Do your teeth ever hurt? If so, you’re not alone. Many people experience tooth pain and tooth sensitivity, and the symptoms can range from mild to severe. But don’t worry—there is a solution to tooth pain symptoms! This blog post will discuss the top 12 reasons for toothaches and how to fix them.
1. Cavities
Cavities are the bane of a healthy mouth and can be highly painful if left untreated. Occurring when bacteria makes its way through your tooth’s enamel and into the softer layers below – leading to a hole in the tooth – cavities can lead to more serious, and sometimes costly, oral health problems.
Cavities can be agonizing, but the good news is that they are highly treatable! Although they are common, they don’t have to persist, as many can get tooth pain relief with a quick trip to the dentist!
Dentists often recommend fillings and crowns to restore your tooth’s integrity and health, ultimately preventing further damage and stopping you from experiencing tooth pain. Many people have gone in for these simple procedures with dental pain and discomfort and come out feeling instant relief!
It should be noted that cavities not caught early on can lead to more complex dental issues and other symptoms that are often worse than normal tooth pain, so it’s essential to get yourself checked by your dentist or dental hygienist as soon as possible.
A cavity isn’t something anyone wants, but it doesn’t have to bring about panic or discomfort; regular checks with your dentist should help ensure that any cavities that develop are caught early on so you can maintain your teeth’s brilliance for years to come!
2. Dental Decay
Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria and acid that builds up on the teeth and causes them to break down, weakening the teeth over time and leading to cavities, chronic pain, and swollen gums. If a cavity isn’t treated early on, the tooth decay can spread and grow deeper into your tooth, eventually reaching the nerve and making the pain worse.
If tooth decay is detected during an oral exam, treatment typically consists of removing the infected pulp inside of your tooth, cleaning the affected area, and restoring it through fillings or crowns, which helps limit further damage from occurring due to a bacterial infection.
Tooth decay is one of the most common dental problems, often caused by poor oral hygiene. Tooth decay can cause significant damage to your smile if left untreated, up to and including tooth loss. Luckily there are ways you can protect yourself from it – practice good oral hygiene habits and visit your dentist’s office for regular check-ups.
Regular brushing and flossing are essential in preventing tooth decay, as plaque buildup can easily be avoided with proper oral care. If you prefer to skip flossing when you brush your teeth, start doing so at least once a day, as it can make all the difference in preventing dental decay. Additionally, the American Dental Association recommends regular visits to your general dentistry office for professional cleanings to ensure that any decaying areas are addressed before they grow out of control.
3. Gum Disease
Proper oral hygiene is essential to overall health, but it can be hard to know where to begin. Bacteria and food stuck in your teeth that are not correctly removed from your mouth can lead to gum disease, a major cause of sensitivity and pain throughout your teeth.
Gum disease can make gums shrink, recede, or even cause your teeth to loosen up and become more prone to decay. The bacteria present in gum disease can also spread into other areas of the mouth, such as the throat and lungs, leading to other symptoms and serious health problems, including pneumonia and other respiratory issues.
You can ensure you don’t experience this challenge by brushing and flossing regularly, creating a battle plan to keep bacteria at bay. However, this doesn’t guarantee that you will never have an issue with gum disease. Making regular visits to see your local dentist for professional cleanings or, if necessary, laser therapy can help safeguard against potential problems and ensure peace of mind going forward.
4. Jaw Misalignment
Jaw misalignment can be a painful issue that affects tooth structure, leading to toothache and other problems. In addition, the misalignment of the jaw at the temporomandibular joint can lead to various symptoms, including headaches, jaw pain, and even earache.
In some cases, jaw misalignment causes a shift in tooth support resulting in toothaches that can hinder everyday activities. Suppose your jaw is misaligned due to an injury or genetics. In that case, it can put pressure on specific areas of your mouth, causing pain in those areas.
An orthodontist visit is key to properly diagnosing and treating tooth pain caused by the jaw joint, as they specialize in correcting misalignments. During the visit, the orthodontist will take the necessary steps to get your jaw back in alignment. Depending on the severity of the condition, braces or other treatments may be recommended to restore proper jaw alignment so you can go about your life free from tooth-aching pain and discomfort in your gums.
Even the slightest adjustments in pressure on specific areas of your mouth could cause immense amounts of toothache, so seeking the treatment of a dental professional should be a priority to eliminate pain.
5. Grinding Teeth
Grinding your teeth while sleeping can be a painful habit to kick. Not only because it disrupts your sleep but because tooth pain and sensitivity are common symptoms of this behavior, along with jaw pain, headaches, and fatigue. If you have a habit of grinding your teeth while sleeping, it can lead to worn-down enamel on your teeth, making them sensitive and painful over time. This issue is often referred to as bruxism.
To protect your tooth enamel and reduce tooth pain, addressing grinding habits that may occur during sleep is crucial. Wearing a mouth guard specifically designed for tooth grinding is vital to saving your teeth’s enamel and mitigating existing tooth pain for improved oral health. The night guard provides a cushion to protect teeth from the extra wear and tear associated with tooth grinding and should be worn every night to naturally relieve pain associated with the habit by getting to the root cause of why your teeth hurt. A night guard also decreases the intensity of any existing tooth pain caused by enamel abrasions from excessive grinding.
6. Infection
Toothaches can be extremely painful and uncomfortable, but did you know that they can often be a sign of infection? Many of us have experienced tooth pain and discomfort that may have been the result of an infected tooth. Wisdom teeth are often a culprit of infection, as they tend to grow in at an awkward angle that can be difficult to keep clean and free from bacteria.
A dental infection occurs when bacteria enters into one of the roots of a tooth or between two adjacent teeth leading it to become inflamed and cause tooth pain. This type of infection is dangerous and should not be taken lightly – it can cause pain, tooth decay, root canals, and other forms of serious damage if left untreated.
When your tooth hurts, the best course of action is to see your dentist for a physical exam immediately. Usually, antibiotics prescribed by a dentist are enough to treat this infection; however, surgery may be necessary in extreme cases if the bacteria causes severe damage. If pain persists once you’ve completed the antibiotics, call your dentist.
Taking steps to prevent tooth infections can help ensure that more serious treatments by a dental professional aren’t necessary – such as brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing regularly, and visiting your dentist for regular checkups. Don’t put off taking care of your oral health if you’re experiencing tooth pain – with the proper treatment; you’ll be feeling much better before you know it!
7. Trauma
Experiencing trauma to the mouth due to an accident or sports injury may leave soreness in one or more of your teeth. Whether you see that you have a broken tooth or a cracked tooth or not, if you are feeling a sharp pain in your tooth, it is important to have a professional evaluate the tooth’s condition.
Depending upon the location, the soreness may be severe enough that restorative treatments such as root canal therapy become necessary. This type of treatment can help repair any cellular damage within the tooth, provide relief from sharp pain or general soreness, and is a much less invasive approach than extraction for dealing with trauma-related soreness due to a damaged tooth.
8. Dental Work
Nobody likes to experience ongoing pain from dental treatments. But, unfortunately, even the slightest imbalance can cause a world of hurt when it comes to our mouths. Even with state-of-the-art crowns, bridges, dentures, and veneers – if they don’t fit perfectly, it can lead to persistent discomfort and severe pain.
Poorly fitting crowns, bridges, dentures, veneers, etc., can all cause irritation and sharp pain when placed next to the natural structure of our mouth’s bones and tissues. Visiting a dentist regularly will ensure that any newly installed dental work sits properly within our mouths without causing unnecessary tooth pain.
9. Tooth Sensitivity
People who suffer from sensitive teeth may experience sharp pains when consuming cold foods or beverages due to changes in temperature affecting nerve endings within our mouths. Tooth pain and sensitivity can be a nuisance, and it is vital to treat them due to the potential for more serious dental problems.
Studies have shown that tooth sensitivity affects a large majority of the population and can be quite distracting and painful. To counter tooth sensitivity, fluoride toothpaste specifically designed for those with sensitive teeth can help reduce the intensity of tooth pain and minimize its occurrence. However, it may take some time to achieve results. Still, regular use of the right toothpaste can make a significant difference for sufferers of tooth pain due to general sensitivity in the long run.
10. Sinus Issues
Sinus issues can often cause pain in our mouths. Sinus infections and pressure buildup within the sinuses create discomfort around the jaw and teeth, which can be quite debilitating. Sometimes this pressure and swelling can cause tooth pain around wisdom teeth, molars, and other teeth.
If you are experiencing any sort of toothache or pain accompanied by nasal congestion, it may be wise to see a dentist for proper diagnosis and treatment. A sinus infection should be taken seriously, as it can significantly affect your dental health if left untreated. Treating your sinus infection promptly with antibiotics or other treatments prescribed by your doctor can help prevent tooth pain from getting worse.
11. A Cracked Tooth
Cracked teeth can occur due to biting down on something hard or even chewing on something challenging like ice cubes which puts too much pressure on one particular tooth, causing it to crack or fracture over time. Wisdom teeth are known to be particularly vulnerable to cracking, but it could happen anywhere. To fix cracked teeth, you must visit your dentist, who can repair them with a composite filling or a crown. Depending on the severity of the crack, your dentist may refer you to a specialist for more complex treatments like root canal therapy.
At any rate, it is important that you have your cracked teeth looked at by a professional as soon as possible to prevent further damage and potential infection. Taking care of the problem now can save you from painful and costly procedures in the long run.
12. Abscessed Tooth
An abscessed tooth can be a harrowing experience, making it difficult or close to impossible to enjoy the simple pleasure of a hot or cold beverage. Bacteria builds up in and around a single tooth, causing infection, swelling, and tooth pain that only worsens without proper treatment. Not only does this inhibit your ability to consume food and drink due to the sensitivity of the infected area. An abscess can be caused by a cavity, a tooth fracture, or even food particles stuck between teeth.
Left untreated, this can lead to further health concerns, much more permanent than a toothache and the pain it brings, like bone and tissue loss, which can be extremely difficult to reverse. The good news is that it’s possible to treat abscessed teeth with time and dental care from a knowledgeable medical professional who can help eliminate the pain from your life. If you expect an abscess causes your toothache, call your dentist for an appointment right away.
Don’t Just Accept the Pain, Be Proactive!
Toothaches do not have to be something that you just have to accept; there are many different causes for these irritating aches, ranging from cavities all the way up to complex medical issues like bruxism! Having an idea of what kind of problem you are dealing with before visiting a dental health provider will make sure that you receive fast, effective treatment so you can get back on track quickly!
With knowledge comes power: take control now by learning more about why you have toothaches and how they can be treated! Contact Patient Empowered Dentistry to schedule a consultation with our experienced and friendly dentist. We will help you identify the source of your pain so that together, we can find a personalized solution for you! Call us today at 586-771-6340!
