What causes a toothache?
Decay often is cited as the primary cause of a toothache, but other causes include dental abscess (infection in the nerve of a tooth), gum disease, grinding teeth (bruxism), previous tooth trauma or an abnormal bite. TMJ, sinus or ear infections, and tension in the facial muscles can cause discomfort that resembles a toothache, but these problems are usually accompanied by a headache, according to Durham dentist Dr. Gary Schlotterer. Pain around the teeth and the jaws can be symptoms of heart disease such as angina. When you have mouth pain, it’s important for you to have a complete oral examination to determine the cause.
While decay often is cited as the primary cause of a toothache, it’s important for you to have a complete oral examination to determine the cause. Other dental causes of a toothache include: infection, gum disease, grinding teeth (bruxism), tooth trauma and an abnormal bite. Tooth eruption may be the cause of tooth or jaw pain in babies and school-age children. TMJ, sinus or ear infections and tension in the facial muscles can cause discomfort that resembles a toothache, but often these health problems are accompanied by a headache. Pain around the teeth and the jaws can be symptoms of heart disease such as angina. If your dentist suspects a medical illness could be the cause of your toothache, he or she may refer you to a physician. Why does my toothache? You may have a dental cavity or advanced gum disease. The first sign of decay may be the pain you feel when you eat something sweet, very cold or very hot.
Dentists recognize that an aching tooth can be an intimidating and frightening experience. I assure you that the dental profession takes a very gentle approach to make you comfortable once again. For most of our patients, the greatest amount of fear stemsbrux from a fear of the unknown. I hope that the information on this page helps reduce some anxiety, should you have any. Most of us have experienced some type of toothache over the course of our lifetime, and the number of reasons for this discomfort are so great that I cannot expound on all of them here. Often, the first idea that comes to mind is, “Uh oh, I have a cavity.” I can assure you that a great number of our patients have happily learned that this was not the case. To understand the source of a toothache, it is first important to understand the anatomy of a tooth. Our teeth are living entities, complete with nerves and a blood supply to keep them healthy.
While decay often is cited as the primary cause of a toothache, it’s important for you to have a complete oral examination to determine the cause. Other dental causes of a toothache include: infection, gum disease, grinding teeth (bruxism), tooth trauma and an abnormal bite. Tooth eruption may be the cause of tooth or jaw pain in babies and school-age children. TMJ, sinus or ear infections and tension in the facial muscles can cause discomfort that resembles a toothache, but often these health problems are accompanied by a headache. Pain around the teeth and the jaws can be symptoms of heart disease such as angina. If your dentist suspects a medical illness could be the cause of your toothache, he or she may refer you to a physician. Why does my toothache? You may have a dental cavity or advanced gum disease. The first sign of decay may be the pain you feel when you eat something sweet, very cold or very hot.
