5 Causes of Toothaches and How To Handle Them

Mild or severe tooth pain clearly indicates that all is not well. Understanding the causes of tooth pain and how to handle them can help you know when to seek prompt dental care, alleviate discomfort, and prevent long-term complications. This article explores the common causes of tooth pain and treatment options.

Common Tooth Pain Symptoms and Treatment Options

A toothache refers to any pain or discomfort in or around your tooth. The pain can be temporary or constant, ranging from mild to severe. Some of the symptoms of tooth pain include:

• A dull toothache that won’t go away
• Throbbing tooth pain
• Teeth sensitivity
• Sharp, jabbing tooth pain

Sometimes toothaches are accompanied by symptoms like:

• Headaches
• Fever and chills
• Gum or facial swelling
• Bad mouth taste or breath

Serious symptoms like severe tooth pain, fever, and chills mean your condition is serious, and you should seek emergency dental care near you or visit an ER near you. Visit our office for more information about tooth sensitivity causes and solutions.

Causes of Tooth Pain and How to Handle Them

Below are common toothache causes and home remedies to manage your symptoms:

1. Tooth decay or cavities

Decay and cavities often develop when oral bacteria release toxic acids that erode and damage the tooth enamel, exposing the underlying tissues like the dentin and nerves. Initially, this can cause temporary sensitivity to extreme temperatures. As the decay or cavities deepen, you can experience more severe and constant pain.

Use the tips below to manage tooth pain due to decay or cavities:

• Visit our dentist near you, our dentist will examine the damage to your tooth and recommend treatments like root canals, dental fillings inlays, crowns, or extractions to treat your tooth and eliminate discomfort and other symptoms.
• Take pain medications like ibuprofen to reduce your discomfort.
• Apply ice packs to your cheek against the painful tooth.
• You can use desensitizing toothpaste to minimize tooth sensitivity.

2. Gum disease

Gum or periodontal disease is the infection of the tooth’s supporting structures, like the gums. It’s characterized by sore, sensitive, receding, and bleeding gums. If left untreated, gum infections can damage the gums and underlying bone and connective tissues, resulting in tooth pain, mobility, or loss. To manage pain related to gum disease:

• Seek prompt dental care: The dentist or periodontist will examine your condition and recommend appropriate treatment to restore your gum health and alleviate any discomfort or symptoms. Treatments can include deep cleaning, surgery, or antibiotic therapy.
• Take pain relievers like acetaminophen to reduce pain. Avoid aspirin.
• Try saltwater rinses to minimize swelling and provide relief for pain.
• Excellent oral hygiene can help minimize bacterial infections.

3. Tooth trauma

Tooth trauma or injuries like cracks, breaks, and knock-outs can cause mild to intense pain and other symptoms like bleeding and swelling. Use the following tips to manage your symptoms:

• Seek immediate dental care. If you have severe injuries or your tooth has fallen off, visit an emergency dentist near you. The dentist can restore your tooth and address any damages to save your tooth. Prompt care also helps avoid further damage like fractures or infections. Common treatments for tooth damage include dental fillings, inlays and onlays, crowns, and extraction.
• Rinse with a saltwater solution to minimize swelling, pain, and infections.
• Use tape gauze or sugarless gum to cover jagged edges to prevent more oral injuries.
• Take pain medications like ibuprofen or apply a cold compress to minimize discomfort.

4. Impacted Wisdom Tooth

Throbbing pain in your back mouth can indicate an erupting or impacted wisdom tooth. Use the following tips to manage your symptoms:

• Seek prompt dental care: The dentist will inspect your tooth to determine whether it’s impacted. If so, tooth extraction may be necessary to alleviate the pain and prevent additional complications like infections and misalignments.
• Take pain medications like ibuprofen.
• Applying ice packs against the painful area can help minimize swelling or pain.
• Gargle with salt water rinses to ease swelling and pain and minimize infections.

5. Bruxism or misaligned bite

Teeth grinding and clenching or poor bite can cause too much pressure on your teeth and jaw, causing pain in the teeth and surrounding parts like the jaw, ear, neck, and head. Use the tips below to manage pain caused by bruxism:

• See your dentist: The dentist will examine your mouth and address any pain or underlying issues.
• Take pain medications like ibuprofen to minimize your symptoms.
• Apply cold therapy against the outer cheek to reduce pain and swelling.
• Wear a mouthguard to prevent or lower the impact of teeth grinding or clenching.

Tooth Pain Prevention Strategies

Below are practical tips to minimize your risk of conditions that cause tooth pain:

• Practice excellent oral hygiene.
• Wear a mouthguard for bruxism and during high-impact sports.
• Avoid abrasive toothbrushes and toothpaste.
• Avoid aggressive brushing.
• Use fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash.
• Limit hard or crunchy foods items.
• Limit acidic and sugary foods.

Visit Our Dentists in Dover, NH

Do you need more information about dental pain causes and prevention strategies? Contact and a book a dentist appointment at Belknap Dental Associates to book your appointment today.