Immediately after the withdrawal, McIlroy cited wisdom tooth pain as the cause.

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The analysis showed that the tooth was filled with beeswax, likely to alleviate the pain of chewing on a cracked tooth, providing what could be the earliest known direct evidence of a therapeutic dental filling.

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Later that month, he controversially walked off the course at the Honda Classic in Florida, saying both that his wisdom tooth was causing pain and that he was frustrated by a flaw in his swing.

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Symptoms of acute sinusitis include nasal congestion and obstruction, nasal discharge, tooth discomfort and facial pain or pressure that is worse when bending forward.

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Lasers use a light beam to cut away tooth decay before filling cavities, resulting in less vibration and pain than traditional drills, says Barry Jacobson, a pediatric dentist at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

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Left untreated, what's termed "early dental caries" -- the first stage of tooth decay -- can destroy tiny teeth and lead to infection, pain, and lifelong consequences.

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Dr Evans said one of the attractions of the Hall technique is that it involves no injections, caries removal or tooth preparation of any kind and, therefore, involves a minimum of pain and intrusion.

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Even as the tooth is being cut, it never gets hot, and there is little pain.

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