All toothaches are the same, right? Wrong! They all come in different shapes and sizes and are caused by a host of things. From sinus pressure and congestion to an object stuck between your teeth to a serious abscess, the one thing all these have in common is that they cause pain. Ranging from mild to moderate to severe, you may not know exactly when you should seek immediate care or wait to see if it passes on its own. Before you jump in the car and head to your local dentist’s office, let an emergency dentist in Tappan explain what signs to look for that will dictate the type of care you need.
What Causes Toothaches?
Although there are many reasons as to why these nagging and painful dental problems can occur, the most common include:
- Tooth decay
- Abscess
- Pulp inflammation (the inner layer of the tooth)
- Cracked or fractured tooth
- Impacted wisdom teeth
- Gum disease
- Sensitive teeth
Toothache Types: How Pain Can Indicate a Serious or Minor Problem
If you want to know more about the different types of toothaches, all you really need to understand is the type of pain you’re experiencing. Take a look at each of the following, so you know in the future when it’s time to see your emergency dentist:
- Jabbing Pain: If the pain comes and goes but feels as if it is a stabbing feeling, this is typically due to eating something cold or hot or a cavity. If you have tooth sensitivity, an abscess, or a cracked tooth, you might feel this type of pain and need to seek help sooner rather than later.
- Sharp Pain: Often when you eat food that is extreme in temperature (cold ice cream or hot soup), this can create a sharp pain within one or more teeth. It could also be due to an abscess, cavity, brushing too harshly, or gum recession.
- Dull Pain: Considered to be the most common type of toothache, taking an over-the-counter pain reliever can help it to go away on its own; however, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still see a dentist. You may be facing possible nerve damage or tooth decay, and you may be prone to teeth grinding and not even know it.
- Throbbing Pain: When the pain becomes too much to handle and leaves you nearly debilitated, you need to seek immediate dental care. The reason is that you may be experiencing a serious infection or abscess, in which case, it must be treated as soon as possible to prevent additional damage to your oral cavity.
- Pain When Eating: If you have tooth decay or a small fracture, you might find it to be more difficult to eat. Although you can manage the pain at home, it is often best if you see your dentist just in case.
- Pain Toward the Back of the Jaw: When you begin to feel pain toward the back of your jaw, the most common reason is due to an impacted wisdom tooth. If this is the case, your dentist will need to extract it before it begins to shift your teeth out of alignment and cause additional damage under the gum line.
If you’re ever in doubt about your toothache, don’t wait to see if the pain will subside. Go ahead and call your dentist’s office and alert them to the problem. After listening to your symptoms, they can determine if you should come in right away or wait and treat it at home until a later date. No matter the decision, you can trust that they will take care of you and your smile and offer the best solution every time.
About the Practice
At Smile More Dentistry, our team of dentists takes preventive care seriously.
If we can help you avoid dental problems of any kind, we want to do our very
best to ensure your teeth and gums are free from possible decay and disease.
However, when a toothache does arise, we know you want immediate help, which is
why you can count on our team to provide in-house emergency dentistry services for
the most severe cases as well as step-by-step instructions for those that are more
minor. With our professionals, you’ll never have to sit through agonizing pain.
If you’re searching for a “dentist near me” who help you get the relief you
need, visit our website
or call (845) 675-1512.