Categories: General Dentist

Common Causes of Toothaches

Toothaches tend to occur at the worst possible times. The pain can make it impossible to focus on important tasks, and it can even lead to a few sleepless nights. Many people describe toothaches as the worst type of pain that they have ever experienced.

Toothaches are the body’s way of saying that there is something wrong with a tooth. This is often a result of not taking good care of the teeth by doing things like eating too many sugary treats or not brushing enough. A toothache can also be the result of a tooth becoming damaged by trauma to the face, which can occur during sports, falls or accidents.

How toothaches occur

Each tooth in a person’s mouth has a sealed-off inner layer called the pulp chamber. This area houses connective tissues, nerves and blood vessels that supply the tooth with nutrients. It is the most sensitive part of a tooth and can be irritated by acids and bacteria in the mouth when the outer protective layer of a tooth, the enamel, has been lost due to decay, erosion or damage.

The soft tissues in a tooth can also be infected by bacteria. This can lead to bad toothaches. An infected tooth can be fixed by performing a root canal. This is a treatment that involves removing all the soft tissues in an infected tooth and sealing the area. The soft tissues in the pulp chamber are essential when a tooth is still growing, but once it has reached maturity, these tissues are no longer needed because it can get enough nutrients from tissues around it.

Other common causes of toothaches include:

  • An abscess
  • Damaged restorations like fillings
  • Cavities formed by tooth decay
  • A fractured, chipped or broken tooth
  • Habits like teeth grinding and clenching
  • Erupting teeth
  • Gum infections

A toothache might be accompanied by a variety of other symptoms, depending on its cause. Common issues that occur with toothaches include swelling, fever, pus coming from around the tooth, a strange taste in the mouth and a fever.

Treating tooth pain

Toothaches can be managed with home remedies like clove oil and over-the-counter painkillers, but these only provide a temporary fix. The only way to permanently get rid of a toothache is by addressing its root cause.

Dentists can figure out what this is by performing a visual examination and using tests like X-rays to evaluate what is going on underneath the gums. Once the problem has been diagnosed, the patient’s toothache can be treated.

Get toothache relief

Tired of tooth pain randomly ruining your day? Give us a call or visit our Red Bluff clinic to learn more about how our dentist can bring your toothache to an end.

Request an appointment here: https://www.drelloway.com or call Randal S. Elloway DDS, Inc at (530) 527-6777 for an appointment in our Red Bluff office.

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Toothaches in Red Bluff, CA.

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Randal Elloway, DDS

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Randal Elloway, DDS

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