Toothache shows up as a pain around your jaws and teeth. It is an unmistakable sign of something wrong with your oral system. Toothaches must be treated with top priority. Timely treatment can help arrest the tooth condition from turning worse. Minor pains may be treated by rinsing your mouth with salt water; you may also apply a cold compress on the site. But can a toothache cause a headache? It is helpful to have added details.
Often, toothache is caused by swelling of the central part of a tooth; this part is known as pulp. This site is known for several nerve-endings. Owing to which, the pulp is extremely sensitive to painful feelings. Cavities forming on tooth is the most-oft observed reason for a swelling / inflammation. It is essential to know the reason behind your toothache.
A healthy tooth has needful amount of hard substance – called enamel. This external protection safeguards the nerves and their endings present deep within. When the hard surface i.e., enamel wears off, the odds of the pulp getting exposed to foods turn high. This makes foods you consume – be they cold or hot dishes – to come in direct contact with your pulp.
A few gum-based diseases may also lead to a toothache. This condition occurs when gums warp / shrink; once this happens, root of tooth comes in touch with foods you eat / drink. People who use a harder brush or use rough methods to clean their gums may run the risk of getting a few gum conditions.
But can a toothache cause a headache?
Yes, toothache can – at times – give you a headache. However, the reasons you suffer such discomforts can be different. For example, tooth conditions such as impaction, cracking or cavities – if not treated – can cause an acute spell of migraine. Of these likely causes, impaction refers to a tooth not coming fully out of your gums.
Headache caused by toothache are often of a throbbing kind; these are also mostly one-sided pains i.e., showing up on one part of your head. Medical researchers indicate the role of a nerve called trigeminal-nerve at play here. This nerve forms part of your cranium; it plays a role in eye movements, sensations of facial organs, etc. This nerve is responsible for transmitting feelings of your lips – both upper & lower lips, cheeks, gum as well as teeth.
You also need to remember that – apart from a toothache – decayed tooth or a gum-based disease may also cause an episode of headache. These show up due to the build-up of bacteria and infections caused by a colony of microbes. As a tangential factor, people with sinusitis or inflammation of sinus cavities may also develop a toothache and headache. This condition affects the anterior set of teeth – present at rear-side of your cheekbone; this is directly underneath your maxillary sinus-cavity on the face.
Regardless of what causes your toothache, you can identity it through its characteristic signs. These include bleeding, smelly breath, inflammation of the affected tooth, persistent spells of migraine, painful sensation when you bite or chew foods, etc.
You are advised to consult with a dentist or an oral care specialist. You may need to expedite a visit to your dentist when you over the counter pain killing drugs have failed to yield remedy, swallowing difficulties, etc. At your dentist’s office, a thorough examination of your tooth is done. Along with the examination, a detailed account of your health history is also taken.
Best OTC pills for toothache
The best OTC pills for toothache include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and naproxen (Aleve) for pain relief. Aspirin can also help but should not be placed directly on the gums. Benzocaine gels like Orajel provide numbing relief. If pain persists, see a dentist to address the underlying cause.
Depending on your oral condition, your dentist may order a diagnostic test; mostly, it is an oral scan. Panoramic scans – of your jaws and teeth – are taken to understand the root-cause of toothache. A customised treatment plan is drawn out based on what ails you. If you need more inputs on ‘can a toothache cause a headache’, it is highly recommended to talk to a dentist.
My Toothache Was Giving Me a Headache… and It Was Worse Than I Thought
So this might sound weird, but I had this random toothache a few weeks ago. At first, I didn’t think much of it. Just a tiny pinch near the back molar. I figured I’d probably bitten into something too hard or maybe brushed too rough. You know, nothing serious.
But then I started getting this dull ache in my head. Right around my temple. Sometimes even behind my eyes. I thought, okay… maybe I’m just tired? Or maybe allergies? But the pain didn’t go away. In fact, it got worse.
I kept saying to myself, this toothache is causing a headache — like, not just a coincidence — it was actually connected. And turns out, I wasn’t making it up.
A Toothache Causing Headache and Eye Pain? Yup. It Happens.
After a few days of this weird pressure in my head and that annoying throb behind my eye, I did what I probably should’ve done sooner. I Googled it. Bad idea? Usually. But this time, it was kinda helpful.
I found out that there’s this big nerve called the trigeminal nerve. It connects your teeth, jaw, cheeks, and yeah… your head and eyes. So when your tooth gets inflamed — like from a cavity or even grinding at night — it can totally mess with your head. Literally.
So yeah, toothache causing headache and eye pain isn’t just some oddball thing. It’s real.
The Headache From Tooth Infection Hit Me Hard
By the end of the week, I was feeling like garbage. The pain was one-sided, deep, and just wouldn’t quit. My gums were kinda swollen. My breath? Not great. And chewing anything on that side was basically a no-go.
I thought it was just a sore tooth, but honestly, I started to worry it might be an infection. That would explain the headache, the face pain, even why I felt a little off balance.
And man… once I realized it was probably a headache from a tooth infection, I knew I couldn’t just pop ibuprofen and wait.
What Helped Me (Besides Freaking Out)
Went to the dentist. Told them everything — the tooth pain, the headaches, the eye stuff. They took one look and said I did the right thing coming in. X-ray showed an infection brewing under the tooth. Not great news, but I felt better just knowing the cause.
Got antibiotics. Had a follow-up. Pain started fading a few days later. Headache, gone.
What I Learned the Hard Way
If your tooth hurts and your head starts aching too? Don’t ignore it. Especially if it’s a one-sided headache or you feel that pressure behind your eye. That might be your mouth trying to tell you something.
Next time, your head's pounding and you think it's stress? Check your teeth.
Disclaimer
Information provided here are only of supplementary nature. Information shared here does not substitute a qualified doctor’s advice. This website is not suggesting intake of this drug as safe or appropriate. Hence it is advised to talk to your doctor before consuming this med or any other drug.