Your Woodbridge Invisalign® Provider
If tooth or gum pain is plaguing you, contact your dentist immediately to schedule an appointment. In this post, our Woodbridge dentists explain some possible reasons for your pain and what you can do until you get to the dentist.
What causes tooth pain & gum pain?
Regardless of how bad the toothache hurts, you should always see a dentist as soon as possible to find the root of the problem. A strict oral hygiene regimen will typically stop toothaches or discomfort. However, there are numerous potential causes of tooth or gum pain, such as the following:
Cavity/Tooth Decay
Though cavities often happen gradually, pain can occur suddenly. This should be taken care of as soon as possible to prevent an infection takes hold.
Grinding, Trauma or Injury
A fractured or damaged tooth can be extremely painful; don't ignore it, whether you grind your teeth while you sleep and gradually wear them down, or you suffer an injury in a more immediate way, like while playing sports. Your dentist might advise using a filling, crown, or bonding to treat it.
Grinding may also cause tooth sensitivity issues. Ask your dentist for tips on how to break this harmful habit.
Wisdom Teeth
Due to pressure, they put on neighbouring teeth or infection, impacted wisdom teeth frequently become quite painful. If there isn't enough room for them to erupt properly, impacted wisdom teeth can also cause crowding and tooth damage as secondary problems.
Abscessed Tooth
Bacterial infections may lead to pockets filled with pus. This not only creates painful sensitivity, but can also develop into a more serious, or even life-threatening, condition.
Gum Disease
Early stages of gum disease, or gingivitis, can progress to moderate and severe cases of periodontal disease. In the early stages, scaling and root planing, a procedure that involves removing plaque accumulation from the gum line, may be used by your dentist to treat your gingivitis.
For a more urgent case that’s progressed to severe gum disease, you may need a root canal, antibiotics, and/or surgery.
Other Potential Causes
We should note that some people experience temporary tooth sensitivity, which doesn’t necessarily indicate a serious problem.
Using toothpaste made for sensitive teeth may help. You should also attempt to avoid eating extremely hot or cold food and drinks until the sensitivity goes away.
If you notice ongoing sensitivity (for more than a couple of days), this may be cause for more serious concern, such as gum recession, and you should see your dentist.
There are also times the issue that’s causing your tooth pain may lie outside your mouth. Viral or sinus infections, vitamin deficiencies, headaches or colds may cause symptoms similar to what you might feel with a toothache.
Making an appointment with your dentist is still worthwhile, though, as ignoring or self-diagnosing the pain could have serious consequences. The majority of dental pain won't go away on its own and needs to be evaluated by your dentist.
What Helps Tooth Pain?
If you are wondering how to relieve tooth pain, the first and most obvious answer is to make an appointment with your dentist so that the issue can be diagnosed and treated.
You can try a few at-home treatments for tooth pain in the interim. To lessen pain and inflammation, apply an ice pack or take an OTC pain reliever. A saltwater rinse may occasionally assist in calming and reducing tooth pain.