Teeth pain affects people in different ways. For some people, teeth pain may affect their quality of sleep, while others cannot take cold or hot foods and drinks. You may also experience tooth pain from banging your teeth against a hard object or sustaining a mouth injury.
A toothache may also be a result of a more serious underlying dental issue that requires immediate treatment. Sometimes, when you have a toothache, you can take ibuprofen and wait for the pain to subside, but this may not always be the case.
The following signs are an indication that your tooth pain is serious and may need you to visit a dentist immediately for adequate care.
Your teeth hurt when you chew
If you feel a sharp pain when you bite into something or chew, you may have a damaged or cracked tooth. The crack may be due to trauma, from biting down on a hard object or hitting your mouth against a hard object. The crack may also be due to clenching and grinding your teeth at night.
When a tooth becomes cracked, it exposes the nerves in the tooth, which cause pain. If you do not treat a cracked tooth, it may get infected, and the bacteria will spread, leading to an infection.
You might feel pain when you chew if your enamel is worn down. The enamel protects the nerves in the teeth from external factors, so if the enamel wears down, you would have an increased sensitivity to cold and hot food, which cause instant and intense pain.The wearing down of your enamel may also be due to a poor diet or chronic acid reflux.
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Treatment
If you have a cracked tooth, your dentist needs to treat it immediately to prevent tooth decay and infection. A worn-down enamel will require your dentist to examineyour teeth to recommend a diet change or treatment for the gastrointestinal problem. No treatment can restore a worn down enamel, so you need lifestyle changes to prevent pain while chewing.
You experience bleeding gums when flossing
Your gums bleeding when you floss may signify gum disease, bacteria on the gums, and plaque build-up, resulting in receding gums. Most adults between 30 – 40 have a form of gum disease, although in most cases, the condition is mild. Gum disease may result in tooth decay and loss.
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Treatment
Brushing your teeth regularly, at least two times every day, and flossing can prevent gum disease. A professional dental cleaning, a minimum of once in six months, will also prevent gum disease. If your tooth pain stems from gum disease, visit your dentist for additional dental care tips and advice. Your dentist may recommend the daily use of a mouthwash or a procedure to treat the disease.
You experience a severe pain
A severe tooth pain that does not occur while eating may be due to a tooth infection. A tooth infection may occur when bacteria enter the pulp, which houses the tooth’s blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues.
A tooth infection is a serious condition because the infection may likely spread to other parts of the body to cause more harm. A tooth infection often occurs from dry mouth, high sugar intake, and poor hygiene.
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Treatment
If you experience intense tooth pain, ensure you schedule an appointment with your dentist for immediate treatment. Your dentist may have to treat the infection to prevent spreading by prescribing antibiotics and draining the tooth abscess.
You feel pressure
If you experience tooth pain from pressure, it may be because of problems with your wisdom teeth. Most people between 16 – 23 years’ experience growth and changes in their wisdom teeth. If the wisdom teeth erupt normally, you may not need to extract them.
However, as most people grow older, especially people with angled wisdom teeth, wisdom teeth become susceptible to decay and infection, which causes different problems like teeth pain.
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Treatment
Ensure you visit your dentist immediately to have an x-ray. The x-ray will help your dentist know the problem with your wisdom teeth. If the wisdom teeth cause crowding or do not look healthy, your dentist will remove them, reducing the pressure and pain.
You have a dry mouth
Your saliva protects the mouth from bacteria. If you have a dry mouth, it could intensify any teeth problem you have, and it creates a perfect environment for bacteria growth. Some medications cause dry mouth, and this makes talking and spitting difficult.
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Treatment
Cigarettes, caffeine, and alcohol increase the risk of dry mouth, so it is best to avoid them. Regular flossing and brushing, sucking on sugar-free candy and taking lots of water can prevent dry mouth. If you already have a dry mouth, visit your dentist to get medication for dry mouth.
Your neck and jaw are swollen
If you had recent dental surgery, you might experience swelling in your neck or jaw alongside tooth pain. These symptoms may indicate a tooth abscess. The infection may cause accumulation of pus, and the bacteria may spread to the surrounding neck and jaw area. It may also affect the bone, teeth, and in severe cases, the brain and ear.
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Treatment
If you have tooth pain, jaw or neck swelling, you need to seek immediate dental care. A dental abscess does not resolve on its own, so you may need a tooth extraction or root canal. Taking antibiotics would also prevent the spread of the infection.
You have a chipped tooth
The teeth are susceptible to chipping, but the lower second molar is more likely to chip because of the pressure on it when you bite down or chew. If left untreated, the chip may cause extreme sensitivity to cold and hot food and toothache. The chipped tooth may also expose your tooth root and nerves, causing sensitivity when anything touches them.
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Treatment
If you notice a chipped tooth, visit your dentist immediately for a treatment to fix the tooth. Your dentist may offer you a crown, veneer, or bonding to restore the teeth. This will alleviate the pain and improve the appearance of your teeth.
You have a loose tooth
If a loose tooth causes you pain, it may be a sign of advanced gum disease, also known as periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is a serious dental condition and may affect your general health if left untreated.
You may also have a loose tooth from an untreated cavity or tooth decay.
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Treatment
Visit your dentist immediately to get treatment for the cavity or periodontal disease. Getting treatment early for gum disease increases your chances of successful treatment and saving the tooth.
You can visit www.dentalhygienist.london today to schedule an appointment for your dental cleaning to prevent tooth pain.
