4 Major Causes Of Tooth Pain

Dental pain is common and known to be especially painful. Most instances of tooth pain are directly related to problems with the teeth and gums, which can be addressed by the dentist. In a rare instance, dental pain can be indicative of something far more serious.

Damage  

Tooth pain is frequently related to damage. This damage can take the form of an acute event or decay that occurs when you have cavities. The sudden onset of tooth pain can usually be linked with eating something hard or a traumatic injury to the mouth, such as a fall. Decay can be less obvious and without regular dental visits, the tooth may have substantially decayed before it is obvious there is a problem. Cavities that occur between the teeth, under the gum line, or if bacteria enter the tooth through a small opening and the decay is occurring inside the tooth are reasons decay may not be obvious until the tooth breaks or the decay has reached the tooth's nerve.

Sensitivity

Food, beverages, oral hygiene, and lifestyle factors all contribute to enamel integrity. If the enamel on your teeth is wearing away, you may notice tooth pain when eating or consuming particular substances. Sensitivity to heat and cold are the most common, but eating something sweet might also trigger pain. Minimizing acidic foods and beverages can help preserve the integrity of your enamel. People who grind their teeth or use OTC teeth-whitening treatments are also more likely to experience enamel loss. Before weakened enamel becomes a problem or when you first notices tooth sensitivity, you can incorporate oral care products into your routine that help to strengthen enamel.

Infection

Sometimes an infection occurs because of tooth decay, but the gums or other parts of the mouth might become infected. If the infection reaches the nerves, it will cause significant pain, even to teeth that are not directly affected by the infection. For example, someone with an infected, decayed tooth will likely experience pain on the entire side of their mouth because the affected nerve may communicate with all the teeth on one side of the mouth. Oral infections can be especially problematic if a tooth needs to be extracted. Numbing medication does not work as well when there is an active infection. You may need to take antibiotics to resolve the infection before the extraction can happen.

Referred Pain

Referred pain happens when you experience pain due to a problem not directly related to the site of the pain. For example, tooth pain may be caused by nearby structures that are not your teeth. Jaw pain that occurs in TMJ or sinus infections may cause pain in your teeth. Sometimes heart attacks or other heart-related problems can cause tooth and jaw pain. Any sudden oral pain combined with chest pain and pressure, pain radiating to the left arm, nausea, and/or shortness of breath should be treated as a medical emergency until a heart attack can be ruled out.

Tooth pain can have various underlying causes, many of which are easy to fix with prompt dental care. In rare instances, tooth pain can be indicative of a serious medical condition.