A toothache may range from mild to throbbing and have various underlying reasons to it but the fact remains that it is one of the most common dental complaints all over the world. People of all ages may undergo tooth pain at some point. The reason behind the ache may be different but the mechanism is more or less the same. The nerves around the affected tooth send out a warning while responding to specific stimuli, creating a sensation to inform you that something is not right. A toothache is one of the major reasons that take you to the dentist. Many people falsely believe that the only reason the tooth causes discomfort is when it is decaying. However, the truth is, there are many reasons that your teeth might be aching and in order to treat them right you must know the reason behind them.
The most common reason, but definitely not the only one; tooth decay is caused by small cavities which may penetrate the enamel, affecting the inner layer of the tooth making it highly sensitive. The further the decay penetrates, the sharper is the pain.
Gum diseases cause red, bleeding or inflamed gums and in advanced stages start to cause a toothache in adjoining teeth even if the teeth are healthy.
Falls or accidents
Accidents can lead to fractures or broken teeth which may not be noticeable. The fracture lines run deep through the pulp which causes severe ache. Also, there are times plaque or bacteria may accumulate in the crack which causes decay and toothache.
Cracked tooth syndrome
There are cracks that may be concealed and too small to be noticed in the X-rays. These usually result by bad chewing habits, teeth grinding, tooth injury etc. These cracks are very small in size but can cause severe pain when you chew.
Also known as Bruxism is due to extreme stress on the teeth when chewing causing them to weaken, chip or wear down. This results in pain in the teeth, jaw and even muscles.
Improper brushing causes the teeth and gums to detach and roots to be exposed which cause extreme sensitivity to cold or heat.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
When a wisdom tooth erupts it causes a lot of pain if there is no place or space for it to erupt. It can also put pressure on adjacent tooth causing pain and misalignment in the entire jaw. Bacteria could also grow to cause further infections.
The misaligned or crooked tooth can also cause a toothache.
Sometimes your orthodontic treatment such as adjustment of braces could also cause pain for some time.
Sometimes your toothache might not be because of any oral problem but because of conditions in other parts of the body like sinuses, heart problem etc. It is rare but possible.
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