Despite keeping up with great oral care and dental hygiene, you still may encounter tooth problems at some point in your life. It’s important to know what your tooth pain means so you can figure out the best way to treat it.
Tooth Decay
When your tooth erodes, cavities can form in the enamel. This makes plaque stick to your enamel, creating a weaker tooth. This decay causes your tooth to ache and feel sensitive at times.
What to Do:
Brush your teeth gently with warm water
Keep your mouth as clean as possible
Take anti-inflammatory pain relievers
See your dentist as soon as possible
What to Avoid:
Not seeing your dentist. Don’t put off treatment. Your toothache will only get worse.
Sugary and acidic foods
Exceptionally hot or cold foods and liquids
Cracked Tooth
We use our teeth a lot and all of the biting and chewing can cause them to weaken. If your teeth hurt when you chew, you may be suffering from a cracked tooth.
What to Do:
Apply over-the-counter pain relief medicine
Floss between your cracked tooth to remove food particles
Sleep with your head elevated
See your dentist as soon as possible
What to Avoid:
Hard and chewy foods
Grinding your teeth, especially at night
Activities that could cause trauma to your mouth
Impacted Tooth
When a new tooth tries to move into position but can’t, it becomes impacted. Usually, this happens to our wisdom teeth since they are the last teeth to move into our mouths. Our jawbones can’t fit these teeth, so they get stuck under our gums. This creates pressure, pain, and swelling.
What to Do:
Take anti-inflammatory medicine to reduce pain
Use an ice pack to lower swelling
Rinse with warm salt water
Visit your dentist to see if your wisdom teeth should be removed
What to Avoid:
Ignoring the pain. Wisdom teeth are serious and require professional attention.
Sensitive Teeth
Sometimes, our teeth become sensitive. Teeth sensitivity can be triggered by specific temperatures. This is especially common for cold foods, air, and liquids.
What to Do:
Use special toothpaste for sensitive teeth
Increase fluoride
See your dentist for advice on caring for sensitive teeth
What to Avoid:
Very hot or very cold foods and liquids
Gum Disease
Oral pain doesn’t necessarily stay in your teeth. Your gums can become infected just as much as your teeth. Gum disease, or gingivitis, can lead to bone loss and cause your teeth to detach.
What to Do:
Brush thoroughly twice a day
Start flossing
Use antibacterial toothpaste and mouthwash
See your dentist as soon as possible
What to Avoid:
Tobacco
Medications that cause xerostomia or gingival enlargement
Abscess
When bacteria builds up inside of the pulp chamber of your tooth, it becomes infected. The pressure from the infection creates pain and swelling. Typically a dentist can spot a dental abscess using an X-ray.
What to Do:
Rinse your mouth with warm water and salt
Take over-the-counter medicine to lower inflammation
See your dentist for an X-ray as soon as possible
What to Avoid:
Touching the infected area
Putting off your dental visit. See your specialist as soon as possible for the best treatment.
Vigorous brushing on the impacted area
