What Are The Causes Of Toothaches?
Whether the toothache pain is minor or severe, you should always have a dentist diagnose its underlying cause as soon as possible. In most cases, a rigorous oral hygiene routine will prevent toothaches or discomfort. However, many potential factors can cause tooth or gum pain, including the following
Cavity/Tooth Decay
Though cavities often happen gradually, pain can occur suddenly. You need to have this taken care of quickly so the decay does not grow out of control, and prompt treatment may actually be able to help prevent an infection from developing.
Grinding, Trauma or Injury
You might grind your teeth, wear them down, or you might sustain an injury from a blow to the face, but it doesn't matter because it's going to hurt either way, and you should not ignore it. Your dentist may recommend treating it with a filling, crown or bonding.
Grinding may also cause tooth sensitivity issues. Ask your dentist for tips on how to break this harmful habit.
Wisdom Teeth
When wisdom teeth become impacted, they often become quite painful due to the pressure the inflict on the surrounding teeth, or infection. Impacted wisdom teeth can also lead to secondary issues including tooth damage and crowding if there isn’t enough space for them to erupt properly.
Abscessed Tooth
Bacterial infections may lead to pockets filled with pus. This not only creates painful sensitivity, but can also develop into a more serious, or even life-threatening, condition.
Gum Disease
Gum disease (periodontal disease) can range from early stage (gingivitis) to moderate and severe. In the early stages, your dentist may treat your gingivitis with a procedure called scaling and root planing – the process of removing plaque buildup from the gum line.
For a more urgent case that’s progressed to severe gum disease, you may need a root canal, antibiotics, and/or surgery.
Other Potential Causes
We should note that some people experience temporary tooth sensitivity, which doesn’t necessarily indicate a serious problem.
Using toothpaste made for sensitive teeth may help. You should also attempt to avoid eating extremely hot or cold food and drinks until the sensitivity goes away.
If you notice persistent sensitivity lasting for more than a couple of days, this might indicate more serious concerns like gum recession which requires dental intervention.
There are also times the issue that’s causing your tooth pain may lie outside your mouth. Viral or sinus infections, vitamin deficiencies, headaches or colds may cause symptoms similar to what you might feel with a toothache.
It is always worth contacting your dentist any time you have tooth pain because ignoring or even misdiagnosing yourself can have serious health consequences. Most often, dental pain does not stop on its own.
What Helps Tooth Pain?
To relieve tooth pain, the first thing you should do is contact your dentist and make an appointment so they can diagnose the true cause of the issue and provide treatment.
While you wait for your dental appointment there are a few things you can do to ease some discomfort while you wait. Apply an ice pack or take an over-the-counter pain medication to reduce pain and inflammation. In some cases, a saltwater rinse can also help soothe and relieve tooth pain.