Even the smallest of toothaches are trying to send us a message. Helping identify the issue will help you decide what the next step should be, from getting a different toothpaste, changing your brushing habits to calling your dentist immediately for an appointment. Here are some different types of tooth pain and what your teeth are trying to tell you.
1. Bloody Gums
Bloody gums while brushing or flossing could be a sign of the gum disease periodontitis. Periodontitis (periodontal disease) is a buildup of bacteria and plaque that can cause bleeding gums (gingivitis) and in later stages it can cause your gums to recede and lead to tooth loss.
Gingivitis is the earlier stage of periodontal disease and can be reversed if you catch it early enough, but only your dentist can tell you how advanced it really is. Make sure to brush twice daily and floss once a day to help keep gingivitis at bay. Invest in an ADA recommended mouthwash as well to kill plaque causing bacteria and rinse with it at least once a day.
2. Throbbing Toothache While Eating/Not While Eating
An intense, throbbing pain in your mouth can mean different things depending on the circumstance:
Tooth Pain While Chewing:
If you get a shooting pain when you chew or take a bite of something, you could have a cracked or chipped tooth. You could have gotten too overzealous eating or perhaps you have been grinding your teeth at night; there are many ways you can get cracked or damaged teeth. The tooth pain you feel stems from an exposed nerve in your tooth and if it is left untreated, can cause infection.
Constant Tooth Pain:
If you have pain and it isn’t associated with eating, it could mean you are suffering from a tooth infection. Infections in your mouth happen when bacteria invade your tooth’s pulp (inner part of the tooth, where nerves and blood vessels are.)
These infections can lead to serious issues if not treated as they can spread to other parts of your body. Make sure to lower your sugar intake and always brush twice daily to help stave off bacteria. Contact your dentist immediately if you think you may have an infection.
3. Sensitivity to Hot and Cold
It can be quite normal to have a slight sensitivity to extreme cold or hot food and/or drink. When it becomes a concern is when the slight sensitivity turns to an intense, throbbing pain when eating or drinking food or drink at those temperatures.
Worn down tooth enamel can cause your teeth’s nerves to be more exposed, which will make your teeth more sensitive to temperature. Make sure you aren’t brushing your teeth too hard, use an ADA approved toothpaste made for sensitive teeth, and overall try to stay away from extremes at both hot and cold temperatures. If it’s been a while since your last dental visit, schedule one ASAP and talk to your dentist about how you can maintain your oral health.
4. Sore or Clicking Jaw
If your jaw is persistently sore or making clicking sounds when you open your mouth, you may have or be developing temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ.) This disorder occurs if you clench or grind your teeth often, and can be a symptom of arthritis or even be hereditary.
Other symptoms of TMJ are:
- Difficulty chewing
- Locking of your jaw which can make it hard to open or close
- Face pain
- Pain around your ears.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your dentist and get an appointment to address the issue before it gets worse, as you could experience a jaw injury or even damage the connective tissues around your jaw if you leave it untreated.
5. Pressure in Your Mouth
Have you had your wisdom teeth removed? If you feel a pain that is accompanied by pressure in the back of your mouth, it could mean that your wisdom teeth are coming in and need to be taken out.
Often, they are impacted (your mouth isn’t big enough to house them so they are growing crowded and painfully) so getting them out as soon as possible is your best possible solution to relieving the pain.
Wisdom teeth extraction is a very common procedure. Contact your dentist immediately for x-rays if you are experiencing pressure pain that may be related to your wisdom teeth. Your dentist will then recommend an oral surgeon for your wisdom tooth extraction.
These are all common types of tooth pain, but they can lead to some serious conditions if not treated. Contact your dentist immediately if you are having any pain or persistent sensitivity to rule out more serious issues and get your smile back!
Tooth pain? Contact a quality dentist today!
Mountain and Sea Dental takes a holistic approach to dentistry for the whole family. We recognize that every system in your body is connected. We aim to offer outstanding whole person oral care that takes your body and health into consideration.
We listen to your health goals and work with you to chart a holistic treatment that will take into account nutrition and overall dental health. Please don’t settle for less than quality care. You and your family are worth it — contact us today to book an appointment.