One of the most common dental problems, the toothache, has a wide variety of causes and treatments. Tooth, gum, and jaw pain are sometimes confused with one another, and without the help of a professional dentist they can be almost impossible to diagnose. However, in a lot of cases where a tooth is damaged or sensitive to liquids it can be a sign of one of the following ailments:
- Tooth decay: Cavities–caused by acids, sugars, and bacteria penetrating the enamel–will eventually reach low enough in the tooth to cause either direct sensitivity of the nerve, or microcavities in the teeth that are sensitive to heat, cold, and different types of pressure.
- New teeth coming in: When adult teeth or wisdom teeth are erupting through the gums, the inflammation associated with it can make teeth sore.
- Fractured tooth: Biting down hard on anything harder than the tooth can create an internal or external crack or fracture in a tooth. In some cases a chipped tooth may be extremely painful, other times it may not cause any pain at all. Depending on how the tooth is damaged, it will be more or less sensitive.
- Losing a filling: Fillings may fall out or be knocked out, resulting in a previously filled and cleaned cavity being opened. Because this part of the tooth may be hard to clean, it generally will degrade faster than the rest of teeth due to buildup of food or acids.
- Infection of the gums: If there’s inflammation, swelling, or other signs of infection, pain in the gums can sometimes feel like pain in the tooth. It is important to treat infections soon because they can quickly damage the mouth or spread beyond it.
Brushing regularly (with a fluoride-containing paste), flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash are generally good ways to avoid degradation of the teeth and avoid tooth damage. Healthy gums are also crucial to maintaining good overall oral health, and preventing toothaches. There are many other causes of a toothache, and many will vary with regard to sensitivity to temperature, sensitivity to sweets, and pain when applying pressure.
If your toothache lasts for more than a few days, or is painful, call the office of Dr. James F. Otten, DDS at 785-843-6404
James F Otten DDS, Lawrence KS Dentist‎
one, 930 Iowa Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
(785) 843-6404
