Why does my tooth hurt, causing me pain?
Why do I have toothache?
Tooth pain can present in many forms, when you call us, we will normally ask you questions to find the reason for the pain.
Tooth ache can be a gradual on-set or dull and constant, often it is hard to ignore, and it is always advisable to seek advice from your dentist as soon as possible.
What is the cause of my toothache, pain?
- The nerve of the tooth is in trouble. We often hear “the nerve is exposed” when in fact this is not the case, the nerve is deep down inside the main body of the tooth. It would be very hard for it to be exposed unless a dentist does it.
A nerve is simply soft tissue in the middle of the roots of the teeth, it can become painful for a few reasons.
i) You may have just had a filling or treatment carried out, when this happens the nerve can become unsettled and the tooth may feel sensitive to use for a few days or a week after, this should settle and you may find a desensitising toothpaste may help, it doesn’t settle please give us a call.
ii) You may not have been to a dentist for a while, and you may have decay present that is deep enough to work through to the nerve of the tooth. When a patient is not having regular check ups we cannot monitor for decay and decay is really like rot in wood, it will eat away at the tooth. Therefore, regular check-ups are important.
iii) Decay can also be present if you have a poor diet high in sugar, sugar causes decay.
iv) Sometimes a nerve can cause pain for no reason at all.
Pain from a nerve of the tooth will normally follow a path such as.
Odd signs of sensitivity to hot and cold
Moving on to extreme sensitivity to hot and cold that last for more than 10 minutes after eating
Pain that keeps you awake at night-time and throbs.
Pain that is then much worse with warm food and drink and eased by cold on the area.
Also made worse if you are flying.
These signs would normally indicate the nerve of the tooth is inflamed and needs treatment, normally root canal treatment.
2) Minimal tooth sensitivity to hot and cold and when out in cold weather.
It is vital to say teeth contain living tissues, they are meant to feel hot and cold and minimal signs that are experienced when having a very cold drink, or ice cream are normal.
If you have prolonged dental pain or signs that are new for you, speak to your dentist. It is often nothing to worry about but advice can be offered
3) Infection
If you have infection around a tooth it will cause pain, normally in the gum but it can feel as though it is the tooth.
Gum infections start when bacteria in the mouth gets below gum level, to tooth and gum and irritates the soft tissue, it is common around wisdom teeth or people who have gum disease.
If you experience swelling, burning sensations or pain, please call your dentist as soon as possible.
4) Cracked tooth.
Sadly, identifying a cracked tooth on your own is hard. The tooth may tiny cracks which cannot even be seen on X-Rays.
Here are a few signs that may indicate you may have a cracked tooth.
Tooth pain when biting or chewing. This can be a sign the tooth is cracked, it may not be all the time and just when you bite on one part of the tooth.
Lack of constant pain. Unlike a cavity or an abscess, the pain of a cracked tooth is sporadic. If you are not experiencing constant dental tooth pain, it may be a crack in the tooth.
Increased sensitivity. You may notice that you experience pain when biting into hot foods or drinking cold liquids. Possibly, you may even experience sensitivity when eating sticky, sweet, or sour foods as well. Increased sensitivity may be a sign of a cracked tooth.
You can prevent the majority of dental problems by flossing, brushing with fluoride toothpaste and having your teeth professionally cleaned twice a year.
Book in today for an examination 01273 418404, info@dentist-hove.co.uk