Everyone has experienced tooth pain at least once in their life. Interestingly, no case is the same. It varies greatly from person to person, with some aching for a moment or lasting for hours. The truth is, the intensity or duration of the pain reveal a great deal about your oral health. Even though difficult, try to listen to your body as you find out what the discomfort is telling you. Here are the different types of tooth pain and what they may mean:
Sharp Pain
This usually happens after biting down on food. In most cases, it signals cracked tooth. If you’ve experienced an injury to the face lately, that may be the cause. You may not easily notice the problem because the cracks are often small. With the help of an endodontist, using a dental explorer or dye, they’ll be able to diagnose it accurately.
Why exactly does this hurt, especially when eating? The force applied in the bite can cause the crack to open. Sometimes, it irritates the pulp, the soft tissue that contains nerves and blood vessels. As Lone Tree endodontists explain, when this part of the tooth is damaged, you may need root canal treatment to save it. Another possible reason behind the sharp pain is tooth decay. If you’ve been slacking on good dental hygiene and healthy meals, there’s a good chance that such is your case. For this, you may need fillings, crowns, or extraction.
Dull Pain
Although seemingly a minor problem, this type of pain may mean that there’s damage in the nerve inside the teeth. In most cases, people experience it when consuming hot food or drinks. It also goes away quickly with the help of painkillers. This, however, shouldn’t replace consultation with your dentist. Damage in the nerve is extremely risky, so proper diagnosis is important.
Take note, it’s also possible that you have gum disease when experiencing dull tooth pain. Periodontal disease infects the hard and soft elements supporting the tooth, triggering this symptom. The dentist would need to identify the type of gum disease you have, so they could give the proper treatment. Again, don’t underestimate a dull toothache. It may be a serious problem, masking as a simple one.
Throbbing Pain
This happens due to different dental problems, but the most common one is tooth abscess. It’s a condition wherein the pulp has been severely damaged that the tissues create pockets of bacteria and pus. This occurs when there’s an infection or inflammation. This type of pain calls for an emergency appointment with your dentist.
You need to be treated immediately. Otherwise, the infection may spread in other parts of the body. Dentists treat this problem by draining out the abscess and cleaning the gums, an often-affected area. They may also perform root canal or implants.
Tooth pain can tell a great deal about your oral health. The best way to know what’s causing your pain is to go to the clinic. Don’t delay. Take note of your symptoms, their frequency, duration, and intensity to help your dentist make an appropriate treatment plan.