“Can a toothache last for months?”
I am a 22 year old male. I wonder if a toothache can last for months?
6 Answers
Sure! But why let it? Go see a dentist.
Yes, but it means that the source has not been determined. See a dentist.
Yes, that is certainly possible. As a cavity progresses, it irritates and ultimately infects the pulp of the tooth (the nerves and blood vessels). Initially the tooth may be very sensitive to changes in temperature, especially cold, and also to sweets. Over time the sensitivity will become more severe and long-lasting. Eventually, the infected pulp will begin to hurt on its own- the classic toothache. If the patient can tolerate that for a long time, eventually the pain subsides, and often the patient thinks that everything is now OK. But it has only stopped hurting because everything inside the tooth is now dead. Some time thereafter, the dead contents will begin to fester, just like anything dead does, and pus and gases build up pressure. They
will seek a path of least resistance to relieve the pressure. If there is not a sufficient opening in the crown of the tooth to relieve the pressure, the putrefied contents will escape at the end of the toot into the bone around the tooth, often forming a "bubble" of infection that grows between the tooth and the bone in the periodontal ligament that surrounds the tooth. That ligament attaches the tooth to the bone and contains the nerve fibers that feel pain, pressure, and some temperature. Now a second toothache begins, one that may be even more severe than the first. If it is an upper tooth, the infection can push into the sinuses. That can lead to a life-threatening condition. In some cases, the pain will stop, and again the patient will feel like everything has resolved. In that case, the pressure built up so much that it pushed out the side of the jaw through the bone and out into a swelling on the gums. It can look like a large pimple and is called a fistula. That will relieve the painful pressure, but now the infection is coming from the tooth into the bones and gums. The longer it lasts without treatment, the more possible it is that serious health conditions could arise - conditions that, in rare cases, may require hospitalization and could even result in death - all from a single tooth. Even if severe complications do not arise, the presence of continued infection will affect, infect, and often destroy bone surrounding the tooth, leaving poor chances for repair and reconstruction after treatment has been performed, be that root canal therapy or extraction. So, yes, a toothache can last for months, coming and going. All the while, jaw bone is being destroyed and chances are greater that more serious health problems can occur. A toothache is a serious warning sign that something is terribly wrong. Nothing good can come from an infection in the mouth that is close to the sinuses, the brain and vital nerves and blood vessels.
will seek a path of least resistance to relieve the pressure. If there is not a sufficient opening in the crown of the tooth to relieve the pressure, the putrefied contents will escape at the end of the toot into the bone around the tooth, often forming a "bubble" of infection that grows between the tooth and the bone in the periodontal ligament that surrounds the tooth. That ligament attaches the tooth to the bone and contains the nerve fibers that feel pain, pressure, and some temperature. Now a second toothache begins, one that may be even more severe than the first. If it is an upper tooth, the infection can push into the sinuses. That can lead to a life-threatening condition. In some cases, the pain will stop, and again the patient will feel like everything has resolved. In that case, the pressure built up so much that it pushed out the side of the jaw through the bone and out into a swelling on the gums. It can look like a large pimple and is called a fistula. That will relieve the painful pressure, but now the infection is coming from the tooth into the bones and gums. The longer it lasts without treatment, the more possible it is that serious health conditions could arise - conditions that, in rare cases, may require hospitalization and could even result in death - all from a single tooth. Even if severe complications do not arise, the presence of continued infection will affect, infect, and often destroy bone surrounding the tooth, leaving poor chances for repair and reconstruction after treatment has been performed, be that root canal therapy or extraction. So, yes, a toothache can last for months, coming and going. All the while, jaw bone is being destroyed and chances are greater that more serious health problems can occur. A toothache is a serious warning sign that something is terribly wrong. Nothing good can come from an infection in the mouth that is close to the sinuses, the brain and vital nerves and blood vessels.
Yes, it can last for months if not treated. You should have the tooth examined by the dentist.
A toothache can last for months if the source of infection that causes the pain is not treated. The infection can also travel to other parts of the body, potentially with fatal results. Please seek dental care.
A toothache will last until it is fixed. But that all depends on where the pain is coming from. If it is a cavity it won’t resolve it’ll only get worse. If it is past a cavity and now is infected it will continue to worsen until there is no longer pain is the nerve days but then you’re in more trouble. Quick question for you why don’t you just go to the dentist?
Dr Jensen
Dr Jensen
