Molar pain is caused by poor dental hygiene and diseases of the mouth and teeth. When to seek medical attention for the pain and what the medical professional can do for individual complaints.
What is molar pain?
Molar pain is continuous pain in the area of the molars. It is usually pain so severe that the sufferer voluntarily seeks treatment. Molar pain is repeated or one-time pain stimuli in the area of the molars. The complaints usually occur in connection with caries or inflammation in the oral cavity. Affected patients experience the pain as throbbing to pressing. The doctor can make the diagnosis on the basis of a dental examination and treat it with medication or surgery. Molar pain can be prevented by good oral and dental hygiene.
Causes
Molar tooth pain can be caused by a variety of reasons. Causes are often diseases of the teeth themselves or of the gums. The roots of the teeth and other areas in the mouth can also cause pain if there are diseases, defects or disorders. If caries is not treated in time or not treated at all, it can lead to inflammation of the tooth roots. Persistent, pulsating pain in the area of the molars points to dental root inflammation as the cause. The inflammation can spread to the jawbone and should therefore be treated without fail. Exposed tooth necks can also be causative. If cold or hot foods are then consumed, stinging molar pain occurs. Damaged tooth restorations also lead to pain. Here, too, the discomfort manifests itself during eating and drinking as well as during drafts. Gum inflammation is a typical trigger. If the gums are red or swollen, this can be suspected as the cause. Lastly, a tooth fracture can also be causative. The tooth breaks and different types of toothache occur.
Diseases with this symptom
- Caries
- Tooth root inflammation
- Tooth fracture
- Jaw cysts
- Gum inflammation
- Periodontal disease
Complications
If the infection spreads to neighboring tissues, the sinuses or even veins at the base of the brain may become inflamed, causing serious conditions such as sinusitis or thrombosis of the cavernous sinus. In addition, the infection can spread to the tongue and cause an oral abscess. As a result, swelling and consequent obstruction of the airway may occur. Oral floor abscesses and sinus cavernosus thrombosis are life-threatening conditions that require immediate treatment.
When should you see a doctor?
If toothache persists despite careful care, a visit to the doctor is recommended. Severe complaints that are accompanied by accompanying symptoms such as inflammation or bleeding should be clarified quickly. The same applies if jaw pain or headaches, fever or facial pain occur. In addition, a doctor should be consulted if swelling of the teeth or gums occurs. Repeated pain that appears to be without cause requires a doctor’s visit. If the pain becomes more severe over time and persists longer and longer, there may be an underlying chronic condition. In the case of jaw pain resulting from a tooth injury, it is best to see the nearest dentist immediately. Untypical toothache, which manifests itself in the entire jaw area and possibly radiates into the chest or abdominal area, can indicate a heart attack and must be clarified immediately. For eye and tooth pain, the ophthalmologist is the right person to contact. Normal molar pain is clarified by a dentist. The medical professional may consult an orthodontist if necessary, depending on the cause.
Diagnosis
A visit to the dentist is recommended for molar pain. The dentist will first inquire about the complaints, such as where exactly and since when they occur, during the doctor-patient consultation. On the basis of the patient’s medical records, he or she will check for other diseases of the teeth and jaws as the cause. This is followed by an inspection of the oral cavity, gums and molars to detect defects, bleeding or inflammation. For this purpose, the dentist uses a mirror and an examination probe.The probe is used to examine the tooth, tooth margins and fillings. It also examines the condition of the tooth enamel and whether there are any deposits. The vitality test is performed with a cool substance. If a clear diagnosis cannot be made, an x-ray is taken. The X-ray provides information about decayed areas, inflammation and abscesses in the area of molars and jaw bones, as well as defective fillings. If periodontitis is suspected, the tooth pockets are examined and measured using a so-called periodontal probe. If necessary, a secretion sample is taken from a tooth pocket and sent to the laboratory for further examination. Depending on the diagnosis, the patient may be treated directly on site or referred to a specialist such as an orthodontist or an internist.
Treatment and therapy
The treatment of molar pain always depends on the causative disease and its severity. Incipient caries that does not yet cause pain symptoms can often still be treated with special fluoride pastes. In individual cases, laser treatment is also possible. If the symptoms are more advanced, the affected area must be drilled out and filled. In the case of periodontitis, the doctor first removes plaque from the oral cavity and the gum pockets using suitable instruments. Accompanying this, he recommends good oral hygiene to the patient and may suggest appointments for professional dental cleaning. Medications such as antibiotics may be prescribed. Deep gum pockets may need to be surgically removed. The same is true for growths, abscesses and major diseases of the jaw. An abscess is drained with a scalpel and the wound is fixed with a suture. For molar pain, different medications are prescribed depending on the cause. For moderate pain, over-the-counter preparations such as ibuprofen or paracetamol are recommended. Severe pain is relieved with local anesthetics. Disorders such as abscesses or pericoronitis require antibiotic therapy. Pericoronitis is also treated by rinsing the mouth. In this case, the patient must rinse the mouth three to four times a day with the antiseptic chlorhexidine. Molar pain in children, such as can occur during teething, is treated with gentle painkillers. Alternatively, saline cookies or benzocaine gel may be used. Thrombosis of the cavernous sinus or angina Ludovici must be treated immediately in the hospital. There, the infected tooth is removed and the patient is given an antibiotic.
Outlook and prognosis
Molar pain that occurs as a result of periodontitis is relieved by taking pain medications. The concomitant dental treatment remedies the trigger and, as a result, the discomfort. In the case of caries, the prognosis is also positive, provided that the disease has not progressed too far. With early treatment, the teeth can often still be saved. If only white or brownish stains are visible, the intake of fluoride is often sufficient. The substance promotes remineralization of the tooth and prevents the spread of caries. If the bacteria have already penetrated the enamel or dentin, the affected area of the tooth must be removed. If the caries is severe, teeth may need to be extracted or crowns may need to be placed The tooth can be restored with a composite filling or a ceramic inlay. Jaw pain caused by teething usually subsides on its own after a few weeks. The pain peaks quickly and has no long-term consequences for the child’s health. The prognosis is less positive in cases of thrombosis or an abscess of the floor of the mouth, where there is a risk of death. In either case, the patient requires immediate treatment. In the case of an oral floor abscess, the patient may suffocate, and thrombosis of the cavernous sinus may lead to stroke and subsequent death of the patient.
Prevention
Toothache can be prevented by consistent and thorough dental care. Teeth should be brushed at least two to three times daily, ideally with a dental toothbrush, floss and mouthwash. The right diet supports prevention. Foods that contain a lot of sugar, starch or acid should be avoided, as these damage tooth enamel. Apples and lettuce are natural tooth cleaners that remove debris from teeth and interdental spaces.Smokers should consider smoking cessation. In addition, regular medical check-ups are important. The doctor can detect any diseases and damage at an early stage and give tips for optimal oral hygiene. He will also remove tartar and can prevent damage by professionally cleaning teeth. In case of bleeding gums or signs of caries, it is best to consult the dentist immediately. Jaw pain can also be prevented by protecting sensitive teeth from cold, heat and other stimuli. In the long run, it is advisable to have crowns placed to remedy the painful stimuli.
What you can do yourself
Depending on the cause of the molar pain, different measures can be taken. First and foremost, the consumption of alcohol, nicotine or caffeine must be reduced or stopped completely. Cold or hot drinks must also be avoided. First of all, it helps to cool the affected area. The cold reduces the pain stimuli and thus provides rapid relief of the symptoms. A proven household remedy is cloves. Clove, similar to clove oil or sage, has a local anesthetic effect. Pregnant women should discuss the use of the above-mentioned home remedies with their family doctor beforehand, as side effects can sometimes occur. Toothache at night is relieved by resting the head. For this purpose, the head is elevated so that the affected area is sufficiently supplied with blood. If these measures have no effect, it is best to consult a doctor. Often, molar pain is due to a serious illness, which should be clarified by a doctor. Various homeopathic preparations can also be used for molar pain. The globules Arnica in the potency D12, Hypericum in the potency D12 and Chamomilla in the potency D12 have proven themselves. These preparations help with painful teeth associated with swelling or bleeding. In addition, remedies such as St. John’s wort or various teas can be used. The medicinal plant sage can be used in the form of teas or ointments. Cooling or warming compresses are also possible, although the cause of the molar pain must be taken into account for this. For this, it is best to consult the family doctor. The physician can name further measures how the treatment of molar tooth pain can be effectively supported. If molar tooth pain occurs repeatedly, lifestyle habits must be critically examined in addition to brushing habits. A balanced diet as well as abstaining from stimulants is sensible in any case. This will not only prevent toothache, but also many other health problems.
