Emergency dental symptoms
Jaw pain or earache from a tooth: how to tell what is causing it
The jaw, the ear and the back teeth share one nerve, which is why a tooth can ache in your ear and a jaw joint can feel like toothache. Working out which is which is the first job.
Clinically reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, Principal Dentist · GDC 301711 · Last reviewed April 2026
Tooth, joint or something else: the usual causes
One nerve, the lower branch of the trigeminal, serves the lower teeth, the jaw joint, the chewing muscles and part of the ear. Signals from all of them arrive at the brain along the same trunk line, and the brain is not always sure which station they set off from. That is the whole explanation for earache from a molar, and for jaw joint pain that feels like a tooth. An infected lower wisdom tooth is one of the commonest causes of earache in an adult whose eardrum looks perfectly normal.
A wisdom tooth coming through.
An abscessed lower molar.
A cracked molar.
The jaw joint and muscles.
Not the mouth at all.
A rule of thumb: tooth pain is set off by hot, cold or biting on one tooth, and throbs at night. Joint pain is set off by opening or chewing, clicks, is tender in front of the ear, and is worst in the morning. And a tooth never changes your hearing; an ear infection often does.
Jaw pain that should not wait
This week.
Same day.
A&E or 999.
Resting the jaw and easing the pain today
- Ibuprofen and paracetamol as directed on the packet, together if you can take both. Ibuprofen is the more useful of the two for an inflamed joint or gum flap.
- Soft food in small pieces, nothing chewy, no gum, and support your chin with a hand when you yawn.
- For joint or muscle pain, a warm flannel over the joint and cheek for ten minutes a few times a day. For pain with swelling from a tooth, do the opposite: no heat on the face, as it draws the infection outwards.
- If a wisdom tooth is the culprit, rinse with warm salt water or a chlorhexidine mouthwash and clean gently under the gum flap with a soft brush to flush out trapped food.
- Keep your teeth apart during the day: lips together, teeth apart, tongue resting on the roof of the mouth. Clenching is usually unconscious.
More ideas are in our guide to temporary fixes before your appointment.
Working out where jaw pain is coming from
The emergency examination is £30 including X-rays and takes about 15 minutes. We ask what sets the pain off and when it is worst, then feel the joint in front of each ear while you open and close, listening for clicks and measuring how wide you can open. We press the chewing muscles in the cheek and temple for tenderness, look at the wisdom teeth and the gum around them, tap each lower back tooth, cold-test them, and use a bite test if a crack is possible. A digital X-ray shows infection at a root tip, the position of a wisdom tooth and the outline of the joint. When the picture is still unclear, numbing the suspect tooth with local anaesthetic settles it: if the earache vanishes while the tooth is numb, the tooth is the source. If everything dental is normal, we say so and point you to your GP rather than treat a healthy tooth.
Treatments for dental jaw pain
- Wisdom tooth gum flap. The space under the flap is washed out with saline or chlorhexidine and a soothing dressing placed. If the upper wisdom tooth is biting down on the flap, it is smoothed or removed. Once the infection has settled, the lower wisdom tooth is usually taken out (£350–£450) so it cannot happen again. Antibiotics are added only if the infection is spreading into the face or throat, or you have a fever.
- Abscessed molar. Drained the same visit: stage 1 of an emergency root canal (from £200) if the tooth is worth keeping, or an extraction (£120–£260) if it is not.
- Cracked molar. A crown to hold the tooth together.
- Joint and muscle pain. Rest, soft diet and ibuprofen for a couple of weeks, gentle stretching exercises, and a night guard if you grind. Persistent joint problems are referred to a specialist.
Fees are agreed in writing before treatment. Visits after 6pm on weekdays and at weekends carry an additional out-of-hours charge.
| Treatment | Fee (from) |
|---|---|
| Emergency examination including X-rays | £30 |
| Irrigation and dressing of a wisdom tooth gum flap | priced at the visit |
| Emergency root canal stage 1 | £200 |
| Extraction | £120–£260 |
| Wisdom tooth extraction | £350–£450 |
| Sedation | £200 per session |
When it is more than a dental problem
Jaw pain that comes on with exertion and eases with rest can be angina; with chest tightness, breathlessness or sweating it needs a 999 call, not a dentist. In people over 50, jaw pain on chewing with a new headache, a tender scalp or blurred vision can be inflammation of the arteries of the head, which can cost you your sight within days if untreated; go to A&E. An earache with fever, discharge or hearing loss is an ear infection for your GP. Out of hours, NHS 111 can advise, and our own emergency line is answered overnight by Dr Ijaz.
Questions, answered
Common questions
Why does my ear hurt if there is no ear infection?
Because the lower back teeth and the ear share the same nerve, and the brain can misplace the signal. A wisdom tooth, an abscessed molar or a cracked tooth are the usual reasons for earache with a normal eardrum. Your hearing stays normal, which is the giveaway.
Will antibiotics fix jaw pain from a tooth?
Not on their own. A wisdom tooth flap needs cleaning out, and an abscess needs draining; antibiotics are only added when the infection is spreading or you have a fever. Joint pain is not an infection at all, so antibiotics do nothing for it.
Can jaw pain from a tooth infection become serious?
Yes. Infection from a lower molar or wisdom tooth can spread under the jaw and towards the throat. Difficulty swallowing, difficulty opening your mouth, swelling under the chin or a fever mean it is spreading and you should be seen the same day, or go to A&E if swallowing or breathing is affected.
Is my jaw pain a wisdom tooth?
If you are between about 17 and 25, the pain is at the back corner of the lower jaw, it hurts to swallow and open wide, and there is a bad taste, very probably. An X-ray shows the position of the tooth and whether it can come through or needs removing.
How do I know if jaw pain is the joint rather than a tooth?
Joint pain sits just in front of the ear, clicks or grinds when you open, is worse in the morning and after chewing, and no single tooth is tender. Tooth pain is set off by hot, cold or biting on one tooth and throbs at night. The examination separates them in a few minutes.
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