I have a toothache.
mal di DEN-ti — 'denti' is the plural of 'dente' (tooth). The 'e' is open and clear.
The first phrase to say when calling a dentist or arriving at the studio. It signals urgency and will usually get you a faster appointment.
'Mal di denti' follows the classic 'mal di' + body part pattern. 'Denti' is plural (teeth) even though the pain might be in one tooth — Italians say 'mal di denti' not 'mal di dente'. If one specific tooth hurts you can say 'mi fa male questo dente' while pointing.
Mi fa male un dente.
A tooth is hurting me.
Use when pointing to a specific tooth
Ho un dolore fortissimo al dente del giudizio.
I have a very strong pain in my wisdom tooth.
'Dente del giudizio' — wisdom tooth, literally 'tooth of judgement'
Mi si è rotto un dente.
I broke a tooth.
Report a broken tooth — usually gets an urgent appointment
Dental care ('cure dentistiche') is largely private in Italy — it is one of the least covered areas of the SSN. Public dental care exists but is mostly for children, pensioners with low income, and certain vulnerable categories. Most Italians pay out of pocket or use dental insurance. Private dentist visits in Italy typically cost €50–100 for a check-up and more for treatments.