Any traumatic injury to the gums or teeth can cause excruciating pain. In other cases, however, the underlying cause of severe pain is not obvious. Pain that comes on suddenly may be caused by particles of food that lodge in a cavity and irritate the nerve. If you lose a filling or a crown, you may feel severe pain when air or hot or cold substances hit the uncovered part of the tooth.

Pain that slowly becomes more severe over a period of time is commonly caused by debris lodged under the gum. Popcorn is a common offender. Because the hard cellulose fibers of the kernel don't break down, it can remain stuck between your gum and your tooth. The longer any substance irritates the tissue, the worse the pain gets. Should the area get infected, you could develop an infection called an abscess that can become a serious health problem if left untreated.

Pain when you bite, especially if it is accompanied by a foul odor, can be a sign of an abscess that needs immediate treatment.

What You Can Do

First, call your dentist and make an appointment.

In the interim, here are a few steps you can take at home to try to relieve some of the pain:

Take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), aspirin or another over-the-counter analgesic. However, be aware that you need to see your dentist. If you mask the pain with a painkiller and ignore it, the infection can spread and could become life threatening.

If you can tell where the pain is coming from, brush the area or flood it with warm salt water, either by swishing it around your mouth or by using an irrigation device. If the pain is caused by debris lodged in a cavity, washing the area may relieve the problem.

Floss your teeth, then run a toothpick around the gum line. This may remove debris that's lodged under the gum.

If you've lost a filling or crown, dip a cotton swab in clove oil and apply it to the exposed part of the tooth. Clove oil, available in pharmacies and supermarkets, is an effective topical anesthetic for tooth pain.

Apply an ice pack to your cheek or jaw to relieve discomfort.

What Your Dentist Will Do

Even when dental problems cause a lot of pain, the underlying problems — and the treatments — often are relatively simple if you seek treatment right away.

If you have a cavity, your dentist will clean out any debris, remove the decayed tooth structure and place a filling. Once the inner part of the tooth is protected, the pain will usually disappear immediately.

If your problem is related to debris under your gums, your dentist will use special instruments to remove the debris. If you have an infection, you may be given a prescription for antibiotics and pain medicine.

An abscess in the tooth or gum may require more extensive treatment such as root-canal therapy or tooth extraction.

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