What Are the Common Causes of Tooth Pain?
Are you currently experiencing pain in your teeth? The pain can be anywhere, ordinarily on the zygomatic arch, or the gum. It could be accompanied by increased sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures. But most of all, it could be causing you quite a bit of discomfort.
While everyone feels some level of tooth pain from time to time, it shouldn’t be lasting or a constant. So if you’re experiencing this discomfort, it may be worth having a dentist look at your teeth for common causes of tooth pain.
But what conditions, diseases, and events lead to tooth pain? There are a variety of different things that can cause pain in your teeth, ranging from the more common to complex conditions.
Keep reading to learn about the standard and major causes of toothache.
Grinding and Clenching
A common cause of tooth pain is teeth grinding and clenching of the teeth often referred to as bruxism. This can cause tooth sensitivity, headaches, and soreness in the jaw. Grinding and clenching are typically caused by stress or anxiety as people deal with mental and emotional issues by clenching and grinding their teeth.
For some people, genetics plays a part in developing bruxism. Habits can also increase the risk of grinding and clenching, such as holding a pencil with your teeth or chewing on a non-food item.
Living with a condition such as sleep apnea or taking certain medications can also increase the risk of bruxism. It is important to diagnose and treat bruxism in order to reduce the associated pain from grinding and clenching your teeth.
Tooth Decay and Cavities
Tooth decay and cavities are prevalent causes of tooth pain that can affect anyone without proper dental hygiene. Tooth decay happens when bacteria in the mouth combine with sugar from food and drink to form an acid that attacks the teeth’s protective enamel. This erosion of the enamel can cause painful cavities.
The best way to prevent tooth decay is to brush and floss daily and cut down on sugary snacks and drinks. Yearly checkups with your dentist will also help to identify any potential issues with your teeth to address early and avoid pain.
Regular going to the dentist may even help to catch signs of cavities before they cause discomfort. Taking the proper preventative measures can help ensure your teeth remain healthy and free of pain.
Infections and Abscesses
Tooth pain is often due to infections and abscesses. An infection is when harmful bacteria get into the tissue of the tooth, triggering an inflammatory response. This can be caused by decay, a chip, or other damage to the tooth’s protective enamel layer.
An abscess is a pocket of pus that can form in the jaw around the affected tooth, brought on by an untreated or aggressive bacterial infection.
Both can be extremely painful, and if untreated can lead to further problems such as damage to the jawbone or other more serious complications. Thus, proper diagnosis and tooth pain treatment or abscess are essential to prevent ongoing pain and damage to oral health.
Injury or Trauma
Tooth pain can be caused by a variety of factors, the most common of which are injury or trauma.
Physical trauma such as a blow to the face or a direct blow to the tooth can cause intense pain. This can result in a fracture or a broken tooth, both of which can lead to further complications and cause even more pain.
Injuries to the gum tissue, or to the jaw or jaw muscles can also cause acute pain as well as tenderness, and even a decrease in range of motion. Tooth decay, caries, or gum disease are other potential causes of pain, and any chips or cracks in the enamel of the tooth can also lead to tooth pain.
Regular visits to the dentist and good oral hygiene will help to prevent these problems and the associated pain.
Sensitivity to Hot or Cold Foods and Beverages
Tooth pain sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages is often caused by lower levels of protective enamel on the teeth. Loss of enamel can occur through bruxism (teeth grinding) and can be made worse by frequent brushing with a harder toothbrush or abrasive toothpaste.
If teeth have decayed, that can cause sensitivity to changes in temperature, too. Acidic beverages, such as soda, can also wear away enamel, leading to pain and discomfort when hot or cold foods and beverages are consumed.
In more extreme cases, cracking or fracture in the teeth may be the cause of sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages, leading to pain and sensitivity in one or more teeth.
It’s important to visit a dentist as soon as possible if there’s an ongoing issue with sensitivity, as teeth can be irreversibly damaged if the pain and sensitivity are left untreated.
Understanding the Root Canal Therapy
Do you know what is root canal therapy? This therapy is a common dental procedure that is used to try and save a tooth that has been badly damaged by decay or infection. Its purpose is to clean out the infected material, seal the tooth and preserve it for future use.
The procedure begins by numbing the tooth and surrounding area, this ensures that the patient is comfortable throughout the process. Once the area is numb, the dentist will make a hole in the enamel to access the root canal chamber and root canals.
From there the root canal dentist will clean the infected and decayed material and shape the root canals to fit a variation of medicated material and a rubber-like material.
Once the root canals are cleaned and filled the dentist seals and restores the tooth for future use. Understanding the root canal procedure is key for it to be successful and provide a lasting result.
Learn the Causes of Tooth Pain Today
In conclusion, certain habits can have a detrimental effect on the causes of tooth pain. Brushing teeth twice a day with a soft brush, visiting the dentist regularly, avoiding sugary and acidic foods, and refraining from smoking are all essential steps to take to help protect teeth and keep them healthy.
We all have a part to play in taking care of our teeth—start making positive lifestyle changes today!
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