What Causes a Toothache?
Mar 6, 2023
A toothache may feel like a dull ache, sharp pain when biting, throbbing pressure, or sudden sensitivity to hot and cold. Because several dental problems can cause similar symptoms, where your tooth hurts and how intense the pain feels may not reveal exactly what is wrong.
At Eagle Harbor Dental, we’ll examine the affected tooth, surrounding gums, bite, and existing dental work to identify the source of your discomfort and recommend treatment that addresses the underlying problem.
In Pain Right Now?
Don’t wait for severe pain or swelling to worsen. Contact Eagle Harbor Dental to ask about same-day appointment availability.
What Could Be Causing Your Toothache?
The way your tooth hurts may offer clues, but symptoms often overlap. A dentist may need to examine the tooth and take digital X-rays to confirm the cause.
| Possible Cause | What You May Notice |
|---|---|
| Tooth Decay | Sensitivity to sweets, hot or cold foods, or pain that becomes more persistent as a cavity deepens. |
| Cracked Tooth | Sharp pain when biting or releasing pressure, particularly after an injury or biting something hard. |
| Dental Abscess | Severe throbbing pain, facial swelling, fever, swollen lymph nodes, drainage, or a bad taste in your mouth. |
| Gum Disease | Red, swollen, tender, or bleeding gums with discomfort around one or more teeth. |
| Teeth Grinding | Morning tooth soreness, jaw tightness, headaches, worn enamel, or sensitivity affecting several teeth. |
| Damaged Dental Work | Pain around a loose filling, worn crown, or other restoration, especially while chewing. |
Severe Pain That Suddenly Stops Can Be a Warning Sign
If severe tooth pain suddenly disappears, the nerve inside the tooth may have died. An infection can remain active and spread into the surrounding jawbone and tissues even when the tooth no longer hurts. Contact a dentist promptly rather than assuming the problem has healed.
How Can You Ease Tooth Pain Until Your Appointment?
A few simple steps may make you more comfortable while you arrange professional care:
- Rinse gently with warm salt water.
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever as directed on the label and only if it is safe for you.
- Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek for short intervals.
- Floss carefully to remove food trapped around the painful tooth.
- Avoid very hot, cold, sugary, or hard foods that increase discomfort.
Don’t place aspirin or another pain reliever directly against the tooth or gums. This can irritate or damage the tissue without treating the cause of your toothache.
Temporary Relief Isn’t Treatment
Pain relievers, rinses, and cold compresses may reduce symptoms, but they can’t repair decay, seal a crack, restore damaged dental work, or eliminate the source of an infection.
Arrange an examination if your pain lasts longer than a day or two, keeps returning, or becomes more severe. Contact the office sooner if you develop swelling, fever, drainage, or other signs of infection.
Need Help Deciding How Urgent Your Toothache Is?
Tell our team about your pain, swelling, fever, drainage, injury, or other symptoms so we can help you determine the appropriate next step.
When Is a Toothache an Emergency?
Severe or persistent tooth pain requires prompt dental attention, especially when it is accompanied by swelling, fever, drainage, or other signs of infection.
Seek emergency medical care immediately if swelling or infection begins affecting your breathing, swallowing, eye, or neck.
Warning Signs That Need Prompt Attention
- Rapidly increasing facial or jaw swelling
- Fever accompanied by tooth pain
- Pus, drainage, or a persistent bad taste
- Difficulty swallowing, breathing, or opening your mouth
- Swelling near your eye or extending into your neck
- A broken, loose, or knocked-out tooth after an injury
How Will a Dentist Treat a Toothache?
Treatment depends on what is causing your pain and how much of the tooth has been affected. After examining the area and reviewing any necessary dental images, your dentist will explain the recommended options.
Tooth-Colored Filling
A cavity may be treated with a tooth-colored filling after the damaged portion of the tooth is removed.
Dental Crown
A cracked, weakened, or extensively damaged tooth may need a dental crown for protection and support.
Root Canal Therapy
If decay or infection reaches the tissue inside the tooth, root canal treatment may be needed to remove the affected tissue and preserve the tooth.
Periodontal Treatment
Pain caused by gum disease may require treatment below the gumline and an ongoing periodontal maintenance schedule.
Tooth Extraction
Extraction may be recommended when a tooth is too severely damaged or infected to restore successfully.
Antibiotics When Appropriate
Antibiotics may be prescribed when an infection has spread, but they don’t repair the tooth or replace the dental treatment needed to remove the source.
Frequently Asked Questions About Toothaches
Can a Toothache Go Away on Its Own?
Mild irritation may settle, but pain caused by decay, a crack, or infection often returns or worsens without treatment. Schedule an examination if the pain persists or comes back.
Why Does My Tooth Hurt When I Bite Down?
Pain with pressure can result from a crack, cavity, inflamed nerve, damaged restoration, or infection around the tooth’s root. A dental examination can identify the source.
Will Antibiotics Stop a Toothache?
Antibiotics may help control certain spreading infections, but they don’t repair decay, cracks, or damaged tissue inside a tooth. Dental treatment is usually still necessary.
Get Lasting Relief From Tooth Pain
Home remedies may make you more comfortable temporarily, but treating the cause of your toothache is the best way to protect your oral health and prevent the problem from becoming more complicated.
Get Help With Your Toothache
Call Eagle Harbor Dental to ask about same-day care or request the next available appointment.
(904) 269-6558
or
Fill Out the Form To Request Your Appointment
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