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Looking for a caring and professional dental practice? We’re excited to welcome new patients to our clinic! Whether you’re due for a check-up, need treatment, or are looking to enhance your smile, our friendly team is here to help.
Contact us today to book your first appointment—we look forward to meeting you!

Toothache

A toothache is a pain in or around a tooth. Minor toothaches can come from a temporary gum irritation which may be treated at home. More serious toothaches are caused by dental and mouth problems that are more difficult and will need to be treated by a dentist.

Possible causes of toothache can include:

  • Tooth decay
  • Abscessed tooth
  • A cracked or damaged tooth
  • A loose or broken filling
  • An infection – this often happens when a tooth (such as a wisdom tooth) has broken the skin, but does not have enough room to fully come through
  • Problems with your braces
  • Repetitive motions, such as chewing gum or grinding teeth
  • Infected gums

Symptoms of a toothache may include:

  • Tooth pain that may be sharp, throbbing, or constant. In some people, pain results only when pressure is applied to the tooth.
  • Swelling around the tooth
  • Fever or headache
  • Foul-tasting drainage from the infected tooth

When should I see a dentist about a toothache?

See your dentist as soon as possible about your toothache if:

  • You have a toothache that lasts longer than 1 or 2 days
  • Your toothache is severe
  • You have a fever, earache, or pain upon opening your mouth wide

As with any teeth problems, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms it's important to book an appointment at Titchfield Dental Health to see a dentist as soon as possible, rather than waiting for routine dental health review.

How will the dentist treat my toothache?

Your Titchfield Dental Health dentist will need to examine you, and possibly take x-rays, in order to identify the cause of your toothache. Once this has been identified, they will conduct any temporary treatment to relieve your pain and advise if further treatment is required to address the underlying issue.

Possible treatments may include:

  • If a cavity is causing the toothache, your dentist will fill the cavity or take the tooth out, if necessary.
  • A root canal (a procedure to remove and replace infected pulp with sealing material) may be needed if the cause of the toothache is an infection of the tooth's nerve. Bacteria that have worked their way into the inner space of the root of the tooth cause infection.
  • An antibiotic may be prescribed if there is fever or swelling of the jaw.
  • A small piece of food (like a popcorn hull) can get stuck under the gums causing an infection. In this instance, a deep cleaning may be performed or recommended followed by further periodontal (gum) therapy if necessary.

Preventing toothache

Since most toothaches are the result of tooth decay, following good oral hygiene practices can prevent toothaches. Good oral hygiene practices consist of brushing regularly with a fluoride-containing toothpaste, flossing once daily, rinsing once or twice a day with an antiseptic mouthwash, and seeing your Titchfield Dental Health dentist regularly for professional cleaning and reviews. In addition to these practices, eat foods low in sugar and ask your dentist about sealants and fluoride applications.

How do I treat a toothache at home?

For temporary relief of a toothache, the following can be followed at home:

  • Avoid extremes of temperature, such as hot drinks or very cold foods like ice cream
  • Avoid sugary or acidic foods, especially sweets or fizzy drinks, even diet ones, as these can aggravate the pain
  • Eat soft foods, like yoghurt or scrambled eggs, and try to avoid chewing with the sore tooth
  • Take over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol
  • Use an over-the-counter anaesthetic gel, for example Orajel, which you can buy in a pharmacy, to help relieve the pain
  • Continue to brush and floss your teeth as thoroughly as possible, and rub toothpaste directly onto the sore tooth or area
  • Rinse with warm saltwater. Salt water can loosen debris between your teeth, act as a disinfectant and reduce inflammation. Stir a ½ teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water and rinse your mouth thoroughly.
  • Use mouthwash suitable for gum problems, such as Corsodyl or Peroxyl, from your local pharmacy
  • Massage the gum around the tooth to help ease pain
  • Use cloves or cotton wool to place clove oil over the painful tooth or area of the mouth. You can buy cloves in supermarkets
  • Keep your head elevated at night. Lying down can increase blood pressure in the tooth and cause pain
  • Keep the area cold by using a cool pack or frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel. Apply this to your cheek. Don’t apply ice directly to the tooth as this can increase pain and damage the tissue

If you have any toothache or discomfort, contact Titchfield Dental Health in Southampton as soon as possible. Give us a call on 01489 581158.

Patient Reviews

People are talking about us

The biggest complement we receive is when our patients refer their friends and family to Titchfield Dental Health. In fact, we have built much of our practice on these valued, trusted recommendations over the years. Read our reviews to hear why our patients are recommending us…

Patient reviews

834 Reviews

5.0

13th September 2025

The friendliness of the staff and how they put an anxious patient at ease, with their calm informative approach. Anya made me feel safe. I could raise my hand at anytime for a break, the treatment was unrushed. The outcome exceeded my expectations.

DF

Dave Fryer

Amazing treatment from Anya and Jenny today. I’m an extremely anxious patient but they both make me feel safe, with an appropriate use of humour to lighten my tense feelings. Thank you

12th September 2025

Linda was fantastic she listened to what I wanted and the results are perfect.

12th September 2025

All staff treated me with care and respect

12th September 2025

Always so patient friendly and understanding

9th September 2025

Always friendly and helpful. They explain things in layman's terms so I easily understand what is happening. They also fully explain the cost and send me an email to confirm what we have agreed.

5th September 2025

Ruth always listens and understands any concerns I might have. Always very gentle and caring.

3rd September 2025

The dentists always take their time to examine and explain everything to you. The reception team are very welcoming and helpful.

29th August 2025

The whole team, from the reception staff to the dental nurse, dentist and hygienist where friendly and welcoming. Each one in turn explained in detail what procedures they were going to be doing using language which I could understand and relate to. As soon as you walk into the practice there is a very calm atmosphere and it is carried throughout by all the staff that I have had the pleasure of meeting.

AA

AlanHandley Alan

My experience so far with attending Titchfield Dental Health is one of complete satisfaction. All of the staff are friendly, nice and caring and highly professional, in my experience. Also, there is never any pressure felt to take any particular treatment, as they seem to care most about you receiving the right treatment where needed and only if recommending a treatment is necessary for your wellbeing or in the case of cosmetic reasons there is also never any pressure, just advice and options. My thanks to Rick Norton today for sorting an ongoing traumatised tooth of mine. I wasn't expecting it to be that easy but I am now pain free. Thank you Rick.

AW

Amanda Wright

A brilliant dentists, from the friendly reception staff who make you feel like an old friend, to the fantastic dental nurses and finally the super dentists. Have had 3 dental implants and they all went really well, no issues at all, in fact was traipsing round London two days after the last one with no bother at all. Great place and have been a patient there for more years than I now care to remember…

26th August 2025

Professional, pleasant and I feel quite happy there.

LO

Lorraine Oade

This is by far the best dental practice I have been to. As someone who has always had a fear of the dentist, I am always made to feel welcome and safe. Anya takes extra care to make me feel comfortable and relaxed. I have recently had braces and the results are amazing, I am super happy with everything. Anya and Jenny have made the whole experience a positive one for me. And Ruth has taken extra care and time to make me feel more comfortable when I’m in my hygienist appointment. Thank you so much to the whole team for continuing to make my visits to the practice positive ones

21st August 2025

Ruth is so lovely. She always makes me feel comfortable. She's super friendly and chatty and I always come away from my appointment with her satisfied

21st August 2025

Staff very polite and understanding.,service was excellent

20th August 2025

First time meeting Anya. Really very professional - explained everything clearly and made sure I knew what was happening all the way through the procedure, with clear commentary. Also really very sympathetic to the fact that I am a nervous patient and went to great efforts to keep me informed and calm.A great effort also made to make sure that I got a good outcome, with so much care place on checking and testing to see if all was ok - really very patient and helpful. Very satisfied with the results as well.

16th August 2025

Very understanding of nervous patients. Very kind and always gave explanations. Able to have a break in treatment if needed.

15th August 2025

Professional , courteous, made me feel valued and less anxious.

15th August 2025

Always listened to and reassured with any treatment that is needed. Very understanding with nervous patients

14th August 2025

Welcomg warm friendly, took time to explain what treatment I needed and why. They also gave guidance of what to do to prevent problems in the future. Very helpful. I have only joined this practice this year and have already recommended to other friends and family.

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