Tooth pain is always terrible. No matter what’s causing the ache, a painful tooth will travel with you throughout your day, prevent you from eating and even stop you from sleeping. Left untreated, tooth pain can lead to something far more serious than the original condition. Here are some of the most common causes of tooth pain, and how a dentist can help you to repair it:
1. Cavities
Cavities and tooth decay are the most common reason that people head to the dentist chair. Tooth decay really creeps up on you, you never just wake up with it, it builds gradually over time. A cavity can easily be solved by inserting a filling into the tooth, protecting the nerve and filling the hole. Other avenues such as Fluoride treatment, crowns, root canal and tooth extraction can be necessary here.
2. Chipped tooth
A chipped tooth can lead to a bacterial infection, causing nasty tooth pain. Cracked or chipped teeth can be caused by impact trauma, eating hard foods or cavities. You might not even notice that your tooth is chipped right away but over time it will become sensitive and painful. Treatment includes getting fillings, veneers, a crown, root canal or tooth extraction in extreme cases.
3. Gum disease
Gum disease, or gingivitis, causes swollen, red painful gums and tooth pain. The first sign of gum disease is bleeding or particular sensitivity when you’re flossing and brushing your teeth. Treatment for this problem can include regular teeth cleanings, root planning and in severe cases periodontal surgery.
4. Sensitive teeth
Tooth sensitivity affects a lot of people! You’ll know that you have sensitive teeth if you’re experiencing pain or sensitivity from temperatures and you don’t have a cavity or a cracked tooth. This can happen from simple enamel erosion or from teeth grinding. Treatment can include Fluoride paste, desensitising gel, root canal and a surgical gum graft.
5. Teeth grinding
Teeth grinding can cause serious tooth and jaw pain! Grinding most commonly takes place at night, but it can also happen during the day too! This constant action wears down crown enamel and can cause some very painful tooth sensitivity. Your doctor might fit you a mouth guard to protect your teeth at night and prescribe you some relaxing activities to minimise your stress.
6. Impacted wisdom tooth
Wisdom teeth typically grow in late adolescence through to our early twenties. For a lot of people, there just isn’t enough space in our jaw to accommodate the third molars, and so the tooth attempts to grow at any angle that it can. If your wisdom teeth become impacted, they can cause major infection and serious pain. Your doctor will X-ray your mouth, the most common treatment is to have them extracted either in the dentist chair or in surgery.
7. Overbrushing
Strongly aggressive brushing and general dental care can cause sensitive, enflamed gums which then lead to tooth pain. Your gums can even recede from over-vigorous brushing, which is very serious. If you suspect you brush too hard, it’s best to visit a dentist immediately for treatment and to be shown how best to care for your teeth.
8. Damaged fillings
Sometimes fillings can get damaged, exposing the most sensitive part of the tooth to food, air and moisture, causing some major tooth pain. A dentist will check the filling and will most commonly replace it, otherwise, an infection could occur, and this would require a more serious treatment such as root canal.
You should always visit your dentist for toothache pain relief. Unfortunately, dental pain is not something that tends to disappear on its own, so always be safe and see a professional if you’re suffering.