What To Know and Do About Tooth Pain

Tooth pain (toothache) affects the teeth in your oral cavity (mouth). The intensity of your pain can range from a dull ache to a pulsing pain. Excruciating tooth pain can affect your daily life and make eating or focusing on important tasks throughout the day difficult.

Tooth pain can have a variety of causes, including dental caries (cavities), tooth infections, and dental trauma. Depending on the cause of pain, toothaches can be acute (temporary) or chronic (long-lasting).

How Tooth Pain Presents

Tooth pain may affect different parts of your tooth. Pain at the root of your tooth may feel different than pain at the center of your tooth. Tooth pain can sometimes go beyond the tooth and affect the surrounding tissue and bone. Toothaches may feel like a dull ache or a sharp, persisting pain.

Potential Causes

There are many different causes of tooth pain. Some of the most common causes of tooth pain are untreated dental conditions.

Dental Caries

Dental caries, also known as cavities or tooth decay, is a common dental condition that causes a hole in the enamel of teeth. It may lead to pain while eating, brushing, or flossing. Tooth pain from dental caries can also cause sensitivity to hot or cold food and beverages.

Some people may naturally be more prone to cavities than others. Thoroughly flossing and brushing your teeth twice daily can help prevent cavities, especially if you consume sugary foods.

Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease, an advanced gum disease, is another common cause of tooth pain. Some symptoms of periodontal disease include pain and swollen, tender gums.

Risk factors for periodontal disease include smoking, diabetes, and pregnancy. Developing periodontal disease can also be related to your genetics. Certain medications can increase the risk of periodontal disease, including steroids, antiepileptic drugs, cancer drugs, and birth control pills.

Dental Trauma

Trauma to your teeth from bruxism (tooth grinding), cracks in your tooth, or loose or broken fillings can lead to tooth pain. You may also develop pain from grinding your teeth along your jaw and ear while asleep. Your dentist (a doctor specializing in oral health conditions) can give you treatment options to address teeth grinding.

Sensitivity

Sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages is another cause of tooth pain. You may feel a sharp, shooting pain while consuming hot or cold foods. Temperature sensitivity is generally a symptom of inflammation in your tooth. Sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks can sometimes result from dental procedures that may cause inflammation in the center of your tooth.

Infections

Infections such as tooth abscesses, sinus infections, and pericoronitis are common causes of tooth pain.

Tooth abscesses are pockets of pus caused by bacteria, leading to an infection in your tooth's surrounding tissue and bone. Abscesses are more prone to form if you have untreated tooth decay and can lead to swelling, sensitivity, and constant pressure on your tooth.

Sinus infections are inflammation of the tissues in your sinuses (air-filled cavities in your skull) that can lead to headaches. You may also experience pressure in your face and around your teeth during a sinus infection.

Pulpitis

Pulpitis is a dental condition caused by tooth decay or injury that leads to intense, lingering tooth pain when consuming foods and drinks that are too hot or cold. Pulpitis causes pain in your dental pulp, the tissue at the center of your tooth.

A person can have reversible or irreversible pulpitis. With reversible pulpitis, inflammation can be treated to restore your dental pulp. Irreversible pulpitis occurs when inflamed dental pulp cannot heal, leading to the removal of the tooth.

Other Common Causes

Other common causes of tooth pain include injuries to your jaw or mouth, earaches, or TMD—a temporomandibular disorder that affects the joints in your jaw and skull. You may also experience tooth pain if you suffer from migraines. Tooth pain can occur during other health conditions like a heart attack. Some of these contributing causes require immediate dental or emergency care from a healthcare provider.

 When To See a Healthcare Provider

Tooth pain that persists requires care from your dentist. In some cases, your primary healthcare provider may need to address the cause of your tooth pain.

See a dentist if you experience the following symptoms of tooth pain:

• Sharp pain when biting foods
• Dull ache and pressure in upper teeth and jaw
• Persistent pain after consuming hot or cold foods
• Fever
• Earache
• Red, swollen, or tender gums
• Gums that bleed easily
• Bad breath or a foul taste in the mouth

How Is Tooth Pain Diagnosed?

Your dentist can diagnose tooth pain using tests or physical examinations. Diagnostic tests may include an X-ray, an imaging test that uses electromagnetic radiation to generate images of tissues, bones, and organs inside your body.

To diagnose pulpitis, a dentist may apply a cold solution to your teeth to see how long the pain lasts. If the pain goes away quickly (within 1-2 seconds), the pulp may be able to be healed. A dentist may also perform an electric pulp test, using an instrument to deliver a small electric charge to your tooth.

Treatment

You can try several home remedies to reduce your risk of tooth pain. If the pain is more severe, dental and medical treatments are available. Visit your dentist every six months to maintain good oral hygiene and prevent dental complications.

Toothpaste created for sensitive teeth can help prevent tooth pain when consuming acidic and hot or cold foods. Antimicrobial mouthwash can further prevent plaque (sticky film from bacteria) and tooth decay. Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications such as Advil (ibuprofen) can alleviate short-term tooth pain.

Dental or Medical Treatments

Your dentist performs several steps to prevent oral health conditions that may cause tooth pain during a routine dental visit. Before your exam, the dental hygienist thoroughly cleans your teeth and applies fluoride to prevent tooth decay.

Your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics to treat periodontal disease, pericoronitis, and irreversible pulpitis. You may undergo a root canal treatment to remove infected or inflamed pulp or tooth extraction to treat irreversible pulpitis. Filling a cavity is a common procedure where a dentist fills the hole in your enamel.

A Quick Review

Tooth pain is discomfort in your tooth caused by an oral health condition or trauma to your teeth. Common causes of tooth pain include periodontitis, cavities, and cracks in your tooth. Your dentist can treat tooth pain by finding the source and creating a treatment plan.

Keeping up with your regular dental visits and maintaining your oral hygiene can help prevent conditions that can cause tooth pain.