition of the canals, the presence of cysts in the area of the tooth root, pathological changes in the cervical region. Also, the picture allows you to see the wisdom tooth, which is only beginning to grow, but is already capable of causing pain.
How to determine which tooth hurts, a qualified specialist knows for sure.
If the dental clinic is not nearby, then you need to think about how to anesthetize the tooth. Especially if the whole jaw aches, and there is already no strength to endure discomfort. There are drugs that can relieve excruciating toothache (Ketorol, for example). It is important to remember that all medicines have side effects.
If the doctor could not determine the cause
It happens that the patient complains of a toothache, but the dentist claims that the teeth are in order. In some cases, aching pain can develop as a result of stress. In this case, aching pain can have a different degree of severity, and it is not possible to find out the location of the pain. This situation often worries people who very often try to leave their opinions unspoken or try to remain silent in the event of a conflict. That is, pain can be of a psychosomatic nature.
The reason can also lie in the intervertebral hernia, protrusion of the cervical discs. A pinched nerve causes irritation, the pain takes on an intense character.
In such cases, the doctor can not identify the cause of the pain either through examination or on the basis of the results of an X-ray examination. Consult a neurologist for advice.
In some cases, pain can develop due to a fracture of the jaw. Even after complete healing of the fracture, the jaw can respond to weather changes. Similar pains disappear after a while without any intervention.
We looked at how to determine which tooth hurts.