Why you Might Have a Toothache

Why you Might Have a Toothache

Some people think toothaches=cavities, which isn’t always correct. No matter how conscientious of your oral care that you are, there are points where you might experience a toothache, which is very discomforting. Though a cavity is usually your culprit, there are other reasons why toothaches occur.  Here, we’ll highlight what they are, and why they matter.

First, you might have tooth sensitivity. If you’re experiencing pains that are extreme when you eat or drink foods that are cold, it could be a sign that you have a cavity. It also might be a sign of sensitive teeth, whether from receding gums, or a thinning of the enamel of your teeth.  While you wait for a dentist appointment, you should use a toothbrush that’s soft-bristled, and also a toothpaste that’s made for sensitive teeth to help with this.

If there is a sharp, stabbing pain when you bite down on your food, it might not be due to a cavity, but instead cracked teeth. If the pain is throbbing and incessant, you might have an abscessed tooth or infections that should be taken care of as much as you can, and also, if it’s an abscess, it’s even more important because these can be life-threatening.

It might not even be the teeth though.  Sinus infections can cause tooth pain, especially if only the upper teeth on each side are feeling pain, you might have sinusitis.  This type of toothache is also accompanies with nasal congestion, and your sinuses might be tender.  If you do believe that this is the cause of the pain, then it’s recommended to see a doctor.

If it’s more identifiable as a jaw pain, then it might be a temporomandibular disorder, or TMJ, which is caused by jaw trauma, tooth grinding, or by cancer and arthritis affecting the jaw.  If you’ve not had your wisdom tooth removed either, the impacted teeth might be causing you jaw pain too, so you might want to look at that as your likely culprit.

Of course, all of these are important to learn about, and are all serious reasons for this happening. Most people don’t realize that toothaches usually are a sign of something bigger happening. However, it might not be a cavity.  It might be something vastly different.  If you feel like it’s just an inconvenient, or not worth seeing the dentist or going to the ER, then you should take care of it until you can see the dentist.

However, you probably think that all toothaches are like this, and you might wait until the pain is severe. This is rarely ideal though, since oftentimes, it could be super late and potentially life-threatening as well.

You should try to book an appointment with your dentist in order to make sure that you get a correct diagnosis on the source of your pain, and the treatment that you need as well. There I a lot that you should definitely be making sure that you get correct, and you should always make sure that, if you suspect something is wrong, you do something about it.  You should always be careful with the different aspects of tooth pain and tooth decay, and be smart with the different parts of the issues you have at hand.  Regardless, you should always check with your dentist about all of the different parts of this, and make sure that, if you do have any problems with your teeth, you take care of them, and get the treatments that you need so you’re not suffering.