Medically Reviewed by Jilian Lopiano
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It’s probably happened to you once. You wake up one morning with a strange feeling on your face. You prepare yourself a coffee together with a delicious breakfast, but at the first bite, oh! A shooting pain in a tooth takes you by surprise.
Throughout the day you try to ignore the pain, but it worsens every time you chew something with that tooth, when you drink something hot or cold, even the sensation of clenching your jaw or by breathing can make it hurt more and more.
Today on The Dental District blog we tell you everything you need to know about dental pain: causes, symptoms and how to relieve it.
Tooth pain Causes
Toothache is a multifactorial condition. Next, we will tell you the most common causes:
Dental caries
The most frequent cause of toothache is dental caries, that is, the destruction of dental tissue caused by the acids produced by the bacteria that make up dental plaque. Decay causes a hole in the affected tooth, which will grow over time, and if left untreated, it can destroy the tooth, and affect the nerves inside, causing severe pain.
Poor hygiene resulting from improper brushing technique, failure to floss, or not brushing often enough. The consumption of foods high in sugar also causes cavities since the sugars are converted into acids that “eat” the tooth if you do not brush frequently.
Cavities symptoms
Bad breath, tooth sensitivity, sudden pain in the tooth that occurs without apparent cause.
How to treat them
Caries treatment consists of the elimination of the infection, the repair and reconstruction of the tooth and the affected tissue.
Bruxism
Grinding your teeth when sleeping, or when faced with episodes of stress, is a very harmful habit for the teeth and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which allows us to speak and eat. When clenching and grinding the teeth, they deteriorate due to the applied force, which wears away the dental enamel and causes stress on the jaw muscles.
Symptoms of bruxism
Toothache and headache upon waking, tooth enamel wear and feeling of not having slept well.
How to solve it
Nighttime bruxism is often treated with occlusal guards, also known as dental splints, which help reduce tooth wear and jaw stress. In addition, it is recommended to apply compresses on the jaw, do relaxation exercises at night to combat stress and adding to the diet foods rich in magnesium such as green leafy vegetables.
Dental abscess
An abscess is an infection that affects the pulp chamber, root tip, or root of the tooth.
Symptoms of an abscess
Gum inflammation, intense and stabbing pain, cheek swelling and pain when pressing on the affected tooth.
How they are treated
The pain caused by an abscess can be very annoying and even disabling. Therefore, it is essential to visit the dentist immediately to treat the infection. While waiting for your appointment, you can take chewable tablets to relieve pain, do not chew or pass liquids on the affected side, rinse with salt water or mouthwash with antiseptic.
Tooth fracture
Although it is a common cause, it often goes unnoticed by patients. A tooth can be fractured because of a blow, an accident, or biting on a very hard object.
How is a fracture treated?
Depending on the degree of the injury, the dentist will restore the tooth or recommend a crown or dental implant to replace it if a large part of the tooth is missing.
Wisdom teeth
Wisdom teeth or third molars can cause a lot of pain when they erupt. In addition, the teeth can impact the surrounding teeth and injure both the enamel and the nerves and bones. In other cases, the wisdom teeth can become trapped between the neighboring teeth and the jawbone, causing pain, a bad taste in the mouth, bad breath, inflammation and, in the worst cases, cysts or tumors.
How is it treated
Wisdom teeth are usually removed as soon as they erupt or even sooner. In case they have already erupted and are causing damage, the dentist will consider whether to remove them by a simple process or by surgery when they compromise the jawbone.
Schedule your appointment at The Dental District
As you may have noticed, there are many reasons for toothache. Most can be avoided by regularly visiting the dentist in Tijuana and maintaining good hygiene habits.
If you have a toothache and don’t know where to turn, trust The Dental District to receive the care you need. Schedule your appointment in our dental clinic in Tijuana through our contact form, let us help you recover the health of your smile! Ask about our best services such as dental crowns in Tijuana, dental implants in Mexico, invisalign in Tijuana, endodontics in Mexico and more.