If you are experiencing a significant toothache, it is essential to understand what causes toothaches in the first place. Keep reading to find out the five leading causes.
If you’ve ever felt that tell-tale throbbing in your jaw, you know what a toothache feels like.
Have you ever wondered what causes toothaches? Maybe you take great care of your dental hygiene, yet there’s still that annoying pain. What’s up with that?
What Causes Toothaches? 5 Causes You Need to Know About
Well, toothaches can come from several different sources. Sometimes they come from poor hygiene, but other times they have different causes altogether.
If you want to learn more about several common causes of oral pain, keep reading!
1. Grinding Teeth
Did you know that an estimated 8% of adults grind their teeth at night? Others grind them during the day because of stress. Teeth grinding can cause tooth and jaw pain and even long-term dental damage.
The best “cure” for teeth grinding is just avoiding damage. Special mouthguards can be custom-made to fit comfortably in the mouth for sleep. This protects the teeth from the damage caused by grinding.
2. Damaged Fillings
So maybe you’ve done work on your teeth already. You’ve had cavities, but you’ve done your due diligence in getting them taken care of and filled. Your jaw still hurts. What causes tooth pain in this situation?
Unfortunately, sometimes fillings can get damaged or fall out of place. There are many ways that this can happen. You must make an appointment with your dentist as soon as you notice something is amiss so repair is possible.
3. Tooth Decay
If your teeth aren’t correctly taken care of (or sometimes even if you have lousy tooth genetics), you can end up with tooth decay. Black teeth around decayed gums are a massive sign that you are dealing with tooth decay, but it doesn’t have to be that visible for you to suffer from tooth decay.
It happens, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of, but it can cause significant pain and sensitivity. In advanced cases, you can even get tooth abscesses, which will be even more painful, often requiring emergency care.
You and your dentist must decide between a root canal and extraction. Factors of the decision depend on your specific situation and whether or not they can save the tooth.
4. Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are a super common cause of tooth pain! Impacted wisdom teeth are tricky teeth that have decided to grow in improperly where there isn’t enough room for them.
This problem can cause inflammation, decay within the tooth, and even damage to surrounding teeth if the tooth is in a bad enough place.
Extraction (surgical or non-surgical) is the only solution.
5. Orthodontic Issues (or Their Fixes)
This one is tricky.
If you have certain types of orthodontic problems, they can cause pain if they’re significant enough.
If you or your child already have braces, that pain might remain. Braces of all types forcefully move teeth. That’s going to cause some tension.
If the braces are recent, try to wait out the pain for a few days. If it’s genuinely unbearable, ask the dentist for further options.
What Causes Toothaches? Lots of Things!
Toothaches aren’t an ailment. They’re a symptom of a problem! Finding that problem is key to getting it fixed. The right dentist can help you find what’s wrong and get you on your way to oral wellness.
To help you search for the right dental expert, you can check out this dentist who offers services like dental bonding, veneers, and quality teeth whitening in Redwood City.
Always ask a professional before making assumptions if you want to know what causes toothaches. To learn more, check out our dental health section.