toothache

American  

[tooth-ayk] / ˈtuθˌeɪk /

noun

• toothaches
  plural

1. a pain in or about a tooth.

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toothache British  

/ ˈtuːθˌeɪk /

noun

1. Technical name: odontalgia. a pain in or about a tooth

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• toothachy
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• toothaches
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of toothache

before 1050; Middle English tothache, Old English tōthæce, tōthece. See tooth, ache

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Explanation

A toothache is pain that you feel in your tooth or jaw, especially pain that lasts for a while. A cavity is one thing that can give you a bad toothache — so be sure to floss regularly. Breaking a tooth on a hard piece of candy, grinding your teeth at night, not going to the dentist for months, or eating too soon after dental surgery — all of these can result in a toothache. There's also the short, sharp pain of biting into something cold, which is less likely to be described as a toothache. For a true toothache, it's usually a good idea to see a dentist.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

toothache toothaches

It’s a reminder that even in something as everyday as toothache, our evolutionary history is written in our teeth, but shaped as much by modern habits as by ancient biology.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 8, 2026

I had a nagging toothache recently, and it led to an even more painful revelation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2026

It happens when a nerve is strangled by a blood vessel in the face, with it often misdiagnosed as toothache, and attacks caused by something as simple as a gust of wind.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

She said she had been exhausted and later blamed her "agonising toothache".

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2025

"All this excitement has given me a toothache!"

From "Beowulf: A New Telling" by Robert Nye

Although cavities may initially cause few noticeable symptoms, untreated decay can eventually lead to severe toothaches, infections, problems eating and sleeping, missed school days, and repeated medical appointments.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026

He may exaggerate about the toothaches, but the city routinely deploys firefighting crews to respond to 911 medical calls that could be handled by emergency medical technicians at much lower cost.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

For instance, Pliny the Elder, the ancient Roman author and philosopher, developed 27 different medical remedies using onions, ranging from curing bad vision and insomnia, to healing dysentery, mouth sores and toothaches.

From Salon ● Mar. 11, 2024

These plants—in the form of ointments, potions, or burning smoke—were prescribed for everything from earaches and toothaches to flatulence and “pains of the womb.”

From Science Magazine ● Feb. 7, 2024

There would probably be toothaches and failed math tests.

From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor

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