Toothaches: Causes, Diagnosis, And Treatment Options
If you feel a toothache coming on, there's a good chance it will get a lot worse before it gets better. In fact, the toothache you feel might not go away until you visit a dentist. Toothache pain is one of the worst types of pain to deal with, and it can be the result of several different problems. Here are some of the common causes of toothache pain and the methods dentists use to relieve the pain.
Causes of Toothaches
A toothache can arise for a number of different reasons, but most toothaches occur from one of the following reasons:
- Decay on a tooth – When a tooth has a lot of decay on it, it can begin to throb and hurt. Typically, though, a tooth with decay will not start hurting until the bacteria from the decay gets into the roots of the tooth.
- Gum disease – Gum disease is also a cause of toothache pain. Gum disease occurs when bacteria from plaque begins to get inside your gums. This often leads to tooth sensitivity, but it can also lead to toothaches.
- Infection of a tooth – When a tooth becomes infected, you will most likely end up with a bad toothache. An infection in a tooth typically means the roots are infected, and this will usually require a root canal procedure to alleviate the pain and treat the problem.
- Trauma to a tooth – If you experienced major trauma to a tooth, it can also cause a toothache. Trauma can crack teeth, leaving them exposed, and trauma can cause teeth to come loose.
- Grinding or jaw clenching – Some people feel a lot of pain in their teeth from grinding and clenching while they sleep. Grinding and clenching can damage teeth and wear off the enamel from teeth.
To determine how to treat your toothache, your dentist will need to find out what is causing it to happen.
Ways Dentist Determine Cause of Toothaches
To find out the cause of your toothache, your dentist will complete several steps. The first involves an examination of your mouth. By looking at your mouth, the dentist can see if there is any redness, bleeding, or swelling.
The dentist will also probably take x-rays of the area that hurts to see if there is an infection in the roots of a tooth. X-rays tell dentists more about teeth than what they can see through oral examinations, and x-rays are almost always needed for tooth emergencies. With these two methods, your dentist will be able to spot the problem that is causing the pain you are currently experiencing.
How Dentists Treat Toothaches
The treatment your dentist offers for the pain you feel will depend on the cause of the problem. In many cases, dentists will prescribe antibiotics if there is an infection present. This is the only way to treat the infection, and once treated, you will find relief from the pain. Dentists can also prescribe pain pills in many situations, as these can also help people find relief from oral pain.
In almost all situations, though, dentists will need to perform some type of dental procedure to actually solve the problem. This might include removing a cavity and performing a filling, or it could include performing a root canal or tooth extraction. The procedure needed will depend on what is causing the pain in your mouth.
If you have a toothache, get help from an emergency dental clinic quickly. Toothache pain will progressively worsen if you ignore it, and this type of pain can become unbearable. Contact an emergency dental clinic today or check out websites like dentistofmanchester.com if you need help with any type of oral emergency.
