Tooth pain – not again!
There’s nothing more frustrating – and painful – than dealing with sharp and throbbing pain in your mouth. Not only does it disrupt your daily routine, but oftentimes it requires urgent dental treatments.
From sudden tooth pain to that dull throbbing every time you chew, tooth pain should never be ignored.
There are different types of toothaches and the causes of pain, each with a different treatment. Don’t just do the first DIY “solution” on Google – you need to consult with a dentist in Armadale that offers urgent dental care near you.
After all, as we always say, if it hurts, it’s a dental emergency!
How do I know if my toothache is serious?
You might say that you have a high pain tolerance or you’ll wait until the pain is gone.
Pain is always a clear indication that something is wrong.
Yes, tooth pain may not be life-threatening – but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t serious. If you’re experiencing oral pain, we strongly urge you to visit an Armadale dental clinic already!
Doubly so if your toothache is accompanied by:
- Jaw swelling or swollen tooth
- Chest pain
- Wheezing and coughing
- Trouble swallowing
- Fever or severe headache
- Foul taste
You have to see an emergency dentist as soon as possible, especially if you’ve been suffering for more than a day or two.
And if the pain has been disrupting your daily routine to the point where you can’t eat, chew, sleep, and open your mouth as you used to, then you have to visit your Armadale dentist immediately!
What does it mean when your tooth pain comes and goes?
Whether it’s on-again, off-again pain or a constant soreness in your mouth, tooth pain can be a symptom of a whole range of dental health issues, including…
Broken teeth
That sudden and throbbing pain in your tooth that doesn’t seem to go away no matter how much you’re trying to ignore it.
It could be caused by tooth cracks, broken teeth and chipped off teeth that have exposed the deepest parts of your dental pulp.
This pulp is sensitive, and if food residue, dirt and germs are able to seep in, it can cause worse problems than just a sharp pain – your pulp can get infected, inflamed and even irritated that it reaches down the nerves surrounding teeth, tissues and your gums.
Our emergency dentist in Armadale also shared some tips on what to do when a child breaks a tooth in our recent guide.
Loose dental fillings
One of the most effective ways of dealing with cracks and decay in your teeth is with fillings.
These provide a physical barrier between your dental pulp and any potential unwelcome guests, preventing infection and protecting you from dental pain.
Once they come loose however…
Loose or damaged dental fillings are one of the most common causes of tooth pain; that’s why you need to have your dentist restore and repair your dental filling the moment they come loose.
Tooth abscess
Tooth infection like tooth abscesses are incredibly painful – really, there’s no other way to describe it!
In some instances, the tooth infection can reach the tip of your tooth root, directly affecting the nerve and other connecting tissues. You might feel parts of your face or jaw starting to swell, and chances are the tooth pain may even radiate to your neck and even reach your ears.
6 signs that your tooth pain is something more serious
Your tooth may be one of the smallest parts of your body – however, it affects almost your entire being, thanks to something called the mouth-body connection.
It might only be affecting your teeth for now – give it enough time however, and you might find your tooth pain snowballing into something much worse. In these cases, only early intervention from your dentist in Armadale can prevent the following:
Inflamed gums
Inflamed gums are a clear sign that you may have a serious gum disease. When you feel pain in your gums after brushing and flossing, take it as a sign that you may be suffering from gum disease.
Oftentimes, it’s the result of a tooth infection that’s spread and reached the gums – all the more reason to get tooth problems looked at early!
Loose teeth
We talked about advanced gum disease earlier – what we didn’t get to talk about is what can happen if gum disease isn’t brought under control.
Your gums play many roles – one of the most important being helping bond your teeth to your mouth. Advanced gum disease results in loose gums, and that in turn means loose and wobbly teeth.
Chipped tooth
Have you noticed a chipped tooth? Has this been accompanied by pain when you chew or bite a hard food – specifically, extreme sensitivity to hot and cold foods?
It should come as no surprise that these two things are linked to one another!
If your teeth are chipped or otherwise damaged, you’ll need to get in touch with a dental professional as quickly as you can to stop the problem from escalating.
Why do I feel pressure in my teeth?
Do you feel pain and pressure building up in your gums? Infection is one potential cause – another is wisdom tooth eruption.
When there’s no space left in your jaw for new teeth, and you have sudden wisdom tooth eruption, chances are you’ll start feeling the pressure of your wisdom teeth finding their way out and disrupting other teeth in the process.
If your wisdom teeth grow at an abnormal position or angle, your teeth might be susceptible to infection – and that’s on top of the pain you might feel when they impact your other teeth!
Throbbing and intense pain
Some people experience relatively minor tooth pain – others experienced extreme and intense pain.
Any pain should be treated immediately – however, if it’s quite strong pain, that’s a sign that you aren’t facing a run-of-the-mill issue that you can afford to leave for the time being!
Pain even when you aren’t chewing
You might feel pain whenever you chew as a result of a number of tooth conditions. It’s a serious matter – and it gets even more serious if the pain lingers even if you aren’t eating.
And even if the pain is limited to when you’re eating, that doesn’t mean that you can just let it lie – ignore it, and it could very well snowball to the point where it turns into a major problem.
Only a visit to your local dentist can help you uncover the root cause of the problem and devise a plan for treatment!
How do you know if your tooth nerve is dying?
One problem we’ve mentioned a couple of times throughout this article is problems like chipped or broken teeth, and how they expose the sensitive nerves in your teeth to food scraps and other unwanted particles and bacteria.
What we haven’t gotten to talk about is how over time, these sensitive nerves can actually end up dying if the problem isn’t treated!
When the sensitive dental pulp dies, it’s vulnerable to infection. It also changes into an ugly dark colour.
Healthy teeth are usually white – as such, teeth discolouration is the first sign that you have a dying tooth. If you see that your tooth is different in colour than the rest of your teeth, it might be that it’s slowly dying.
And once it does, the only thing you can do to reduce infection risk and remove discolouration is to suck out all of the pulp and cover the tooth – a process we refer to as root canal treatment.
In some cases, this might be followed up with dental care teeth whitening – in the worst-case scenario however, your dentist may have to resort to tooth removal.
Needless to say, you’re going to want to avoid this outcome at all costs, which is why practicing good oral hygiene is a must for everyone!
If there’s pain, there’s an emergency! Book a visit with your Armadale dentist today
Pain is a serious sign that something is wrong in your teeth. Never ignore the cause of your pain and discomfort!
Our location in Melbourne’s south-east makes us a great choice for all your dental needs, so call our Armadale dental clinic to assess your tooth pain.
Minimise the pain and discomfort that you\’re feeling – call Dental Care Group on (03) 9509 1500 the moment you notice an unwelcome dental pain for immediate and reliable dental treatment.
You can also schedule your visit online – follow the link to find a date and time that suits you.
