What’s Causing Your Dental Discomfort?

When people first discover their dental discomfort, they immediately think they have a cavity. However, cavities are not the only reason we experience pain in our mouths. There are multiple issues that can attack our oral health, and they should all be diagnosed by your dentist. We always like to reiterate that dentistry should never be a DIY project. That being said, when you do show up for your dental appointment, your dentist can alert you to some of the issues below and what needs to be done to fix them.

Cracked Tooth

Not every hole in your tooth is caused by a cavity. You could have physically damaged it by chewing on something too hard or by getting hit with direct trauma to that specific tooth. Since it’s easier to remember when you’ve been struck in the jaw, that scenario isn’t too hard to diagnose yourself. You still need to schedule an appointment with your dentist right away, so he or she can fix it. It will not resolve itself over time.

However, if you happened to chip or crack a tooth while you were chewing on some hard candy, the specific moment when the damage occurred may be harder to recognize. Plus, if you’re eating hard candy, we certainly can’t fault you for suspecting a cavity. Nevertheless, it’s important to come see your dentist for whatever problem you believe to be affecting your oral health. We can help identify the underlying issue and correct it right away.

Abscessed Tooth

Even though this issue usually occurs when your teeth are experiencing severe dental decay, it can still happen to a healthy individual. That’s why you should know the difference between a cavity and an abscessed tooth. This type of dental infection starts at the root of the tooth and can make its way inside to infect the pulp of your teeth as well. This can cause constant pain that feels like it’s throbbing. You may even experience a fever. An abscessed tooth certainly requires immediate attention. Swollen gums are usually the telltale sign of an abscessed tooth, so if you’re experiencing such, you should see your dentist right away. It’s a serious dental malady that can cause a tooth to be pulled. However, when dealing with any kind of infection, the number one goal is to always preserve the tooth as best as possible.

Sensitive Teeth

It’s possible that your dental pain isn’t from any kind of infection or crack at all. It could be due to the thinning of your enamel. Such is the case for sensitive teeth. This condition is the result of acidic food or drink. When your teeth are exposed to acids for long periods of time, they can begin to lose layers of their enamel. Acids are powerful and can even degenerate the strongest material in your body. This, in turn, causes the nerves to be closer to the surface, adding to the sensitivity of your teeth when eating or drinking hot and cold items. That’s why it’s important to brush when you get up in the morning and when you’re about to sleep at night. This prevents your teeth from being exposed to acid for long periods of time.

If you’d like to ease the symptoms of thinning enamel, you can try using a special kind of toothpaste for sensitive teeth. We also suggest using a soft-bristled toothbrush, so you don’t continue weakening your enamel every time you brush your teeth. Again, you need to visit your dentist to know for sure that the cause of your dental pain is from thinning enamel and not anything more serious.

Sinuses

A final cause of your tooth pain may not even involve your teeth at all. If you’re experiencing pain only on your upper teeth but on both sides of your face, you could have an active sinus infection. This sort of toothache is usually accompanied or preceded by nasal congestion and tenderness around your sinuses. Unlike the previous ailments, if you suspect this is the cause of your tooth pain, you may wish to see your doctor instead of the dentist. However, if your pain is more identifiable as jaw pain, it may be caused by tooth grinding (bruxism) or your molars may be impacted, and you’ll have to get your wisdom teeth removed. These issues CAN be sorted out by your dentist.

If You’re Experiencing Pain…See Your Dentist!

Although every issue inside your mouth does not have to be caused by cavity, you still need to see your dentist. Self-diagnoses is not encouraged. We encourage self-dentistry even less. In fact, we don’t encourage it at all. Please, do not try and cure your dental discomfort on your own. Let the trained professionals help you! If you’re experiencing any kind of pain inside your mouth, sign up for an appointment with us. All you have to do is click here and fill out the information found on that page. We’ll have you feeling back to normal in no time!