Anyone who’s ever experienced dental pain knows the sooner it can be relieved, the better. Feeling pain in your teeth is not normal and can be a sign that a problem that needs to be addressed. If your teeth are hurting you, it is always a good idea to see a dentist like Dr. Albert Caves of Columbus GA as soon as possible. They can do a thorough examination and answer the frustrating question you’ve been puzzling over, “Why do my teeth hurt?” It can be a number of reasons, but Dr. Caves can fill you in on some of the most common:
Cavity: A cavity is simply decay in your tooth due to bacteria eating away at tooth enamel. It can exposed nerves and create sensitivity that results in tooth pain. Cavities are easiest to manage when they are small and the tooth can be resealed with a filling.
Damaged or Lost Filling: Sometimes a filling can fall out or be damaged, which can bring on issues with your bite and chewing and lead to pain. A visit to your dentist can determine what needs to be done to alleviate the pain.
Teeth Grinding/Clenching/TMJ: If you find yourself bearing down on your teeth during the day, or wake up with a sore jaw, this is a good indication you are clenching or grinding your teeth at night. Dr. Caves can evaluate your problem and offers solutions such as customized mouthguards to help save your teeth from excessive wear and tear, as well as painful headaches, toothaches, and jaw pain.
Abscessed Tooth: A abscessed tooth forms when there is an infection festering at the tooth’s roots. It can be extremely painful and needs antibiotics to resolve the infection before the underlying cause (such as a crack or chip in the tooth enamel) can be addressed. Failure to address an abscess can lead to a widespread infection that endangers your life.
Wisdom Teeth: When your wisdom teeth begin to emerge, they can cause a great deal of pain, swelling, and jaw stiffness. Your dentist can determine if the teeth are growing in properly or if they are impacted (bumping up against other teeth) and should be removed.
Injury: Injury caused by such things as contact sports or an accident can cause any number of problems including a “bruised” or deep discoloring of the tooth, a broken tooth, or total loss of one or more teeth.
Temperature Sensitivity: When the underlying layer of the tooth, called the dentin, is exposed due to cracks in the enamel or the recession of the gums, your teeth may become sensitive to either hot or cold temperatures, or both.
Orthodontic Treatment: When your braces have been adjusted you are likely to experience some level of tooth pain. This is normal and using an over-the-counter pain medicine, or if the issue is caused by the hardware itself, a little ball of dental wax should do the trick.
Teeth Whitening: Most people will feel some minor discomfort after a professional teeth-whitening treatment, but the pain should resolve within a day. Talk to your dentist if it is too painful or problematic.
Tooth Pain Treatment in Columbus, GA
No matter what the reason, we know that living with tooth pain can be miserable, so stop asking, “Why do my teeth hurt?” and schedule an appointment with your dentist today. If you’re in the Columbus GA area, call our scheduling specialist at 706.407.4851 or contact us online to schedule with Dr. Caves. If you are experiencing pain, we will do our best to fit you in as soon as possible.