Some Most Common Causes of Tooth Pain

CLINICAL CONTENT WRITTEN & REVIEWED BY CLOVE CLINICAL TEAM

Last Modified: August 24, 2022

FACT CHECKED

Tooth pain is considered the worst of all pains. A sharp, shooting, radiating pain can make anyone go ouch! While many dental issues can be long-standing and cause continuous pain, a few can be acute and cause sudden pain. Some chronic causes include a cavity, infected gums, and impacted teeth, and the acute causes can be food lodgement, trauma from biting, hard blow on teeth and more.

Dental problems are unbiased and similarly affect children and adults. However, the duration and causes of toothache vary. To rule out the cause of dental pains and to avoid further damage, it is important to visit the dentist as soon as possible.

Let’s talk about some of the most common causes of tooth pain:

5 Most Common Reasons for Tooth Aches

Toothaches are like unpleasant uninvited guests, and once they arrive, they can cause havoc. If you have already experienced dental pain, you know exactly what it feels like, and if you haven’t experienced it yet, you belong to the lucky few. However, it is vital to know the common reasons for toothache to avoid the pain and steer clear of dental problems.

Cavity/Tooth Decay

One of the most common and visible reasons for tooth pain is tooth decay. If the cavity progresses and reaches the tooth’s inner layers, the pulp of the tooth starts showing signs of inflammation, which causes pulsating pain.

If you experience sensitivity, the cavity can be removed, and the pain can be reversed. However, if the cavity deepens and you see blackish discolouration or swelling, you may have to go for Root Canal Treatment.

Periodontitis

It is an aggressive condition which affects the tooth and the gums simultaneously. The gums start to regress to expose the tooth, which leads to tooth mobility, pain, and extreme sensitivity. Swollen and inflamed gums make it hard to chew or speak. Moreover, it leads to bone loss and further issues that may hinder treatment following tooth loss like dentures, implants, bridges or more. Thus, it is important to care for your bone loss and loose teeth as soon you see the first signs of mobility or gum recession.

Impacted Tooth

An impacted tooth is one that fails to grow or come out of the socket and can cause pockets, pus, swelling etc. This kind of pain is mostly associated with the wisdom tooth as they are the last ones to erupt. If the gums obstruct the wisdom tooth, it can cause inflammation of the gums covering the tooth, causing pain on chewing or opening the mouth.

This kind of pain can be easily managed with medications, gum paints and mouthwash. However, if the pain increases or is recurring, your dentist may advise surgical extraction of the tooth or gingivectomy of the portion of the gums covering the tooth.

Trauma

Blow on the teeth, injury or trauma are the most obvious reasons for tooth pain. If the trauma is accompanied by a knocked out or a chipped off tooth, you may need to see the dentist at the earliest.

A knocked-out tooth can be fixed back into the socket if you have the tooth (immerse into milk or keep it in your mouth) and present it to the dentist within 30 minutes of the injury. Whereas, if the tooth is chipped, your dentist can reconstruct the tooth or save the tooth with RCT followed by capping.

Trauma from occlusion

These types of dental pains are long-standing and are caused because of the abnormal occlusion of the teeth. Malocclusion is likely hereditary and contributes to several dental, skeletal, and muscular pains. For instance, if the upper teeth are inside the lower ones or if the teeth are in a crossbite, then you may experience continuous pain on chewing or even at rest. This may even cause attrition of the teeth followed by sensitivity as they will grind against each other.

The best treatment for these pains is talking to your dentist regarding the occlusion and undergoing orthodontic treatment.

Get in Touch With The Experts To Cure Tooth Pain

There can be many reasons for dental pain. Anything from a popcorn kernel to a hard candy can cause toothache. But the good news is that many of these toothaches are treatable and preventable if an expert dentist undertakes dental health.

Conclusion

The dentists at Clove Dental have hands-on experience in treating various dental issues with an excellent prognosis. Supported by advanced equipment and technologies, the team is adept at providing treatment for chronic and acute dental conditions. The range of treatments includes braces, aligners, dental filling, crowns, wisdom tooth extraction, and other cosmetic treatments. To know more about the treatments, book an appointment with us today.