Why Does My Tooth Hurt and What Should I Know or Do?

Tooth decay is the main cause of toothaches for most ages. Bacteria that inhabit your mouth survive on simple and complex sugars that exist in the food you eat. These bacteria develop a sticky plaque that allows them to adhere to the surface of your teeth.

Acidic byproducts secreted by the bacteria in the plaque can eat through your hard, white coating on the outside of your teeth called enamel. This creates what is known as a cavity. Ofttimes, our first sign of decay may be a an increased sensitivity when we eat something sweet, cold or hot. Many times this increased sensitivity alarms you that a cavity is getting close to a nerve.

Other causes of a toothache can include:

• Spaces between teeth that harbor food and when left for periods irritate our gums.

• Swelling around the root of a tooth caused by a devitalized tooth.

• Tooth trauma or injury that damages the surrounding structure or tooth itself.

• A developing crack or fracture line in a tooth that propagates over time.

• Eruption process that cause the surrounding tissue to be tender and swollen.

• Sinus infections that secondarily irritate the adjacent teeth.

A toothache most often requires some sort of intervention by your dentist.

Self-care tips

While waiting to see your dentist, these self-help tips may be helpful:

• Rinse your mouth with warm water.

• Dental floss helps remove the accumulated food between teeth and cleanses the tissue.

• OTC pain meds can be helpful when used appropriately. If you’re able, taking Tylenol and Ibuprofen together have been shown to be effective.

• Cold compresses over the injured site can be beneficial and relieve pain.

• Topical Benzocaine products should be used sparingly.

When to call us at Elevation Family Dental

Call our office immediately if you have any of the following with a toothache:

• Pain that persists for more than several days or progresses in intensity

• Fever

• Signs and symptoms of infection, such as swelling, pain when you bite, red gums or a foul-tasting discharge

• Trouble breathing or swallowing