Should I go to the emergency room for a toothache?

A hospital can treat pain and infection but is not equipped to treat the tooth causing it, so you would still need a dentist afterwards. Call our office at (209) 951-3436 first. Seek immediate medical care for difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling that is spreading rapidly.

Why did my toothache stop by itself?

Often because the nerve inside the tooth has died. The pain from that nerve stops, but the infection does not. It continues into the surrounding bone. Pain that resolves after being severe still needs to be examined.

Is a toothache always caused by decay?

No. Severe decay reaching the root is the most common cause, but bacterial infection leading to abscess, oral cysts or tumours, a cracked tooth and grinding can all produce pain. Telling them apart usually needs an examination and X-rays.

Emergency Dentistry

Toothache Relief in Stockton, CA

A painful tooth can be a sign of serious illness and can progress to dangerous problems if it is not handled immediately.

Call Now: (209) 951-3436 Request an Appointment

In a dental emergency, call the office first, do not wait for a callback.

(209) 951-3436

Dental pain is no joke. It is also not a condition in itself. It is a symptom, and the useful question is always what is producing it.

Call the office at (209) 951-3436 if pain is severe, has lasted more than a day or two, or is accompanied by swelling or fever.

What causes emergency tooth pain

A painful tooth can be caused by many different issues. If a visual scan or intraoral photography does not reveal the immediate problem, X-rays will likely be necessary. The source of the pain may include:

Severe tooth decay, reaching down to the root
Bacterial infection, leading to abscess
Oral cysts or tumors

Our examination reveals the cause and we proceed to the remedy.

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Signs that make it urgent rather than routine

Some symptoms indicate infection that has moved beyond the tooth itself:

Facial swelling
Fever
Swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck
Persistent bad breath alongside the pain
Pain severe enough to wake you or prevent sleep

These are the signs associated with an infected pulp. See root canal therapy, and they warrant a call rather than a wait.

What not to do

Painkillers mask the symptom while the cause continues. That is reasonable for a few hours until you can be seen; it is not a treatment.

Aspirin should not be held against the gum next to a painful tooth, as it burns the soft tissue. Heat applied to a swollen face can worsen a spreading infection.

Why pain sometimes stops on its own

A toothache that disappears without treatment is not necessarily good news. When the nerve inside a tooth dies, the pain from that nerve stops, but the infection does not, and it continues into the surrounding bone.

Pain that resolves on its own after being severe still needs to be examined.

Preventing the next one

Most emergency pain is the end stage of decay that was treatable earlier and far more cheaply. Six-month exams and X-rays find that decay while a filling is still all that is required.

Call (209) 951-3436. Office hours and directions are on our contact page.

What treatment usually follows

Relieving the pain is the first step, not the last. What comes afterwards depends on the cause: a filling where decay is contained, root canal therapy and a crown where it has reached the nerve, or gum disease treatment where the pain is periodontal rather than dental.

Pain that is not from a tooth at all

Jaw pain and headaches on waking often point to grinding and clenching rather than to a specific tooth. That distinction matters, because treating the wrong thing leaves the pain in place.

If a tooth is hurting now, call (209) 951-3436 rather than waiting it out. Office hours and directions are on our contact page, and you can request an appointment online for anything that is uncomfortable rather than urgent.

Questions patients ask

Should I go to the emergency room for a toothache?: A hospital can treat pain and infection but is not equipped to treat the tooth causing it, so you would still need a dentist afterwards. Call our office at (209) 951-3436 first. Seek immediate medical care for difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling that is spreading rapidly.
Why did my toothache stop by itself?: Often because the nerve inside the tooth has died. The pain from that nerve stops, but the infection does not. It continues into the surrounding bone. Pain that resolves after being severe still needs to be examined.
What can I do for the pain until my appointment?: Over-the-counter pain relief taken as directed is reasonable for a few hours. Do not hold aspirin against the gum next to a painful tooth, as it burns the soft tissue, and avoid applying heat to a swollen face because it can worsen a spreading infection.
Is a toothache always caused by decay?: No. Severe decay reaching the root is the most common cause, but bacterial infection leading to abscess, oral cysts or tumours, a cracked tooth and grinding can all produce pain. Telling them apart usually needs an examination and X-rays.

Ready to get started?

Much of your first visit is spent explaining your individual treatment and getting to know you, so you can make a decision you feel good about.

Request an Appointment (209) 951-3436