When Should You Worry About Tooth Pain?

If you’ve ever experienced pain in the teeth, you’ll know that even the mildest toothaches are uncomfortable and annoying. While some toothaches come and go, most pains usually have an underlying cause, which our Beaconsfield dentist can almost always pinpoint.

Left untreated, mild toothaches can escalate to extreme tooth pain, causing headaches and bacterial buildup in your mouth. If you are experiencing severe tooth pain, you need an emergency dental appointment sooner rather than later.

What Causes Tooth Pain

Whether mild or extreme, tooth pain almost always has a cause. Here is an overview of what may be going on beneath the gum.

Tooth Sensitivity

Do you experience a sharp, shooting pain when consuming piping hot or ice-cold food or beverages? If so, you may have sensitive teeth — or dentin hypersensitivity, as the condition is formally known. If you have dentin hypersensitivity, you have exposed dentin (the layer beneath your tooth enamel and cementum). This can occur due to tooth decay, gum recession, enamel erosion or cracked teeth.

Tooth Decay

‘Tooth decay’ is a self-explanatory term, but can you break it down beyond its surface definition? Principally, tooth decay is the demineralisation of enamel and the inevitable structural destruction that follows. The condition occurs when the bacteria in dental plaque interact with fermentable carbohydrates, which result in enamel-attacking acids. Needless to say, if your teeth are crumbling down to their very structures, you will experience severe tooth pain.

Cracked Teeth

Teeth can sustain cracks due to worn enamel or from dental trauma. Regardless of how the cracks occur, they compromise the dental structure, contributing to extreme tooth pain in a similar vein to tooth decay.

Damaged Filling

Fillings are less durable than natural teeth, so damage isn’t uncommon. Whether you dislodge a filling by biting down hard, grinding your teeth, or clenching your jaw, losing a filling is like having a Band-Aid lose its stick before the bleeding has stopped. Pain in the teeth will almost certainly follow.

Abscessed Tooth

Bacterial infections (often stemming from tooth decay, dental trauma or gum disease) can lead to dental abscesses. Once bacteria have invaded a cavity, crack or chip, they have free reign in the pulp chamber — swelling and intense throbbing pain are the symptoms. As the condition progresses, the abscess will form. It’s a localised collection of pus, and it will either form inside the tooth or surrounding tissues. If you can’t see it, it will certainly make itself known via severe tooth pain.

Gum Disease

Have you grown lax with your home dental care routine or biannual dental appointments? Gum disease can be a consequence of this — and it’s something you should attend to sooner rather than later. If your gums are reddening, swelling or bleeding, you may have gingivitis — or stage-1 gum disease. Left untreated, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis: the second and more serious stage of gum disease. If you have periodontitis, your gums have receded enough to form pockets perfect for bacterial accumulation. This accumulation will eventually lead to infection beneath the gum line, attacking the supporting bone and tissue structures that hold your teeth in place. Worst-case scenario, periodontitis results in tooth loss — pain in the teeth is an understatement!

How To Stop Tooth Pain

If you’re experiencing any of the above, you’re likely dealing with a dental emergency requiring urgent care. But don’t panic! Whether it’s a small crack or late-stage periodontitis, a professional can intervene with and manage all dental issues or conditions. Here at Langmore Dental, we are specialists in urgent dental care and can accommodate you in times of emergency. We can ensure you won’t suffer from severe tooth pain for too long.

Manage Mild to Extreme Tooth Pain at Langmore Dental

So, what are you waiting for? If it’s urgent, book an appointment with us immediately! If you’re concerned about affordability, we have a selection of payment plans to suit your needs. Head down to Langmore Dental, and we’ll work to resolve that pesky pain in your teeth.