What are the Causes of Toothache and Its Symptoms?
Imagine you wake up, brew a steaming cup of coffee, bite your bagel, and the sharp pain in your tooth comes as a surprise and leaves your gums throbbing. How can this be and you went to your dentist a few months ago for your regular cleaning, and nothing was wrong.
While one may think that something noticeable has to happen to their teeth for them to get a toothache, tooth pain has several causes, and you might never see some coming. Impacted wisdom teeth, excess bacteria cavities, gingivitis, or teeth grinding are some causes of toothaches. Also, toothaches present themselves in different ways that will be listed in these articles. If you are experiencing tooth pain disrupting your day-to-day activities, we have shared the top causes of toothache and how to get relief fast.
Symptoms of Toothache
The two symptoms of toothache include:
- Headache or fever
- A bad order from your mouth
- Sailing around your tooth
- Experiencing tooth pain that is throbbing sharp or constant. In some individuals, pain can occur only when pressure is applied to the tooth, for example, when biting something down.
- Full testing drainage from your infected tooth
Call our dentist in Tampa, FL, for treatment if you have difficulty swallowing.
Causes of Toothache
Some causes of toothache include:
Tooth Decay or Cavity
This is the most common cause of toothache. Cavities are normally caused by poor oral hygiene. They create a small hole in the tooth that grows deeper and larger with time cavities are also formed when the saliva mixes with sugary foods that can eat away your enamel.
At first, dental cavities are barely noticeable, improving the chances of developing a toothache later. However, you should visit your dentist regularly for cleanings and checkups to detect cavities before they grow. If you leave cavities untreated, they infect the tooth and lead to tooth loss.
While waiting for your dentist appointment, try applying a salt water rinse to relieve your pain. Mix ½ teaspoon salt and eight ounces of warm water, rinse your mouth, then spit it out. Repeat this process until you have gone through all 8 ounces.
Abscessed tooth
This is an infection within your tooth that has reached the route tape. An abscessed tooth can result in the following:
- Severe pain
- Swollen gums
- Bone loss at the site of the infection
- An infected root
An Abscess occurs when a cavity has reached the pulp chamber or after dental treatment, such as a bridge or crown that gets too close to the tooth chamber or trauma to your tooth. In case you have any of these symptoms, you might be having an abscessed tooth, and please visit your dentist immediately:
- The canning or redness in the gums
- Gum swelling
- Experiencing throbbing pain that isn’t improving even after taking pain medications
- You experience pain when you press on the affected tooth
When an abscessed tooth is causing discomfort or pain, waiting for professional dental appointments can be excruciating. Fortunately, using coconut oil helps provide some relief before your appointment.
Gum Disease
Gum or periodontal disease is caused by poor dental hygiene that results in plaque buildup. After some time, the bacteria causes your gums to become red, swell, and bleed. If not treated, gum disease can result in tooth loss. If you suspect you have put a dental disease, schedule a dentist appointment right away and take extra care of your teeth to prevent these diseases.
Ensure you floss daily, brush your teeth twice daily, and use an antibacterial mouthwash.
Trauma or Injury
This is an obvious cause of a toothache that results in a broken or knocked-out tooth. If this happens, you should make an appointment with our dentists in New Tampa Smiles to fix your tooth immediately.
If your tooth is broken, tape a piece of gum or gauze over the jagged edges so they don’t cut your gums, tongue, or cheeks. If your teeth have fallen out, try fitting them back into its socket and bite down gently to keep the tooth in place and avoid swallowing it. Then use a wet tea bag, gauze, or cotton ball to help cushion. If the tooth cannot be fitted in its socket, ensure you preserve it in whole saliva or milk until your appointment.