A Pain in the Tooth: The Causes of Tooth Pain
Posted on: 20 May 2016
Toothache is a very common dental problem. Tooth pain is caused when the nerves which are inside the pulp of the tooth come into contact with an outside source. The pain is your body telling you that you need to visit the dentist. Tooth pain can have several causes. Below is a run down of the major causes of tooth pain.
Dental Cavities
Teeth which have dental cavities are particularly prone to pain. A dental cavity is created when food becomes stuck in the mouth and attached to the teeth. The bacteria with your mouth will feed on the food and produce acids which damage your teeth. This damage increases the sensitivity of the teeth.
Dental Work
Tooth pain can sometimes be caused by dental work. Dental work can cause teeth to become sensitised. The good news is that this sensitivity will normally subside after a few weeks.
Receding Gums
Receding gums occur when the tissue surrounding the teeth wears away or shrinks back from the teeth. A common cause of receding gums is periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is an infection which destroys and damages the tissue of the gum. This tissue plays a key role in supporting your teeth. You can also damage the gums if you brush your teeth too vigorously. This damage creates a space between the teeth and the gums in which bacteria can grow, leading to decaying and painful teeth.
Dental Abscess
A dental abscess is an infection which is normally caused by poor dental hygiene or an already infected tooth. These conditions allow bacteria in the mouth to thrive, which causes inflammation as your body attempts to combat the infection.
Crack, Chip or Fracture
If you frequently clench your jaw or grind your teeth, you may weaken your teeth and cause cracks, chips and fractures to appear. Damage such as this can cause the nerves in your teeth to become exposed, causing pain when you eat or drink food, which is very hot or cold.
Acid Reflux
Sufferers of acid reflux can be particularly at risk from tooth pain. Levels of tooth decay can be increased as acid from your stomach comes into contact with your teeth.
Referred Pain
The source of tooth pain is not always the teeth. Referred pain is when another ailment, such as an infected sinus, causes pain to radiate through the head so that it feels as if you have tooth pain.
If you are experiencing tooth pain, you should see a dentist, such as those found at The Happy Tooth Kurri Kurri, to have your oral health assessed and the pain treated.
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