Fix Tooth pain and Ache

If you have throbbing pain in your teeth, you may have damaged teeth. A cavity or other tooth decay can cause a toothache, and teeth also may painfully throb in cases of infection of the tooth or surrounding gum tissue. Inflammation or infection in the soft tissue inside the tooth is called pulpitis. The inside of a heat=lthy tooth contains soft, pink tissue called pulp. This pulp, which contains nerves and blood vessels, helps keep your teeth healthy. If your tooth cracks or has a cavity, germs and bacteria can enter the tooth, which can infect or irritate the sensitive pulp, causing tooth pain. Sometimes, the pain of a toothache is sharp and throbbing, while other times, it may be a sustained, dull ache. Sometimes the pain of a toothache worsens when you bite food or eat something sweet. Sometimes, toothaches cause tingling or sensitivity in the teeth, tenderness or pain in the mouth or jaw, swelling or redness of the gums and other soft tissues of the mouth, or a persistent bad taste or smell in the mouth. If you have any of these symptoms, or a fever, or if there is pus or other discharge coming from the gums and teeth, see a dentist immediately, as these may be signs of infection. Your dentist can perform a thorough examination, including an x-ray, to determine what’s causing your symptoms and can begin treating your tooth pain.

The most common source of tooth pain is a cavity, or tooth decay. This happens when bacteria build up on the teeth and begin to erode the tooth’s exterior enamel layer. A normal, healthy mouth contains bacteria, which are a beneficial part of your mouth’s biome. However, when excessive sugars and other food debris builds up on the teeth, this can lead to the overgrowth of bad bacteria, in the form of plaque, which can upset the mouth’s healthy balance and lead to decay and cavities. Tooth decay most often looks like small brown, white, or black spots on your teeth. These holes and weakened areas can be fixed by a dentist, which will help stop the pain of a toothache. Usually, the dentist will begin with a professional cleaning, to remove excess plaque. Then, the dentist will fill the cavity, patching the hole or reinforcing the week spot to prevent further decay. The dentist may also prescribe antibiotics, either in pill form or as a mouth rinse, to stop any infection.

A dental abscess can also cause a significant amount of oral pain. If part of all of the pulp inside the tooth has died, this tooth is considered abscessed. This dead tissue forms a pocket inside the tooth that then fills with pus and bacteria. Inflammation or infection of the tooth, left untreated, can lead to abscess. If you have a crack in your tooth, or if a cavity forms, bacteria can enter the tooth and become infected. To treat an abscess, your dentist will first use antibiotics to stop the infection. Then, the dentist will drain the abscess and clean out the infected area. If the abscess is a result of gum disease, the dentist will clean and treat the gums. If the abscess is caused by decay or a crack or fracture in the tooth, the dentist will perform a root canal, deeply cleaning into the root of the tooth to remove all possible infection. If the tooth has been damaged beyond repair, the dentist may replace the tooth with a synthetic replacement tooth.

A crack or fracture in the tooth can also lead to tooth pain. Your tooth may fracture because of injury, including falling or a sharp blow to the mouth, or because of biting something excessively hard, like candy or ice. In some cases, the tooth can weaken and slowly crack over time. These tooth fractures may cause throbbing pain, as they risk exposing the tender pulp and sensitive nerves inside the tooth to outside irritants, such as food debris, bacteria, air, and water. Depending on the severity of your tooth’s fracture and its location in your mouth, your dentist may repair the fractured tooth with bonding cement, a filling, or a veneer. Your dentist may also recommend a root canal and a crown for the tooth, if the fracture has led to infection and deeper damage.

Normal wear and tear on the teeth can damage dental fillings, which may cause toothache. Dental fillings may also be damaged by clenching or grinding the teeth, or by biting something hard. If your filling cracks, chips, crumbles, erodes, or falls out, this exposes your cavity to irritants, which will cause a toothache. Be sure to see your dentist promptly if you begin to have a toothache in an area where a cavity has been previously filled; your dentist will likely be able to fill the tooth again, or will place a crown if the tooth has been damaged too much to refill.

Gum infection, also called gingivitis, can lead to gum disease, also called periodontitis. Periodontitis is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults. The infection that leads to gum disease can be caused by poor oral hygiene, a poor diet, smoking or other tobacco use, certain health conditions and medications, hormonal changes, or just plain genetics. If the gums become infected, bacteria can build up around the roots of the tooth and lead to a toothache. Eventually, if left untreated, gum disease will cause the gums to recede from the teeth, which will eventually cause the bone that holds teeth in place to break down. This subsequently causes cavities, loosened teeth, and potential tooth loss. Normally, gingivitis is treated with antibiotics and regular professional cleanings. Treating gingivitis before it progresses to periodontitis can prevent painful side effects and possibly preserve the teeth. If you have gum disease, your dentist will likely recommend a dental deep cleaning, consisting of dental scaling and root planing, to help the gums heal and keep the teeth healthy. Your dentist may also prescribe a medicated mouthwash or toothpaste to prevent the recurrence of infection and the progression of disease. In cases of severe gum disease, surgery may be recommended.

Grinding one’s teeth, which most often happens when people are sleeping, is called bruxism. Biting down too hard, or clenching the teeth, can be an unconscious response to stress or other emotional triggers, as can bruxism. Bruxism and clenching may also result from excessively developed jaw muscles, or because of genetics. Clenching and grinding the teeth can cause pain in the teeth, gums, and jaw. These behaviors can also lead to the erosion of the teeth, as the surface enamel of the teeth gradually wears away from pressure. This enamel erosion increases the risk of tooth pain, cavities, and fracture of the teeth, all of which can lead to toothache. If your teeth display small cracks or rough edges, have begun to yellow, or if the biting edges begin to look transparent or rounded, your teeth may be eroding from excessive grinding or clenching. Increased sensitivity, especially to extremes in temperature, and chipped or damaged teeth and fillings, may also be caused by grinding or clenching of the teeth. The preferred method for treating this type of toothache is to treat the cause of clenching and grinding. Dentists will often recommend that people who grind or clench their teeth sleep with a mouthguard to prevent the behavior. Dentists may also recommend mental health counseling and stress-relief techniques, to treat the underlying emotional causes for clenching and grinding the teeth.

A crown is a cover for a tooth that is damaged, either by cavity or fracture. Crowns usually encase the entire tooth, all the way to the gumline, holding a damaged tooth together and protecting it from further damage. Crowns are made of ceramic, porcelain, or a mix of metal alloys, depending on where in the mouth they are located, and they are held in place with dental cement. Normal wear and tear may loosen a dental crown; dental crowns can also chip and fracture, just like natural teeth, and may also be damaged by grinding, clenching, or biting hard foods or objects. Sometimes, the cement holding a crown in place can wash away. If a crown loosens, for whatever reason, bacteria can enter under the crown and damage or infect the tooth beneath, which may trigger nerve pain. Your dentist can remove the loosened or damaged crown to treat the tooth beneath and can replace or repair the crown.

Newly emerging teeth may also cause toothache. While we may be most familiar with teething pain associated with the eruption of the teeth of infants and children, adults may also experience tooth pain as their wisdom teeth begin to erupt. If a tooth is prevented from erupting through the gums, it may become impacted; erupting teeth may also grow in the wrong direction. These problems may be caused by crowding of the teeth, a baby tooth that won’t fall out, oral cysts, or genetics. A tooth that is impacted may grown into the roots of a neighboring tooth, or it may cause nearby tooth to shift or loosen, which triggers pain in the teeth and gums. This pain can be soothed with a numbing gel or pain medication. Treatment usually includes some form of dental surgery to allow room for the impacted tooth, either by removing other teeth or existing blockages, or by removing the impacted tooth itself.

Throbbing dental pain may also be caused by debris or food that is stuck between the teeth, a sinus infection, or an irregular bite. Tooth pain may also be a sign of a more serious health problem, like heart disease. If you have symptoms other than a toothache, including sustained pain that lasts more than a day or two, fever, swelling or redness of the gums, a foul taste or odor, or difficulty swallowing, call your dentist immediately. Not only can tooth pain be indicative of greater health concerns, infection can spread from the teeth to the bones of the jaw and to other parts of the throat, face, and head. If you are unable to schedule an immediate, emergency dental visit, you may find relief from toothache by using over-the-counter pain medications, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, or you may use a cold compress applied to the cheek or jaw. Warm salt water rinses may also relieve pain, and, if toothache is caused by trapped debris or food particles, flossing may help. Periodically scheduled dental visits can help prevent tooth problems, but, if you have throbbing tooth pain, be sure to see your dentist right away, to help keep your teeth and body healthy over the long term. Most dental insurance covers scheduled checkups and cleanings, but, if you are underinsured, contact local dental schools, which may offer free or reduced-cost cleanings and minor dental procedures. As always, prevention is preferred, so be sure to observe healthy home hygiene habits, too, including brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled brush and flossing daily.

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