Symptoms
Common dental symptoms — and what they mean
Straight triage for the most common dental symptoms. What's happening, when to wait and when to call today, and how each gets treated — honestly, no upsells.
Tooth pain
Most toothaches signal decay that has reached the nerve, a cracked tooth, or an infected gum. Paracetamol plus ibuprofen alternated every 3 hours controls the pain while you book. Do not ignore it — untreated pulp infection turns into an abscess within days.
ReadBleeding gums
Bleeding when you brush or floss is not normal. It almost always means gum inflammation (gingivitis) that is reversible with one or two professional cleanings. Ignored, it progresses into bone loss (periodontitis) that is not reversible.
ReadSensitive teeth
Sharp pain with cold water, air, or sweet food means exposed dentine. Five real causes — gum recession, acid erosion, cracks, grinding, or recent whitening. A sensitivity toothpaste helps mildly; the cause itself needs a dentist.
ReadBad breath
Persistent bad breath (halitosis) usually comes from one of four places: tongue coating (60% of cases), gum disease pockets, dry mouth, or non-oral issues like sinusitis or GERD. Mouthwash masks for 20 minutes; a proper diagnosis actually fixes it.
ReadChipped or cracked tooth
A small chip is cosmetic only and can wait a few days. A crack that hurts on biting needs urgent attention — cracks spread and can turn a savable tooth into an extraction in weeks. A broken tooth exposing pink or red tissue is an emergency.
ReadMissing tooth (replacement options)
Three credible options: implant (best long-term, OMR 400-650 per tooth), bridge (OMR 450-750 for 3-unit), removable partial (OMR 180-350). Over 20 years the implant is usually the cheapest of the three despite its higher day-one price.
ReadYellow or stained teeth
Yellowing from karak, coffee, tea, or smoking is surface staining — professional cleaning + in-clinic whitening removes 90%. Tetracycline-induced grey or deeply intrinsic staining won't whiten and needs veneers. Genetics sets your baseline; most "white teeth" you see are enhanced.
ReadCrooked or crowded teeth
Crowded or crooked teeth are usually fixable at any age. Invisalign works for 80% of adult cases (OMR 1,500-2,500). Braces handle the complex 20%. Short-term "quick-fix" aligner ads are usually cosmetic-only and cause long-term bite problems — avoid.
ReadGum recession
Gums have pulled back, exposing tooth roots. Causes: hard brushing (40% of cases), periodontal disease, grinding, or genetics. Recession doesn't reverse by itself — early action (soft-brushing retraining, cleaning, bonding) prevents further loss; advanced cases need gum grafts.
ReadDental anxiety
Dental anxiety affects 30% of adults — it's normal, not weakness. Modern clinics handle it with tell-show-do for mild cases, nitrous oxide ("laughing gas") for moderate, and conscious IV sedation for severe phobia. You don't have to push through panic.
ReadSwollen gums or abscess
Sudden gum swelling — especially with pain, pus, or fever — usually means a dental abscess. This needs same-day treatment. Do NOT wait it out: untreated abscess spreads into the jaw, neck, and bloodstream. We see emergency swellings without an appointment.
ReadLoose tooth
An adult tooth that's visibly mobile is always a clinical problem. Causes range from advanced gum disease (most common) to trauma, grinding, or a vertical root fracture. Stabilisation sometimes possible; sometimes the tooth is past saving. Book within a few days.
ReadMouth ulcers
Most mouth ulcers heal in 7-10 days on their own. See a dentist if: an ulcer lasts more than 3 weeks, appears in the same spot repeatedly, bleeds, or sits under a rough filling or denture. Recurrent ulcers can signal nutritional deficiency or Behçet's disease.
ReadJaw clicking or TMJ pain
Jaw clicking without pain is common (40% of adults) and usually doesn't need treatment. Clicking WITH pain, locking, or morning jaw soreness is TMJ disorder — muscular, disc-related, or arthritic. 60% resolve with two weeks of soft diet + jaw rest. Persistent cases need a nightguard.
ReadCavity (tooth decay)
A cavity is a hole in the tooth caused by bacteria. Caught early (visible on X-ray but no pain) it's a 20-minute filling costing OMR 30-55. Left alone it reaches the nerve and needs a root canal (OMR 170-220) plus crown (OMR 160-280). The difference between the two states is usually 6-12 months.
ReadWisdom tooth pain
Wisdom tooth pain usually means one of three things: the tooth is coming through and the gum above it is inflamed (pericoronitis), it's impacted at an angle pushing the second molar, or it has decay you can't clean. Not every wisdom tooth needs extraction — but a painful one usually does.
ReadDry mouth
Persistent dry mouth (xerostomia) is not trivial — it accelerates decay, gum disease, and bad breath by removing saliva's protective role. Common causes: medications (blood-pressure, antihistamines, antidepressants), mouth-breathing at night, dehydration, diabetes, or radiation therapy. Diagnosis first; then targeted fix.
ReadDry socket (after extraction)
Severe throbbing pain 3-5 days after a tooth extraction, after the first two days had been improving, is classic dry socket — the blood clot dislodged and bone is exposed. Not serious, but needs a same-day visit for a medicated dressing. Heals in 5-7 days once treated.
ReadTeeth grinding (bruxism)
Most people who grind don't know they do — it happens in sleep. Signs: morning jaw soreness, headaches at the temples, flattened tooth tips, or a partner hearing the grinding at night. A custom nightguard (OMR 80-150) prevents the damage. Ignored, it costs you cracked teeth, receding gums, and eventually restorative work worth thousands.
ReadBlack spot or dark line on a tooth
A black spot or dark line on a tooth is almost always decay — usually deeper than it looks on the surface. A small visible black pit can correspond to a cavity that's already reached the dentine. Get it checked; waiting 6-12 months typically turns a OMR 40 filling into a OMR 400 root-canal-plus-crown.
ReadGap between teeth (diastema)
A gap between front teeth (diastema) is cosmetic in most cases but can also be caused by a low lip-tie (labial frenum), missing teeth, or bite misalignment. Fixable three ways: composite bonding (OMR 55-95/tooth, same visit, reversible), Invisalign (OMR 1,500-2,500, 4-9 months), or porcelain veneers (OMR 180-280/tooth, permanent).
ReadPimple or bump on gums
A persistent pimple on the gum — often draining pus when pressed — is usually a dental fistula: the body's pressure-relief valve for a tooth infection deeper in the bone. The pimple itself is not the problem; the dying or dead tooth pulp behind it is. Needs X-ray assessment within days.
ReadMetallic taste in mouth
A persistent metallic taste can come from active gum disease (most common dental cause), certain medications (metformin, some antibiotics, antihistamines), sinus infection, acid reflux, pregnancy, or amalgam filling corrosion. A dental exam rules dental causes in or out in 15 minutes; if clean, the next stop is your GP.
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