As insignificant as it may seem, pain in your teeth can ruin an enjoyable meal. It can be an occasional experience that occurs while eating or a continuous throbbing pain that can last for days. In some cases, the latter can affect how and what you eat, and might even disturb your sleep.
While it’s essential to know how to manage this condition, its causes and the methods to prevent it are also crucial. Stick with us as we walk you through the ins and out of toothaches.
What Are Toothaches?
A toothache is a pain you experience in or around your tooth and most often signals a problem with your teeth or gums. Although they’re usually not life-threatening, you don’t want to leave them untreated, mainly when the precipitating factor is tooth decay.
Simply put, the pain results from irritation of the nerves in the root of the tooth or those surrounding it.
Causes of Toothache
Usually, a toothache is associated with infection or decay — the most common causes. However, the pain may also occur after a new extraction procedure. Other possible factors or conditions that could trigger toothache are:
Extremely Sensitive Teeth
A healthy tooth has an intact enamel — a tough outer layer surrounding it and protecting its nerves. However, individuals who drink too many soft drinks or fruit drinks can damage their enamel because of the acid content of these drinks. This jeopardizes the middle layer of the tooth, exposing the nerve endings.
All of these culminate into a heightened tooth sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks, initiating toothaches anytime you eat. Brushing too hard is also a likely cause of enamel damage.
Teeth Grinding or Clenching
These repeated motions of the teeth can wear down the enamel and even cause a crack. Although most individuals do this subconsciously to handle stress, this action slowly (but continuously) causes damage.
When a break occurs, bacteria cling to them, and if the gap is deep enough, they infect the pulp of the tooth. Pulp infection causes the buildup of pus and subsequent tooth decay, which leads to toothache.
Teeth Emerging From Gum
When babies grow their milk teeth, they continually cry out in pain, and it’s not so different for adults who’re developing their wisdom teeth. When teeth start to push through gum, you’re likely to feel it, which can cause your gums to hurt. The pain can be as severe as that of a decaying tooth.
Referred Pain From Outside the Mouth
Pain in the teeth doesn’t only result from a problem with the tooth, like a cavity or crack. In certain conditions, like clogged or infected sinuses, pain can be transmitted to the teeth, causing a toothache. This occurs because of the close connection between the roots of the upper teeth and the sinuses.
Symptoms of Toothache
It’s quite easy to identify a toothache. Individuals who suffer from the condition are very likely to experience severe pain in their jaw. Aside from the considerable pain in the teeth, overwhelming pain can occur during exposure to hot or cold stimuli.
This pain may persist for longer than fifteen seconds after the stimuli (food or drinks) are removed. Without proper treatment, the pain can radiate to the cheek and the ear. Other symptoms of toothache include:
Swollen salivary glands
Bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth
Visible swelling of the jaw or around the teeth
Painful sensation in the teeth when chewing
Bleeding or pus discharge from the tooth or gums
Headache and fever
However, with all of that, you can easily detect the source of the ache by the decay of the teeth or redness around the gums. Also, tapping the infected tooth will cause an intense sensation of pain, which will reveal the tooth that has a problem.
Management of Toothache
In most cases, toothaches require medical attention, which a dentist offers. For the pain common with all toothaches, a dentist might administer an injection to subdue it. The dentist may also give you some antibiotics if you come down with a fever.
If the toothache occurs because of a bad tooth, and depending on the damage, it might have to be extracted. Also, if the damage isn’t so severe, the dentist may introduce a filling to cover the hole.
Root canal therapy involves cleaning out nerve and blood vessels and sealing off canals. The dentist may also introduce a permanent filling or crown based on your preference.
For causes of toothache other than jaw and teeth-related issues, treatment will depend on the original cause. In some cases, when decay or extraction affects the orientation of the teeth, transparent teeth aligners might be used to realign the teeth.
FAQ
Will a toothache resolve on its own?
Not all toothaches occur because of a problem with the teeth. So, you don’t necessarily have to see a dentist in conditions where an ache occurs because of referred pain from another location.
Moreover, pain from the gums resolves within a few days and might require some medication for the pain. Nonetheless, it’s advisable to consult a dentist if you have any issues with your teeth.
Can I treat a toothache at home?
Although not 100% guaranteed, there are several home remedies that you can try to resolve a toothache.
For a swollen or painful jaw, apply an ice pack for 20 minutes
Try some pain medication to soothe the pain
Rinse your mouth with saltwater to loosen debris between teeth
Rinse your mouth with hydrogen peroxide to reduce inflammation
If the pain persists despite these remedies, it is strongly advised that you pay a visit to a dentist.
How can I prevent a toothache?
Most of the time, toothaches occur because of poor oral hygiene. Although it’s not always the cause, practicing good oral hygiene will help prevent toothaches. These may include brushing regularly with fluoride toothpaste, flossing regularly, and visiting the dentist regularly.
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