Whether you’re experiencing minor discomfort or a shooting pain, a toothache can make it hard to focus, work or relax. Eating and drinking may also become uncomfortable. This pain could be the result of something small and temporary or something more serious that requires prompt treatment.
The mouth is a complex system, so it can be challenging to figure out the origin of the pain on your own. We’ll walk you through the most common toothache causes and treatments to help you understand your pain and find relief sooner.
What Causes Tooth Pain?
There are many different causes of dental pain, so evaluating your specific symptoms before taking action is important. Then, you can seek treatment with a deeper understanding of your needs, which can help your dental practice serve you more effectively.
Here are some of the most common reasons for tooth pain.
Cavities
When you eat, bacteria in your mouth break down sugars and carbohydrates to produce acids. These acids can form plaque and eat through your enamel, especially if the minerals in your enamel aren’t restored via saliva and fluoride.
Initially, you may not experience any pain, but this decay can expand to your roots and the rest of the tooth. As a result, you may experience bad breath, bleeding gums or tooth sensitivity.
Cavities are one of the most common causes of toothache, with 50% of children aged 6 to 9 having dealt with at least one cavity at one point or another.
Treatment methods vary based on the severity of the cavity, but some of the most common are fluoride and fillings. In extreme cases, you may require a root canal or tooth extraction.
Abscessed Teeth
Teeth can develop pockets of pus as a result of severe cavities, chipped teeth, gum disease or dental injury. These pockets typically look like swollen red bumps and can infect other teeth and even the tissues around them in your face and neck. If you have an abscess, you may experience a bitter taste, tooth sensitivity, gum redness and loose teeth. You may even develop a fever in some cases.
If you suspect you have an abscessed tooth, you should immediately contact your dental practice. X-rays or computed tomography (CT) scans will likely need to be run to evaluate the abscess. If you do have one, it may be treated with one of the following:
- Incision and drainage procedure
- Root canal
- Tooth extraction
Gingivitis/Gum Disease
Gingivitis, which can develop into gum disease if left untreated, is one of the most prominent causes of toothache.
In fact, over 40% of adults over 30 have some form of gingivitis. This condition is caused by tartar, plaque and bacteria building up near the base of the teeth and irritating the gums. They may start to bleed or swell as a result, which can cause tooth pain.
Other symptoms you may experience include:
- Bad breath.
- Sensitivity to warm or cold foods or drinks.
- Discomfort when chewing.
Standard oral hygiene practices, like brushing and flossing, can help prevent gingivitis. Work with your dental practice to evaluate the problem if you suspect it is already present. If you do have gingivitis or gum disease, they may be able to recommend treatment options or refer you to a gum disease specialist. Common treatment options include:
- Thorough dental cleaning and regular hygiene.
- Scaling and root planning.
- Dental repair.
Dental Injuries
Cracked, chipped or broken teeth can lead directly to dental pain. That said, this pain may not occur immediately following the injury, so you may not even notice it at first. If left untreated, dental injuries — even minor ones — can lead to mouth sensitivity, abscessed teeth and toothache.
Treating injuries yourself isn’t recommended. You should contact your dental provider as soon as possible if you think you’ve sustained a dental injury. They can evaluate the injury and your overall health and work with you to create a treatment plan, which may involve repair work or an extraction.
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth can lead directly to toothaches. Most modern jaws are too small to accommodate these teeth at the back of the mouth, which is what causes that discomfort. This pain often gets worse when the wisdom teeth start to emerge from the gums.
Your dentist will typically track the progress and position of these teeth so that they can determine if extraction is necessary. This observation is essential because some wisdom teeth come in at odd angles or threaten the health of the teeth around them.
If you are experiencing discomfort related to these teeth, let your dentist know. They may opt to speed up the extraction timeline.
Teeth Grinding/Bruxism
Much like injuries and illnesses, stress can lead to toothaches. These stress-induced toothaches are a result of teeth grinding, or bruxism. Teeth grinding can happen while asleep or awake, though it may occur subconsciously without you noticing. Over time, it can damage your teeth and lead to headaches, jaw pain, sleep disorders and toothaches.
Dentists can diagnose this problem with a physical examination or a sleep study, but treatment varies from person to person. If the problem is rare and caught early enough, you may just need to reduce stress by changing up your schedule. In more severe cases, you may need to start wearing a mouth guard, taking a muscle relaxer before you go to bed or receiving botulinum toxin injections every few months.
Toothache Treatments and Prevention
Understanding the many possible toothache causes is an important first step toward treatment. In some situations, it may be impossible to determine what the problem is without a dentist’s insight.
If you are consistently dealing with toothaches, the first thing you should do is contact your local dental practice. They can help you identify the source of the pain and recommend treatments for your particular issue. These may include:
- Antibiotics.
- Dental fillings and crowns.
- Root canals
- Tooth extractions
If the toothache is a minor issue and doesn’t recur regularly, home remedies may help ease the pain. For example, you might try:
- Saltwater rinse: Use a half-teaspoon of salt with eight ounces of water and swish it around your mouth. The salt’s disinfecting qualities may ease the pain and clean the area causing it. Then, spit the mixture out.
- Hydrogen peroxide rinse: Mix water and hydrogen peroxide in equal measure and swish the mixture around your mouth. It may ease your tooth pain and even put a stop to bleeding gums. Then, spit the mixture out. Do not swallow it, and do not use hydrogen peroxide on its own.
- Ice packs: Applying ice to the source of the pain can numb the area and reduce inflammation. You can use cubed ice, ice packs or even a bag of frozen vegetables if you need to. Stop once the area turns numb, but you may need to repeat the process if the pain returns.
- Over-the-counter pain relievers: These medications can mitigate a toothache effectively in the short term. Children should take acetaminophen, whereas adults can use ibuprofen or naproxen. Aspirin can also work.
Find Relief With Boise Family Dental Care
Now that you’ve learned why your tooth aches, it’s time to take action. At Boise Family Dental Care, you’ll find everything you need to deal with toothaches. Our staff works tirelessly to transform your view of the dentist from scary to safe, from frightening to fun. We even offer IV sedation to ease dental anxiety and the installation of same-day crowns. We are here to ease the pain caused by consistent toothaches.
To learn more about our team and offerings, fill out our contact form or give us a call at (208) 376-7413.
