A toothache simply means you are experiencing pain in your tooth, and visiting a general dentist when toothaches persist is a good idea.
In most cases, a toothache is something that can be treated temporarily with a quick trip to the pharmacy or the use of home remedies, helping you manage the pain until your appointment with your general dentist. In other cases, the pain can be unbearable, which means you need to see the dentist as quickly as possible.
Toothaches are often caused by trauma to the teeth, but they can also be caused by other factors, as well as your general health. Common causes are:
Cavities: These are caused by the plaque that forms on your teeth after eating. The plaque creates acids that weaken your enamel and make your teeth more vulnerable to bacterial attacks.
Injuries: This is caused by trauma to the teeth when playing physical sports, damage to the teeth while eating or getting injured in an accident. Chipping or breaking your tooth exposes the nerves in the tooth and makes it very sensitive.
Gum disease: Gum disease like gingivitis and periodontitis can cause a great deal of damage to your teeth and gums if left untreated.
If you are experiencing pain in your tooth, it is obvious that something is not right. However, it does not mean you have to rush to the dentist immediately. The pain people feel in their teeth is sometimes caused by their filling falling out, which exposes the hole it was covering. If that is the case, you can fix it temporarily using dental cement to hold the filling in place until you can see your dentist. If the pain not caused by a filling falling out or by trauma to the teeth, you likely have an infection and should seek immediate help.
Having a sensitive tooth is one of the most common symptoms of toothaches. In most cases, your tooth will be sensitive to extreme temperatures, which makes it difficult to eat or drink anything that is either too hot or too cold. The sensitivity can due to exposure of nerves in your teeth or the wear and tear of grinding your teeth. In some cases, the sensitivity is caused by an abscessed tooth or a cavity, which will likely require a visit to your general dentist as soon as possible.
If the pain you are feeling is caused by a loose tooth but your tooth was not knocked loose from playing sports or an accident, you might have serious gum disease. In this situation, it will be impossible to save the loose tooth, but you can still treat the gum disease and prevent the loss of other teeth.
If you have a toothache and your gums are swollen or bleeding, you should schedule an appointment with your general dentist because those are symptoms of gum disease. If left untreated, the disease can spread to other teeth in your mouth.
Having a toothache can leave you in a great deal of pain. Fortunately, the pain is temporary or manageable in most cases. If you have a persistent toothache that will not go away, you should visit your general dentist as quickly as possible.
Request an appointment here: https://lakenormandentistry.com or call Lake Norman Dentistry at (704) 895-3858 for an appointment in our Huntersville office.
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