Your North York Invisalign® Provider
If your tooth or gums are causing your pain, you should contact your dentist as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. Here, our North York dentists explain some of the possible reasons for your pain and what you can do to care for your smile until you can get to the dentist.
What causes tooth pain & gum pain?
Regardless of whether your toothache pain is minor or it is severe, you should always have a dentist diagnose its underlying cause as soon as you can. In most instances, a rigorous routine of oral hygiene will prevent a toothache. That being said, many potential factors may cause gum or tooth pain, including any of the following:
Cavity/Tooth Decay
While cavities may often occur gradually, pain will happen quite suddenly. This should be taken care of as soon as possible in order to prevent an infection from taking hold in your tooth.
Grinding, Trauma or Injury
Whether your grind your teeth in your sleep, inflicting gradual damage ,or you sustain a injury while playing sports, a damaged or fractured tooth can be hugely painful. It's critical that you don't ignore it. Your dentist will be able to recommend appropriate treatment with fillings, bonding or crowns.
Grinding may also cause tooth sensitivity issues. Ask your dentist for tips on how to break this harmful habit.
Wisdom Teeth
When your wisdom teeth become impacted, they will often be quite painful because of the pressure they place on the surrounding teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth may also lead to secondary issues, including tooth damage and crowding if there isn't enough space in your mouth for them to properly erupt.
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, also called periodontal disease, can widely vary from its early stages (called gingivitis) to more moderate and severe cases, In gum disease's earliest stages, your dentist may be able to treat your condition is a treatment called root plating and scaling. This process removed plaque buildup from below your 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
It;s important to note that some people may experience temporary tooth sensitivity. And this, while uncomfortable, doesn't necessarily indicate a serious health issue.
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.
If you notice ongoing sensitivity (for more than a couple of days), this may be cause for more serious concern, such as gum recession, and you should see your dentist.
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.
It's still worth scheduling an appointment with your dentist since misdiagnosing or ignoring the pain yourself may lead to serious ongoing health issues. The vast majority of dental pain won't stop on its own and should be properly assessed and diagnosed 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 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.