There is no pain like tooth pain. It can be sudden and sharp or constant and dull or anything in between. Since your mouth is used for talking, eating, and drinking it’s not like you can just avoid using it to help the pain. The good news is that your pain might not always be something that requires dental work. The only way to know for sure is to visit your dental health provider for an exam and likely x-rays.
Common Reasons Your Teeth Hurt
This is a short list of reasons your teeth may hurt. There are so many issues that can cause tooth pain but it makes sense to start with the obvious causes.
Cavities
As described in our recent blog post, What Is A Cavity, cavities are small openings or holes that can lead to a lot of issues including tooth pain. This will typically be noticed when eating or drinking hot or cold items or eating sweets. An x-ray will need to be done to determine if you have a cavity and need a filling.
Filling Issues
Speaking of fillings sometimes they can fall out. Occasionally fillings can be damaged. When there is an issue with your filling it can lead to pain.
Injury
It may seem obvious but getting injured in a sport or accident can cause tooth pain via broken teeth, loss of teeth or even bruising and discoloring of a tooth. An injury doesn’t need to be traumatic to cause pain.
Braces
If you have had orthodontic work done (especially recently having your braces adjusted) this can cause tooth and mouth pain. Dental wax and over-the-counter pain medicine should help you with the pain associated with this, but if not contact your dental professional.
Teeth Grinding
When we are stressed, even if we don’t realize it, sometimes we will clench our jaw and grind our teeth or experience TMJ. You might not notice that you are doing this or may even be doing it in your sleep. Your teeth can become sensitive and painful from this excessive force. Your dental professional will be able to determine if you are doing this during your exam and may recommend a variety of solutions from mouth guards to seeing a massage therapist.
Abscessed Tooth
An abscessed tooth happens when there is an infection in the root of the tooth. This can be extremely painful and can also cause a bad taste in your mouth. You will need to see a dentist as soon as possible to determine if you have an infection and if you do you will need antibiotics. It is important to note that not properly dealing with a tooth abscess can lead to a worse infection.
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth typically start coming in when you are a teenager or older. Wisdom teeth can become impacted (come in sideways) and in return prevent adequate oral hygiene and can cause pain. If you are experiencing these issues you will need to have oral surgery to have your wisdom teeth removed. It is better to remove wisdom teeth at a younger age before they cause damage to your other teeth.
As we mentioned before, if you are experiencing tooth and mouth pain it is important to schedule an appointment with your dentist. Some of the above causes are more time sensitive to be taken care of than others but you should never let tooth pain go unchecked. Not only will this be a detriment to your health and happiness, it can sometimes lead to bigger issues.
If you’re experiencing tooth pain call us today to schedule an appointment.
The information on this Blog is provided for general information, is not intended to provide medical, dental or surgical advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. No dentist/patient relationship is established by your use of this Site. No diagnosis or treatment is being provided. The information contained here should be used in consultation with a dentist of your choice. No guarantees or warranties are made regarding any of the information contained within this Blog.
