Toothache:
Toothache
is one of the most common dental complaints the world over. It is often
the top reason people finally visit a dentist. If we were to ask 10
people what is the cause for toothaches, 9 of them would blame it on
tooth decay. However, the truth is that there are a lot of other reasons
and knowing about them could help you prevent toothaches to some
extent:
Tooth decay :
Tooth decay is the most common (but not the only) cause of a toothache. Small
cavities that affect only the outer coating of the tooth (enamel) are
usually painless. But when the decay penetrates through the enamel and
affects the inner layer of the tooth (dentin) you tooth becomes
extremely sensitive. In advanced stages the decay progresses deeper into
the innermost layer (pulp) resulting in intense, sharp pain. Infection
from a decayed tooth can cause death of the pulp tissue and cause an
abscess (filled with pus) below the root of the tooth.
We all know gum disease causes red, swollen, bleeding gums. But advanced gum disease
can cause toothache even in an otherwise healthy tooth too. Gum
infection causes inflammation of the gum and bone tissues leading to
swelling, loss of bone around the teeth and a dull pain. Gum abscess
that may occur in most advanced stages of gum disease (periodontitis)
may also cause pain.
Falls or accidents
Falls or accidents could cause fractured or broken teeth, which you may or may not notice
at that time. However, they are almost certain to cause severe toothache
when the fracture line runs through the pulp (nerves) of the teeth.
Even if the fracture line is not very deep, plaque and bacteria can get
accumulated in the crack and cause tooth decay.
Read: Top ten reasons for tooth loss
Sometimes you may experience pain in your tooth which has no obvious
signs of fracture and is also not affected by cavity or advanced gum
disease. This could be due to a concealed crack/fracture of the tooth
that is too small to be even seen on X-rays. This is called cracked tooth syndrome
which may occur due to bad chewing habits, teeth grinding, tooth
injury, weakening of tooth due to large fillings, etc. Sometimes during a
root canal treatment the tooth may crack from the pressure applied.
Such cracked tooth causes severe pain when you chew.
Tooth grinding (bruxism):
Tooth grinding can wear down or chip your teeth and put excess force on the tissues
supporting them causing pain not only in the teeth but also in the jaw
joints and muscles.
Improper tooth brushing and gum disease cause the gums around the tooth to detach or recede. This causes the roots of the tooth to be exposed
and can cause extreme sensitivity to cold, hot, and sour foods. Acidic
drinks can also further erode the roots and aggravate the sensitivity.
Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of teeth grinding or bruxism.
Chances are that you may have misaligned or impacted wisdom teeth
i.e. they fail to erupt partially/completely through the gum line. When
a wisdom tooth erupts it may cause pain if there is not enough space
for it to erupt. It may also put pressure on the adjacent tooth and
cause a dull ache. A partially erupted wisdom tooth is also difficult to
clean. Bacteria grow on the food that accumulates under the soft tissue
flap around it, leading to a pericoronitis (infection) which causes
swelling and redness of the gum with diffuse pain. If untreated, it can
lead to serious infections and severe pain.
Read: Wisdom teeth – why they may need to be removed
How could crooked tooth
possibly cause a tooth ache? When your teeth are not aligned properly
there is uneven distribution of forces on the teeth and thus
inflammation of the nerves in the teeth causing pain.
Orthodontic treatment
(or correcting the alignment of the teeth with braces) could often
cause pain for brief periods of time when the braces areadjusted or
tightened.
A toothache may also be caused by a problem that is not related to a
tooth or the jaw. There are some conditions elsewhere in the body that
can cause pain that is referred to a tooth. During a
sinus infection, the pressure from your sinuses is referred as a dull
ache to your upper back teeth due to their close proximity to the teeth.
In rare cases, a toothache or jaw pain may be a sign of a heart attack.
Toothache may also be referred from trigeminal neuralgia which is
characterised by episodes of intermittent, intense shooting pain in the
face.
