Have you noticed tooth or gum pain that continues to make your daily life miserable? Contact your dentist as soon as possible to book an appointment. Today, our Winnipeg dentists list potential reasons for your pain and what you can do until the dentist checks your mouth.
What causes tooth pain & gum pain?
Whether your toothache pain is minor or severe, your dentist should always assess your mouth and diagnose the underlying cause as soon as possible. A rigorous oral hygiene routine will most often prevent toothaches or discomfort. That said, many potential factors can cause tooth or gum pain, including the following:
Cavity/Tooth Decay
While cavities often occur gradually, pain can suddenly become an issue. This problem should be treated as soon as possible to prevent infection.
Grinding, Trauma or Injury
Whether you gradually wear your teeth down by grinding them in your sleep or you sustain an injury in a more immediate fashion (such as while playing sports), a damaged or fractured tooth can be very painful and should not be ignored. Your dentist may recommend having it treated with a filling, bonding or crown.
Grinding can also cause sensitivity in your teeth. Ask your dentist for advice on how to break this harmful habit.
Wisdom Teeth
When wisdom teeth become impacted, they often become quite painful due to the pressure the inflict on the surrounding teeth, or infection. Impacted wisdom teeth can also lead to secondary issues including tooth damage and crowding if there isn’t enough space for them to erupt properly.
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 (periodontal disease) can range from early stage (gingivitis) to moderate and severe. In the early stages, your dentist may treat your gingivitis with a procedure called scaling and root planing – the process of removing plaque buildup from the 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
We should note that some people experience temporary tooth sensitivity, which doesn’t necessarily indicate a serious problem.
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.
However, it’s still worth it to schedule an appointment with your dentist as ignoring or misdiagnosing the pain yourself could lead to serious issues. Most dental pain won’t stop on its own and should be assessed 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.