A toothache is never fun. For some people, it can be scary when you don't know what is causing it. A toothache is described as any pain, soreness, or ache in or around a tooth. The tooth may be sensitive to hot or cold, cause pain when chewing or biting, sensitive to certain foods, or it may even have a sharp pain. Many people who experience tooth pain or a toothache will not seek treatment until the pain becomes unbearable. At Braselton Smile Studio, we encourage you to contact us right away if you feel you're experiencing any of the signs and symptoms discussed below.
Diagnosing a Toothache
Dr.Workman has several methods that she will use to determine the cause of tooth pain.
Once Dr.Workman has diagnosed the cause of your toothache, she will explain to you what is involved in fixing the problem. It's also possible that she may prescribe medication to help with improving the symptoms.
The Most Common Causes of Toothaches
Among all the things that might cause a toothache or tooth pain, the most common is usually:
Sometimes the problem may not be related to your dental health at all. Let's look at each of these individually.
Tooth Decay
When plaque sticks to the tooth enamel, it feeds on the sugars and starches from food particles left in your mouth. Over time, this produces an acid solution that eats away at the enamel, which will usually cause holes to form. As the decay spreads inward toward the middle layer of the tooth (dentin), it may create sensitivity to temperature and touch.
Inflammation of the Tooth Pulp
Also called pulpitis, this condition means that the tissue in the center of the tooth (nerve/tooth pulp) has become inflamed and irritated. This inflammation can cause pressure to build inside the tooth.
Symptoms of an inflamed tooth pulp can vary from mild to extreme, depending on the severity of the inflammation. If not treated, the pain will only worsen with time.
Abscess
A dental abscess is caused by the buildup of bacteria inside the pulp chamber that becomes infected. This infection then tries to drain itself out of the very tip of the tooth root.
The pressure from the draining infection causes a pain that can become severe with swelling if left untreated. Most abscesses can be seen visually on a dental X-ray. Sometimes this may develop into a one needing to see an emergency dentist.
Cracked or Broken Tooth
Your teeth can be broken down and weakened over time due to pressure from
The force from biting down on a hard object like ice or a popcorn kernel can sometimes cause a tooth to crack.
Symptoms of a cracked tooth may include
Dr. Workman's treatment recommendation for this condition will depend on the location and direction of the crack as well as the extent of the damage. This could require numerous treatment options including tooth extraction.
In summary, if you think you're experiencing a toothache, tooth pain, or a cracked tooth - please contact us at Braselton Smile Studio right away so we can get you feeling better. It is best to not ignore any of these symptoms because they could become a dental emergency.
