Diagnosis and management of dental pain or infection

Diagnosis and management of caries-related dental pain or infection in a child with no medical complications

This flowchart illustrates the process to diagnose the cause of dental pain for a child with no medical complications and to determine a suitable management strategy. An accessible version is available and the flowchart is also included in the downloadable Guidance in Brief.

^† Antibiotics should only be prescribed if there is evidence of spreading infection (swelling, cellulitis, lymph node involvement) or systemic involvement (fever, malaise). 
* Refer to the SDCEP Drug Prescribing for Dentistry guidance. 
Abbreviations: RCT Root canal therapy; GA General anaesthesia.

Note: each patient should receive an oral health assessment which may be carried out before or after diagnosis and management of pain, depending on its severity.