Dental Advice faq from Seattle Area Dentist

Though there are numerous reasons for a toothache, 3 common ones are infections, cavities, or fractured teeth. If you have an infected tooth, antibiotics may help temporarily, but you would need to contact or see your dentist to get them. Otherwise, pain medications such as ibuprofen can help alleviate some discomfort. Before taking any medications, please contact your dentist to determine the best course of action. You should certainly see a dentist as soon as possible to prevent further discomfort or breakdown of the tooth. Often, toothaches occur as a cavity approached the pulp (or nerve) of a tooth. If we can get to the cavity in time, we can often treat the tooth with a simple filling, rather than more extensive dental work.