A toothache can be pretty annoying, especially if it lasts more than a day or two. If you are experiencing persistent, dole and throbbing aches, or sharp pain you may have an infected tooth. Other signs of an infected tooth include swelling or redness in the area, bad breath and a bad taste in your mouth, and pain when eating. A toothache can also be an underlying symptom of something else so if you are experiencing a continuous toothache, it is important to see your dentist as soon as possible.
What causes a toothache and how is it treated?
There are a few contributing factors that can lead to a patient experiencing a toothache and the treatment your dentist chooses to proceed with will depend on the extent of damage to the tooth and surrounding tissues.
Tooth Decay
Untreated tooth decay is one of the top reasons a patient may experience a toothache. Though it is possible to have a cavity without pain, tooth decay does not resolve itself and will only get worse overtime.
Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is another reason one might develop a toothache. Periodontal disease can be genetic but it's more often a result of poor oral hygiene. Patients can be genetically predisposed to periodontal seas and certain medications may have a side effect of periodontal disease. It is also quite common for pregnant women to develop gestational gingivitis which typically clears up after birth.
Periodontal disease can lead to tooth sensitivity, gum recession, root sensitivity, bone loss, and even tooth loss. In order to treat periodontal disease, your dentist may advise a deep cleaning which is often referred to as a scaling and root planing. This treatment is a great way to clear up any infection in your gum tissue and bring your teeth and gums back to a healthy state.
Bruxism
Bruxism is the clenching and grinding that a lot of patients do in their sleep. Bruxism can lead to tooth sensitivity, gum recession, chipped or fractured teeth, and jaw pain. To ease the effects of bruxism and prevent damage, your dentist can have a custom night guard fabricated for you to sleep in. A night guard is a great way to relieve tension in the jaw while you sleep.
Old Dental Restorations
Overtime, dental restorations can become worn or fractured and can even come out. Restorations do not typically come out unless tooth decay develops underneath the crown or filling. To fix a damaged restoration, your dentist will simply remove the old one, clean up any decay, and place a new restoration!
Tooth Abscess
An abscess can develop when a fracture or decay is left untreated. Bacteria is able to enter the tooth and cause an infection in the pulp, eventually killing the pulp of the tooth and creating a pocket of pus under the gum. Your dentist will treat the abscess by draining the area and prescribing antibiotics to get rid of the infection.
Tooth Fracture
In the event that you fracture a tooth, you will likely feel a significant amount of pain when eating. It is important to see your dentist as soon as possible to have the tooth repaired and avoid further damage. A fracture is repaired with either a filling or a crown.