What are Possible Toothache Causes?

The discomfort in or around a tooth is known as toothache or tooth pain. A transient gum irritation might cause minor toothaches, which you can cure at home. Dental and mouth disorders that do not go away on their own and require treatment by a dentist produce more serious toothaches.

Toothache Causes

The possible causes of toothache can vary. At times, pain presents as a symptom of another underlying dental health problem. In this case, the only way to get rid of a toothache is to get treatment for the specific problem.

Here are some possible causes of tooth pain:

Dental Decay

Tooth decay, also known as dental cavities, is the most common reason for tooth pain. It is mostly caused by poor dental hygiene. When the decay begins, you may not feel any pain. When your teeth develop cavities (holes), you can experience continuous pain, occasional sharp pain, and tooth sensitivity.

Broken Tooth

If your tooth is fractured, cracked, or broken, you can feel erratic pain while chewing, releasing biting pressure, or when the tooth is exposed to extreme temperatures. For some people, this tooth pain can come and go, which might make it difficult to determine the source of the discomfort.

Teeth Grinding

Some people clench their jaw or grind their teeth during their sleep. These actions create additional stress on the muscles of the jaw — leading to pain. There are treatment options available for teeth grinding. If your dentist determines that you have this issue, you may be recommended mouth guards, mouth splints, lifestyle changes, etc.

Erupting Teeth

Tooth eruption is a natural process. You will lose your primary teeth, which are then replaced by the eruption of permanent teeth. Sometimes, you can experience discomfort when a tooth eruption takes place. This pain usually goes away within a few days. For molars, tooth pain may last a week. Many people complain of toothache when their wisdom tooth erupts. This may happen when it is impacted.

Dentists often recommend extracting the wisdom tooth when there is not enough space in the jaw to accommodate it.

Abscessed Tooth

A bacterial infection can cause a pocket of pus, which creates a tooth abscess. The main sign of having an abscessed tooth is experiencing throbbing pain near the affected tooth or in the gums. Such pain can come on suddenly and becomes worse with time. Other signs may include pain radiating to the ear, neck, or jaw.

Loose or Broken Filling

Many times, when you visit dentists for the treatment of tooth decay or cavities, they clean it properly and remove all types of debris including bacteria from your tooth. Then to avoid the entry of bacteria and entrapping of food particles, they will fill your teeth. These fillings will be excellent at the start. However, when it gets loose or breaks, it will be a problem for you. The introduction of germs into empty areas will result in toothache.

Using Hard Tooth Brush

A toothbrush matters the most to keep your teeth away from aching. Usually, it is recommended to use a brush with soft bristles. But when you opt for a hard bristle toothbrush, it will result in a toothache. The hard bristles will damage the outer layer of your teeth and abrasively rub your gums as well. It will be a big cause of toothache in most of the persons.

How to Get Rid of Toothache?

There are a few home remedies that can ease tooth pain. At times, the pain is only due to a temporary issue and goes away without medical intervention.

The following are some of the most common home remedies that can be used to relieve your toothache.

First of all, you need to avoid food that required a lot of chewing. It will worsen the pain. Opting for soft food will make you feel a lot better.
Don’t eat too hot or too cold foods as your teeth become sensitive when you are dealing with toothache. So too hot or cold food will worsen the situation for you.
You can opt for some painkillers if you failed to book an immediate appointment with a dentist. However, it is suggested to ask your dentist to prescribe painkillers for you. Otherwise, you may opt for a medicine that is not suitable for your teeth.
Flossing with semi-warm water with mixed salt in it will do a great job as it will relieve your toothache for a few hours.

When Do You Need to See a Dentist?

You need to see a dentist immediately when:

The pain is lasting for more than 48 hours and is increasing gradually.
Your jaws and cheeks get swollen.
It becomes hard for you to eat something just because of pain.
Any of the painkillers are not doing their job and are not getting any relief.

If the pain persists and is becoming worse, you should see a dentist immediately. The earlier the underlying dental problem is diagnosed, the quicker you will receive treatment and get rid of toothache as well as prevent possible complications.

Sue Vetter in Seattle offers quality treatment for different types of tooth pain. Call or visit us to learn more or book an appointment.

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