Dear Doctor,

My molar tooth was removed recently due to cavities, but I experience very bad headaches. Are these headaches a result of this? How best can I deal with this pain?

Arlete

Dear Arlete,

Toothache can cause pain not only over the site of the tooth extraction but also over the head. This occurs because of nerves are shared between the two parts. Other than teeth, having a defect on the eyes, ears, nose or any part of the face can also cause severe headache. The dental extraction may have caused some inflammation or infection. If fever has occurred subsequently, this will augment the headache.

Treatment of this headache in your case will go along with treatment of the underlying cause. If there is infection following the dental extraction, antibiotic and anti inflammatory drugs are needed. Local cold compression and antiseptic mouth washes or astringent lotions, among others, may also be useful. If pain is severe, using an opiod analgesic will be beneficial.

It is also advisable to do a check-up for diabetes by measuring blood glucose because high blood glucose levels increase susceptibility to infection at site of dental extraction and subsequent inflammation. That can cause persistent pain over that site or headache.

Dr Rachna Pande  is a specialist in internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hospital