Emergencies
Toothache
Toothache is pain in and around the teeth and jaws that is most often caused by tooth decay.
The pain usually starts suddenly and it can vary from mild discomfort to a severe throbbing, which is often worse at night. The area of your jaw close to the infected tooth may also be sore and tender to the touch.
Toothache can either come and go or be constant. Eating or drinking can make the pain worse, particularly if the food or drink is hot or cold.
When to see your dentist?
If you have toothache for longer than one or two days, you should visit your dentist as soon as possible to have it treated. The longer you leave it, the worse it will get.
If your toothache is not treated, the pulp inside your tooth will eventually become infected. This usually leads to a dental abscess forming, which can cause severe and continuous pain.
Painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen may help reduce pain and discomfort while you are waiting for an appointment. Children under 16 years of age should not be given aspirin.
If you are in pain and require our help, please call us on 01889333121.
Wisdom Tooth Pain
If part of the wisdom tooth has appeared through the gum and part of it is still covered, the gum may become sore and perhaps swollen. Food particles and bacteria can collect under the gum edge, and it will be difficult to clean the area effectively. This is known as pericoronitis.
This is a temporary problem that can be dealt with by your dentist using powerful antibacterial mouthwashes to irrigate the area underneath the overlying gum. Special cleaning methods can be introduced to prevent further episodes of pain, inflammation and infection. If the overlying gum becomes infected and the infection starts to spread, you may have difficultly opening your mouth and the glands in your neck may become tender and swollen. In this scenario your dentist may need to prescribe you antibiotics to treat the spreading infection.
If the problem keeps coming back, it may be better to have the tooth removed. Using x-rays your dentist will check the proximity of the roots to the nerves in your jaw and then help you weigh up the risks and benefits of having the tooth removed.
If you would like us to check your wisdom tooth, please call us to book an appointment on 01189333121.
We are based in the village of Mortimer in Reading which is surrounded by the towns Burghfield, Tadley, Bramley, and Theale. We are also less than a half an hour drive from Reading town centre, Basingstoke, Bracknell and Newbury.