People experience toothaches worldwide, and if a person develops a toothache, they should pay close attention to it. The reason why is because it can be a sign that you have a major oral issue or that an individual may have an issue within their body that is causing them to have a toothache. In other words, a toothache can be a warning sign that there is a problem within or outside of the oral cavity. At least if the toothache is about the oral cavity, it can be isolated, and a dentist can take care of it. Suppose the toothache, however, is a symptom of a more significant issue. In that case, for example, a problem with the digestive tract, further tests would need to be done by a primary care physician to see what the underlying cause is so it can be treated. Pain that comes from other areas of the body and is transferred to an individual’s teeth is called a referred tooth pain. 

What Is Referred Tooth Pain 

Referred tooth pain is pain that occurs in the oral cavity or the teeth due to a medical issue or pain that is being experienced in another part of an individual’s body. There are a few different reasons why individuals may experience referred tooth pain. Neurological diseases cause referred tooth pain. Any recent dental work may cause referred tooth pain. Respiratory infections and heart conditions can cause referred tooth pain as well. If an individual is experiencing sinusitis, this may cause pain in their upper teeth. The pain occurs in the upper teeth when an individual has sinusitis because the upper teeth are in close conjunction with the sinus cavity. So if the sinus cavity becomes inflamed because of sinusitis, this will cause pain in the upper teeth because of the proximity that the teeth are to the sinus cavity. When it comes to an individual having recent dental work, such as receiving a filling tooth, pain may jump from one tooth to another through pain signals. This type of tooth pain usually resides within one week, possibly two of the dental work being done. These are just a few examples of how referred tooth pain occurs.

How To Treat Toothaches 

Individuals who experience toothaches usually want instant relief because the pain can be excruciating. The wise thing to do would be to schedule an appointment with a dentist and then the individual can use home remedies to alleviate the pain instantly. Some oral creams and gels can be purchased over the counter. There are also over-the-counter non-narcotic pain medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen that could be used to alleviate toothaches. Once the individual attends their dentist appointment, the dentist will point out if the individual is having referred tooth pain or not. The dentist will identify if the referred tooth pain is from a dental issue or a non-dental issue. If the referred tooth pain occurs from a non-dental problem, the dentist will refer the individual to see their medical doctor for further treatment of the underlying cause.

Individuals experience toothaches all over the world and usually, these toothaches are because of oral issues, but in some instances, they are non-dental reasons. So it is suggested that individuals not try to figure out why they are having tooth pain on their own and see a dental professional instead. Because referred tooth pain can occur for various reasons such as lung issues, heart issues, migraines, sinusitis, and much more, consulting a dentist is wise so the individual can get the proper medical treatment for any underlying conditions that are causing the referred tooth pain.