How to stop earache from toothache

A toothache can refer pain to the ear because the teeth and ear share sensory pathways; treating the dental cause is what stops it.

Referred pain means the painful tooth and the ear are not necessarily in the same place. Inflammation around a decayed pulp, cracked tooth, or erupting wisdom tooth can activate branches of the trigeminal nerve that the brain interprets near the ear.

Use a cold compress outside the cheek, keep the head raised, and use an over-the-counter pain reliever only as directed on its label and suitable for your health history. A dentist may test the tooth, take an X-ray, remove decay, perform root canal treatment, or remove a tooth when it cannot be restored.

Arrange prompt dental care if pain persists, returns, or is triggered by biting, heat, or cold. Seek urgent help for facial swelling, fever, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or swelling around the eye.

Ask which tooth is causing the referred pain, whether the pulp is inflamed or infected, and whether examination or an X-ray points to a filling, root canal treatment, or extraction.