Why do my teeth hurt?

Symptoms:

The teeth on one side of your jaw are hurting and you have difficulty opening your jaw, when you open or close your mouth you can hear a clicking, grinding sound.

You’ve been getting headaches above your eyebrows and underneath your eyes, your forehead and cheeks are tender to the touch and your teeth ache all the time. You have a yellow nasal discharge.

You’re in your late 50s and you’re getting a severe pain in your chest going up into your teeth. The pain goes when you rest.

It could be:

TMJ syndrome (temporomandibular

joint syndrome) affecting the joint connecting the lower jaw to the skull. It can be caused by teeth grinding, misaligned teeth and rheumatoid arthritis.

Sinusitis, inflammation and/or infection of the sinuses, small cavities in the cheekbones and the bones of your forehead that give resonance to your voice.

Angina, cardiac pain due to your heart muscle going short of oxygen because of coronary artery disease. The pain can radiate up into your neck and teeth.

Stop it:

See your dentist. For teeth grinding you may have to wear a mouthguard at night or have your teeth realigned. You may also need to see your doctor to exclude rheumatoid arthritis.

Use painkillers or NSAIDs for the discomfort and nasal decongestants for drainage of your sinuses. See your doctor because you may need a course of antibiotics to stop the infection.

See your doctor immediately for a cardiac assessment and a blood pressure check. Lose some weight if you can and take some gentle exercise every day.