Throbbing pain in the middle of the night or just a mild discomfort while you are eating, a toothache is not something that anyone should be taking lightly at all. A toothache is easily something that can come out of nowhere and can be really discomforting from the get-go. The reason behind this ache can be anything, an infection in the teeth or in the gums, but it is the wide variety of symptoms that often confuses people.
This is why people either brush things away or get way too bothered about the pain than being bothered by it. A tooth infection can be accompanied by any of these symptoms:
- Constant light ache
- Sharp pain while biting
- Pain while consuming something sweet, cold, or hot
- Sensitive teeth
- Jaw pain
- Swollen gums
- Bad taste in the mouth
- Bad breath
- Pus or white fluid
- Fever
In case the pain persists or gets too unbearable, immediately seeing a doctor is advised where you can get an exact diagnosis of your situation. After all the tests and examinations are done by the dentist are done, the reason behind your toothache will be either of these.
Common Reasons Behind a Toothache
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Fracture
A crack, split, or fracture in the tooth can let the bacteria enter the inner, softer core called the dentin. The cause behind the fracture can be anything from a fall or a hit, or it can even develop over time. The inflammation by the bacteria irritates the pulp and the nerves to cause pain. Dentist’s glue, veneer, or filling can be the best treatment for a fracture, with the optional need for a crown or root canal.
Tooth Decay
Caused when the bacteria erode the enamel on the tooth away, tooth decays is the most common reason behind a toothache. Resulting in ‘cavities’, the major reasons behind tooth decay is the excess consumption of sugar and starchy food. To treat tooth decay, the dentist will give you the following:
- Teeth cleaning for plaque removal
- Dental filling to close cavities
- Antibiotics to kill the infection
Tooth Abscess
Abscesses in the tooth is the situation of the decay reaching the inner pulp of the tooth and ‘killing’ it. The pocket of dead tissue inside the tooth is caused by the bacteria that attacked it after getting access to it. To treat this problem, doctors often perform a root canal treatment, draining the abscess, gum cleaning, and antibiotics for pain relief. For worse cases, an implant may also be suggested.
Damaged Filling
Due to normal everyday activities, you may also end up damaging your teeth filling. Everyday activities like grinding, clenching, or biting hard substances can chip or break a filling. To detect this issue, look for signs like:
- Chipping
- Crumbling
- Cracks
- Wear and tear
- Filling popping out
Replacement or repairing the filling in this scenario is the best-case scenario for you.
Grinding or Clenching Teeth
A problem commonly called bruxism, teeth grinding is a problem that usually shows its face while you sleep. Clenching, biting down hard, or grinding the teeth usually happens because of stress, genetics, or overdeveloped jaw muscles and erodes away the top surface of the tooth, which can then get infected. Signs of your teeth eroding will include:
- Small cracks or rough edges of teeth
- Thinning in teeth (transparent edges)
- Sensitivity (to hot, cold, and sweet stuff)
- Rounded teeth edges
- Chipping or dents in teeth and fillings
- Stained teeth
To counter these effects, the doctor can prescribe wearing a mouthguard at night or even advise you for the use of stress relief techniques.
Eruption of tooth
The eruption of a tooth, especially in the case of wisdom teeth, can cause severe pain when they get impacted. Impacting a tooth means that the gums above it are not letting the teeth erupt properly, and the constant pressure causes pain, or worse, can force it to grow in the opposite direction. Though there are a number of reasons behind it, the major cause for problems with erupting tooth can be any of these:
- Crowding or too many teeth in a small, limited space
- A milk tooth that hasn’t fallen out yet
- Cysts in the mouth
- Genetical conditions
For pain relief, a pain-numbing gel or general pain medication will work for you, but for proper treatment, one will have to go in for a proper procedure. It will include making room for the teeth or extracting it for pain relief.
Gum Infection
Gum infections caused by bacteria and plaque can cause a lot of trouble if left untreated for a long while. Gum infections can be caused by a number of reasons, the most common of which include:
- Improper cleaning routine and poor oral hygiene
- Improper diet
- Smoking
- Changes in the hormones
- Medication and side effect
- Underlying conditions like diabetes
- Cancer and its treatments
- Genetics/Hereditary
If the situation worsens, it can even lead to gum diseases like periodontitis, which is the major cause of tooth loss as it weakens the gums and breaks down the bone that holds it in place. This inflammation can cause a lot of pain. The best way to relieve pain of these sorts is to use antibiotics. Your dentist can even recommend regular cleanings to remove the plaque. In severe cases, you may even require scaling and dental surgery.
Loose Crown
A tooth crown is a top cap that supports the whole tooth after a fracture, crack, or filling. Due to the normal wear and tear, this crown can come loose. However, in doing so, the crown can trigger severe amounts of pain in your mouth as the bacteria can and will get under and infect nerves. A damaged or loose cap is generally replaced with a new one after tackling the infection.
There are several other reasons for throbbing pain in the teeth, including sinus infections, abnormal bite, angina, or even food stuck in the space between your teeth. Always see a doctor when the pain has lasted for longer than a day and increases in intensity when you eat.