Are you suffering from gum or tooth pain? If so, contact your dentists immediately to schedule an appointment. Here, our Amherstburg dentists talk about the potential causes of tooth and gum pain, and what you can do to help alleviate it until your dentist appointment.
Tooth & Gum Pain Causes
Whether the ache you feel in your tooth is minor or severe, you should always schedule an appointment with your dentist so they can diagnose its underlying cause as quickly as possible. In most cases, a rigorous oral hygiene routine will prevent toothaches or discomfort. However, many potential factors can cause tooth or gum pain, including the following:
Tooth Decay/Cavities
While cavities often develop gradually, pain can arise suddenly. This should be taken care of as soon as possible to prevent an infection from taking hold.
Injury, Grinding, or Trauma
Whether you grind your teeth in your sleep and gradually wear them down, or you sustain an injury in some more immediate way, for instance, while playing sports, a fractured or damaged tooth can be very painful – don’t ignore it. Your dentist may recommend treating it with a filling, crown, or bonding.
Grinding may also cause tooth sensitivity issues. Ask your dentist for tips on how to break this harmful habit.
Problematic Wisdom Teeth
When wisdom teeth become impacted, they often become quite painful due to the pressure they place on the neighbouring 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.
An 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 might 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 has become severe gum disease, you might need a root canal, antibiotics, and/or surgery.
Other Possible 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 concerns, such as gum recession, and you should see your dentist.
There are also situations where the issue causing the tooth pain lies outside of 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.
How To Help Alleviate 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 take over-the-counter pain medication to reduce pain and inflammation. In some cases, a saltwater rinse can also help soothe and relieve tooth pain.