Reusable face cold pack (Amazon)
A reusable cold pack for your cheek
Cold on the outside of your cheek helps shrink blood vessels, which can ease tooth pain and swelling.
Step 1 of 4 · Figure out the cause
Why it hurts
Tooth pain has a handful of common causes, and the kind of pain usually points to which one. Start with what you feel.
Dentist's picks
What a dentist would tell you to get
Some links pay us a commission if you buy, at no cost to you. How that works.
DentalPlans.com
No dental insurance? A savings plan can lower the bill
A throbbing tooth usually ends in a root canal or an extraction, and neither is cheap without coverage.
Pro Teeth Guard
If your dentist says you grind, a custom night guard
Get the sore tooth checked first: a guard won't fix a crack, a high filling or an infection.
- Toothache worse at night? Why it happens and what helpsWhy a toothache throbs more when you lie down, what helps you get through the night, and the signs that mean you should not wait until morning.
- Throbbing tooth pain: what it means and what to doWhat throbbing tooth pain usually means, from an inflamed nerve to an abscess, what to do tonight, and how a dentist fixes it.
- Tooth hurts when biting down: causes and what to doWhy a tooth hurts when you bite or chew, from cracks and new fillings to infection, grinding and sinuses, and what to do next.
- Tooth sensitive to cold: causes, relief, and when to worryWhy a tooth zings with cold, when lingering pain means something more serious, and how sensitivity toothpaste helps.
- Tooth sensitive to heat: why it matters and what to doWhy a tooth that hurts with hot drinks can point to an inflamed nerve, when lingering pain means a root canal, and what to do until you see a dentist.
- Tooth abscess: symptoms, when it's an emergency, and treatmentSigns of a tooth abscess, when swelling or fever means the ER, what to do tonight, and how a dentist treats it with drainage, a root canal or extraction.
- Cracked tooth: signs, what to do, and how it's fixedWhy a cracked tooth hurts when you bite or let go, the five kinds of cracks, what to do tonight, and how a dentist fixes it.
- Wisdom tooth pain: causes, relief and when to get it checkedWhy a wisdom tooth hurts, what calms it tonight, which signs mean call a dentist today, and how it's usually fixed.
- Gum pain around one tooth: causes and what to doWhy the gum around one tooth hurts, from trapped food to a gum abscess, what to do tonight, and when it means seeing a dentist today.
- Jaw and tooth pain from grinding: signs, causes, and what helpsHow to tell if grinding or clenching is behind your sore jaw and teeth, what helps tonight, and how to choose a night guard.
- Sinus toothache or dental toothache? How to tell the differenceHow to tell sinus tooth pain from a real toothache, what helps each one, and when to see a dentist or a doctor.
- Tooth pain after a filling: what's normal and when to callHow long sensitivity after a filling usually lasts, why a high bite makes a tooth sore, and the signs that mean you should call your dentist back.
- Tooth pain after a crown: causes and what to doWhy a tooth can hurt after a new crown: normal sensitivity, a crown that sits too high, or an irritated nerve. What to do and when to call.
- Pain after a root canal: what's normal and what isn'tHow long soreness after a root canal usually lasts, what helps, the warning signs that mean calling your dentist, and when a tooth needs a redo.
- Tooth pain after whitening: why it happens and what helpsWhy teeth ache or zing after whitening, how long it usually lasts, what helps, and when the pain points to something else.
- Kids' toothache: what parents should doWhy children's teeth hurt, what to give tonight, what to do if a tooth gets knocked out, and how to find a dentist who sees kids.
- Toothache while pregnant: what's safe and when to see a dentistDental care is safe during pregnancy. What may be causing the pain, which pain relievers to ask your OB about, and why not to wait until after the baby.
- Dry socket: symptoms, how to tell it from normal pain, and what helpsHow a dry socket feels, when it starts after an extraction, how it differs from normal healing pain, what your dentist does for it, and how to avoid one.
- Can tooth or jaw pain be a heart attack? Warning signs to knowHeart attack pain can spread to the jaw and teeth. The warning signs that mean call 911, why you shouldn't drive, and how tooth pain usually differs.
- Toothache with ear pain or a headache: why it spreads and what to doWhy tooth pain can spread to your ear or head, which causes are most likely, what to do tonight, and when ear or head pain means something else.
- Tooth pain that comes and goes: what it usually meansWhy tooth pain comes and goes, from a crack or an early cavity to sinus pressure, why pain that stops isn't always good news, and when to see a dentist.
- Sensitive teeth after a cleaning: why it happens and how long it lastsWhy teeth can zing with cold after a cleaning or deep cleaning, how long it usually lasts, what helps at home, and when it's something else.
- Tooth hurts when you eat sweets: what it usually meansA zing from candy or soda often points to a cavity. What else can cause it, what to do now, how it's fixed, and how to keep sugar from doing more damage.