Dentistry is a field of great interest to many people because it directly affects beauty and health in daily communication. Equipping oneself with knowledge about tooth decay and related issues is extremely essential for everyone. Do you know what toothache is in English? This article will help you better understand toothaches and provide important knowledge about tooth decay, thereby protecting your oral health effectively and correctly. Let’s explore!
What is toothache in English?
Are you experiencing a toothache and want to know how to express it in English? You don’t need to search far; Google Translate is indeed a useful tool, but to understand this condition more deeply, let’s explore further with expert information. Toothache in English is called Toothache.
However, ‘Toothache’ is not just a simple ‘pain in the tooth’. It encompasses various degrees and manifestations of pain around the tooth or in the jaw. The pain can be transient, appearing only for a moment and then disappearing. Conversely, it can also be persistent, dull, or severe for several days, significantly affecting daily life. Particularly, many patients experience sudden pain, which starts as mild discomfort but worsens at night, especially when lying down.
Toothache is a common condition that can occur continuously or intermittently, ranging from a mild dull ache to a sharp, severe pain.
Signs and Symptoms of Toothache
Toothache is a common condition that can occur continuously or intermittently, ranging from a mild dull ache to a sharp, severe pain. Early recognition of toothache symptoms will help patients seek timely treatment and avoid dangerous complications.
Some distinct manifestations include:
Fever, swelling in or around the gums and teeth, often accompanied by prolonged discomfort.
A sharp, throbbing pain appearing when accidentally biting down on food or lightly touching a tooth is also a significant symptom.
Patients may feel pain inside the tooth or in the area surrounding it, with the pain intensifying when eating or drinking.
Teeth become unusually sensitive, reacting strongly to hot or cold food and drinks, causing an uncomfortable, sharp sensation.
In some rare cases, the pain may manifest as a burning sensation or a shock-like feeling, startling and alarming the patient.
Common and Less Common Causes of Toothache
Toothache is a very common symptom, often an early warning sign of many serious oral health conditions. However, toothache does not always originate from the damaged tooth itself. Correctly identifying the cause will help you take accurate and timely action, avoiding dangerous complications.
Tooth decay
Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is the leading cause of toothache at all ages. When bacteria, viruses, or fungi destroy tooth enamel and advance deep into the dentin layer, patients will experience severe aching pain, especially when consuming sweet, hot, or cold foods.
If tooth decay is not treated promptly, bacteria can spread deep inside the pulp, forming a dental abscess – a type of infection around the tooth root or in the gum tissue, causing severe swelling, pain, and high fever. In a few severe cases, bacteria can enter the bloodstream and spread to the brain, leading to life-threatening complications.
Impacted wisdom tooth
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Another cause of toothache is impacted wisdom teeth. When wisdom teeth don’t have enough space to develop, they can erupt partially, push against adjacent teeth, or become trapped in the jawbone and gum tissue, leading to prolonged inflammation and pain, facial swelling, difficulty opening the mouth, and even a mild fever.
Sinusitis
Sinusitis
Few realize that sinusitis can also be an indirect cause of upper jaw tooth pain. Because the roots of the upper teeth are located close to the maxillary sinuses, when the sinus area becomes infected by bacteria, viruses, or fungi, patients often experience pain radiating from the facial area down to the teeth.
Warning Signs of Systemic Diseases
Some serious systemic diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease, or heart attack can cause toothache due to their effect on the vagus nerve system – a nerve that runs from the brain to internal organs like the heart and lungs, and also passes through the jaw and facial area. When this nerve is irritated, pain will appear in the tooth area without any actual dental damage.
Neurological Causes
In addition to the causes mentioned above, some cases of toothache stem from inflammation of the occipital nerve or trigeminal nerve. These nerves control sensation in the face, skull, and teeth. When they are damaged, patients often describe a radiating, piercing pain as if originating from the teeth, even though there is no actual dental damage.
Specialized English Dental Vocabulary
In the field of Dentistry, mastering specialized English vocabulary not only helps students and dentists but also dental assistants and dental staff communicate more effectively in an international environment. Below is a vocabulary table with phonetics and meanings, clearly categorized by group, to help you learn and remember easily.
Names of Dental Clinic Staff
Từ vựng
Phiên âm
Ý nghĩa
Dental assistant
/ˈdɛntᵊl əˈsɪstᵊnt/
Dental assistant
Dental hygienist
/ˈdɛntᵊl ˈhaɪʤiːnɪst/
Dental hygienist (assists with cleaning, polishing teeth)
Dentist
/ˈdɛntɪst/
Dentist
Endodontist
/ɛn doʊˈdɒn tɪst/
Endodontist (Root canal specialist)
Orthodontist
/ˌɔr θəˈdɒn tɪst/
Orthodontist (Orthodontic specialist)
Pediatric dentist
/ˌpiːdiˈætrɪk ˈdɛntɪst/
Pediatric dentist (Children’s dentist)
Periodontist
/ˌpɛr i əˈdɒn tɪst/
Periodontist (Gum specialist)
Prosthodontist
/ˌprɒs θəˈdɒn tɪst/
Prosthodontist (Dental prosthetics specialist)
Nurse
/nɜːs/
Nurse
Types of Teeth and Related Parts
A healthy set of teeth typically includes various types of teeth with different structures and functions:
Từ vựng
Phiên âm
Ý nghĩa
Incisor
/ɪnˈsaɪzə/
Incisor
Canine
/ˈkænaɪn/
Canine
Premolar
/ˌpriːˈməʊlə/
Premolar
Molar
/ˈməʊlə/
Molar
Baby teeth
/ˈbeɪbi tiːθ/
Baby teeth (Primary teeth)
Permanent teeth
/ˈpɜːmənənt tiːθ/
Permanent teeth
Bicuspid
/baɪˈkʌspɪd/
Bicuspid
Pulp
/pʌlp/
Pulp (of the tooth)
Cement
/sɪˈmɛnt/
Enamel (outer layer of tooth)
Gums
/ɡʌmz/
Gums
Jaw
/ʤɔː/
Jaw
English Names for Oral Diseases and Symptoms
During dental examinations at a dental clinic, the following oral diseases and symptoms are commonly encountered:
Từ vựng
Phiên âm
Ý nghĩa
Bad breath
/bæd brɛθ/
Bad breath
Broken teeth
/ˈbrəʊkᵊn tiːθ/
Broken teeth
Caries / Decay
/ˈkeəriːz/, /dɪˈkeɪ/
Caries / Tooth decay
Cavity
/ˈkævəti/
Cavity (Dental cavity / Tooth hole)
Gingivitis
/ˌʤɪnʤɪˈvaɪtɪs/
Gingivitis (Gum inflammation)
Periodontitis
/ˌperiədɑːnˈtaɪtɪs/
Periodontitis (Gum disease)
Toothache
/ˈtuːθeɪk/
Toothache
Plaque
/plɑːk/
Plaque
Pyorrhea
/ˌpaɪəˈriːə/
Pyorrhea (Pus discharge from the tooth root/gums)
Sensitive teeth
/ˈsɛnsɪtɪv tiːθ/
Sensitive teeth
Sore gums
/sɔː ɡʌmz/
Sore gums
Mouth sores
/maʊθ sɔːz/
Mouth sores
Dry mouth
/draɪ maʊθ/
Dry mouth
Inflammation
/ˌɪnfləˈmeɪʃᵊn/
Inflammation
Common English Names for Dental Instruments
Understanding the names of dental instruments helps make the work process in the clinic smoother and more accurate:
Từ vựng
Phiên âm
Ý nghĩa
Apex locator
/ˈeɪpɛks ləʊˈkeɪtə/
Apex locator (Root apex locator)
Brace
/breɪs/
Brace (Orthodontic brace)
Crown
/kraʊn/
Crown (Dental crown)
Drill
/drɪl/
Drill (Dental drill)
Dental handpiece
/ˈdɛntᵊl hӕndpiːs/
Dental handpiece
Micromotor
/maɪkrəʊˈməʊtə/
Micromotor (Endodontic handpiece/Motor)
Dental tweezer
/ˈdɛntᵊl ˈtwiːzə/
Dental tweezer
Dental examination mirror
/ˈdɛntᵊl ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃᵊn ˈmɪrə/
Dental examination mirror
Dental floss
/ˈdɛntᵊl flɒs/
Dental floss
Dental curing lamp
/ˈdɛntᵊl ˈkjʊərɪŋ læmp/
Dental curing lamp (Light curing lamp)
Suction machine
/ˈsʌkʃᵊn məˈʃiːn/
Suction machine (Dental suction unit)
Probe
/prəʊb/
Probe (Periodontal probe)
Plier
/ˈplaɪə/
Plier (Dental pliers)
Sink
/sɪŋk/
Sink (Handwash sink)
Gargle
/ˈɡɑːɡᵊl/
Mouthwash
Guide to Effective and Safe Toothache Treatment
When experiencing a toothache, seeking assistance from a dentist and professional dental services is crucial for proper treatment. Additionally, you can apply some home remedies to temporarily relieve pain while awaiting a thorough examination.
Dental treatment is the primary method to identify the cause of pain, which is often due to tooth decay or other oral issues. Through X-ray examination and thorough dental check-ups, the dentist will determine the presence of tooth decay or inflammation, and then prescribe appropriate antibiotics or pain relievers. If tooth decay is found, the dentist will remove the decayed area and restore it with specialized materials to protect the tooth.
Toothache can also be related to other conditions like sinusitis. In such cases, the doctor may prescribe decongestants or antibiotics to treat the sinusitis, and surgical intervention to widen the nasal passages is rarely needed.
Pain related to the trigeminal or occipital nerves is often very complex, with no definitive cure currently available; it is primarily managed with pain medication.
Furthermore, if suspicious signs related to heart disease or lung cancer appear, the dentist will promptly refer you to the appropriate specialists for timely treatment, ensuring comprehensive health safety.
For home remedies for toothache, you can use over-the-counter pain relievers such as Aspirin, or topical pain relief gels like Orajel, Anbesol. Over-the-counter decongestants like Sudafed are also effective in reducing pressure from sinusitis that causes tooth pain.
We hope the information above helps you better understand how to recognize and properly manage toothaches. For any questions regarding oral health, please contact My Auris Dental via hotline 0906038017 for quick and professional advice and support.
