Cavity Causing Tooth Pain
A cavity is a hole caused by decay in your tooth enamel due to bacteria. Cavities can expose nerves, creating sensitivity that results in tooth pain. Cavities are easiest to treat when they are small and the tooth can still be saved, usually with a dental filling.
Damaged or Lost Filling
Sometimes a filling can fall out or suffer damage, which will cause issues with the stability of your bite, leading to pain. A visit to your local dentist can determine what can be done to eliminate the pain.
Teeth Grinding/Clenching/TMJ
If you find yourself bearing down on your teeth during the day, or wake up with a sore jaw, this is likely a sign that you are clenching or grinding your teeth at night. Your dentist can offer solutions to help save your teeth from excess wear and tear, as well as painful headaches, toothaches and jaw pain.
Abscessed Tooth
An abscess is a severe infection that can form at the tooth’s roots. They are extremely painful and only a visit to the dentist can resolve them permanently. First, antibiotics must be administered to eliminate the infection and then the tooth must be treated to resolve the issue that allowed it to form in the first place. Failure to treat an abscess can lead to a widespread infection in other parts of the body, serious illness or even death.
Wisdom Teeth Coming In
When your wisdom teeth begin to erupt, they can cause a great deal of pain, swelling, and jaw stiffness. Your dentist can determine if the teeth are coming in properly or if they will need to be removed.
Injury
Injury caused by such things as contact sports or an accident may cause any number of problems including a “bruised” or deep discoloring of the tooth, a broken tooth, or total loss of one or more teeth.
Orthodontic Treatment
When you have your braces adjusted, you are likely to experience some level of discomfort. This is normal and using an over-the-counter pain reliever, or if the issue is caused by the hardware itself, a little ball of dental wax should do the trick.
Temperature Sensitivity
When the underlying layer of the tooth enamel, called the dentin, is exposed due to cracks in the outer enamel or the recession of the gums, your teeth may become sensitive to hot or cold temperatures, or often both.
Teeth Whitening
Many people will feel some discomfort after a professional teeth-whitening treatment, but the pain should abate within a day. Talk to your dentist if it is too painful or problematic.
Relieve Tooth Pain in Charlotte, NC
No matter what the reason, we know tooth pain can be miserable, so quit asking, “What’s causing my tooth pain?” and schedule an appointment with a dentist today. If you’re in the Charlotte, NC area call our scheduling specialist at Charlotte Center for Complete Dentistry at (704) 275-5323 or schedule online. Most dentists have specific appointments available for dental emergencies, especially when you are experiencing pain. They will identify the underlying problem and help you find relief, fast.