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Causes and treatments for teeth/tooth pain

You may be surprised to hear that dental pain is said to be so common in the history of humanity, that the high demand for toothache treatments led to dental surgery as the very first specialty of medicine! 

No matter how excellent your dental hygiene may be, you’ve probably experienced a sudden, sharp pain in a tooth at some point in your life. Dreadful, right? But what are the causes of uncomfortable toothaches? We’ll go over a few different causes and treatments for dental pain. 

Pulpitis causes and treatments

Pulpitis is one of the most common causes of a toothache or dental pain. It’s caused by inflammation of dental pulp tissue. Pulp can be described as a spongy/soft tissue filled with nerves and blood vessels enclosed by a tooth’s structure. In the crown of a tooth, enamel and dentine act as a protector and shield for the internal pulp. Teeth naturally decay over time due to enamel and dentine weakening. When this occurs, the pulp is left exposed unable to protect itself from outside irritants. The body’s response to this decay is called a toothache. 

Is Pulpitis curable? Yes. Here are two options: Your dentist can provide a filling treatment to the affected tooth IF the cause is tooth decay. The filling will allow the pulp to heal since it acts as a protectant against outside irritants. 

If the cause is not from tooth decay, pulp therapy or root canal treatment must be the solution. A root canal may be required when the inner chamber of a tooth becomes compromised. The root canal procedure will eliminate infections and with them, pain. Sometimes if a root canal procedure is not possible, then a tooth extraction must be performed. An extraction completely removes the tooth, leaving a blank space, which can be filled with an implant or a bridge.

Tooth sensitivity due to gums or enamel thinning 

If you happen to be experiencing sharp pain in your teeth when consuming hot or cold foods or beverages, this could be due to:

  • Receding gums 
  • Tooth enamel thinning 

If this is the case, you may be brushing your teeth too hard or you may require a softer bristle. Purchasing an electric toothbrush with a soft bristle should reduce the amount of force being applied to the sensitive gum and enamel area. 

You can also try brushing your teeth with the opposite arm that you’re used to. Brushing your teeth and gums while applying too much force can cause the gums to recede over time. You’ll be surprised to see just how much pressure you’ve been applying to your teeth and gums all along.  

Tooth infection or tooth abscess

If you feel severe pain/pressure and your gums are sensitive when touched, your tooth may have a tooth infection or tooth abscess. The infection or abscess may have spread from the pulp into the surrounding periodontal tissues. 

When to seek dental treatment

If you have a severe toothache, don’t wait for the pain to get worse! Contact us today to ensure a root canal treatment is not needed. 

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