What causes tooth pain & gum pain?
Whether the toothache pain is minor or severe, it is essential to have a dentist diagnose its underlying cause as soon as possible. Generally speaking, a rigorous oral hygiene routine will help prevent toothaches or discomfort from occurring, but, many potential factors can cause tooth or gum pain. Some of those factors include:
Cavity/Tooth Decay
Though cavities often happen gradually, pain can occur suddenly. This should be taken care of as soon as possible to prevent an infection takes hold.
Grinding, Trauma or Injury
Whether you grind your teeth in your sleep and gradually wear them down, or you sustain an injury in some more immediate way, for instance, while playing sports, a fractured or damaged tooth can be very painful – don’t ignore it. Your dentist may recommend treating it with a filling, crown or bonding.
Grinding your teeth can be a contributing factor in tooth sensitivity issues. Ask your dentist for tips on how to break this potentially damaging habit.
Wisdom Teeth
When wisdom teeth become impacted, they can become very painful due to the pressure they inflict on the surrounding teeth, or infection. Impacted wisdom teeth can also lead to secondary issues including tooth damage and crowding if there isn’t enough space for them to erupt properly.
Abscessed Tooth
Bacterial infections may lead to pockets filled with pus. This not only creates painful sensitivity, but can also develop into a more serious, or even life-threatening, condition.
Gum Disease
Gum disease (periodontal disease) can range from early stage (gingivitis) to moderate and severe. In the early stages, your dentist may treat your gingivitis with a procedure called scaling and root planing – the process of removing plaque buildup from the gum line.
For a more urgent case that’s progressed to severe gum disease, you may need a root canal, antibiotics, and/or surgery.
Other Potential Causes
While many people experience temporary tooth sensitivity, which doesn’t necessarily indicate a serious problem, in some cases, sensitivity is a symptom of a bigger issue. Be sure to speak to your dentist about any tooth sensitivity that you are experiencing, particularly if it continues for more than a couple of days.
Using toothpaste made for sensitive teeth may help. You should also attempt to avoid eating extremely hot or cold food and drinks until the sensitivity goes away.
There are also times the issue that’s causing your tooth pain may lie outside your mouth. Viral or sinus infections, vitamin deficiencies, headaches or colds may cause symptoms similar to what you might feel with a toothache.
However, it’s still worth it to schedule an appointment with your dentist as ignoring or misdiagnosing the pain yourself could lead to serious issues. Most dental pain won’t stop on its own and should be assessed by your dentist.
What Helps Tooth Pain?
If you are wondering how to relieve tooth pain, the first and most obvious answer is to make an appointment with your dentist so that the issue can be diagnosed and treated.
In the meantime, there are a few home remedies for tooth pain that you can try. Apply an ice pack or taking an over-the-counter pain medication to reduce pain and inflammation. In some cases, a saltwater rinse can also help soothe and relieve tooth pain.