What Is Causing My Toothache?
There’s nothing more annoying than a toothache. Even a minor toothache can distract you from the things you need to do, and a serious toothache can bring excruciating pain. There are many different causes for toothaches. Here are five of the most common.
1. Cavities – The most common cause of a toothache is a dental cavity. Dental cavities are holes in the two outer layers of the tooth: the enamel and the dentin. These two layers protect the nerves that lie further beneath the surface of the tooth. A deep cavity can allow these nerves to be irritated by the food you eat, hot and cold drinks and even by bacteria. All of these irritants cause toothache.
2. Gum Disease – Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is a common dental problem. Gum disease starts out as bacteria that don’t get removed from our mouths as part of our regular dental hygiene. These bacteria turn to plaque, which coats our teeth and causes gingivitis. Gingivitis causes bad breath, and sore and bleeding gums. When gingivitis isn’t treated it leads to gum disease. Gum disease, in more advanced stages, causes bone loss around the teeth. Pockets can form where the bone is lost. Bacteria in these pockets can lead to toothaches and infection.
3. Root Sensitivities – Exposed tooth roots can cause your teeth to be sensitive to hot and cold foods and beverages. However, these exposed roots can also cause tooth pain. Roots are typically located far enough below the surface that they don’t cause pain. However, through gum disease, cavities and other dental problems, these roots can become exposed, leading to toothaches.
4. Cracked Teeth – When a tooth cracks or breaks from a trauma, it can cause a severe toothache. Teeth can be cracked from a facial injury, or even from biting something very hard.
5. Impacted Teeth- Impacted teeth are those that are trying to erupt, but are unable to complete the eruption process; often due to lack of space. Wisdom teeth often become impacted because the mouth lacks room for them to properly erupt. This impaction can lead to severe pain.
As you might have guessed, all of these problems that could be causing your toothache are best treated by a dentist. Visiting your dentist promptly at the onset of a toothache is critical to obtaining toothache relief and keeping your tooth.
The key to preventing those toothaches is typically good oral hygiene. Removing the bacteria that forms in your mouth each day is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure that you stop toothache and those toothaches don’t continue. OraMD is a great way to help rid your mouth of bacteria.