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toothache (tooth pain, dentalgia, odontalgia, odontodynia, dentagra)
Etiology:
1) dental caries
2) infection
3) trauma
4) pharmaceutical agents
5) referred pain from
a) earache or paranasal sinusitis
b) muscles of mastication
c) angina pectoris
Pathology:
- most dental pain orignates from inflamed or injured dental pulp or periodontal ligament
Management:
1) see a dentist if
a) pain lasts > 2-3 days
b) fever
c) pain opening mouth
2) empiric antibiotics may be prescribed if signs of infection
- penicillin (anaerobe coverage)
General
pain [odyn-]
tooth disease; odontogenic disease
References
- Stedman's Medical Dictionary 27th ed, Williams &
Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999
- MD Consult
http://www.mdconsult.com
- Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 17th ed
Fauci AS et al (eds)
McGraw-Hill, 2008