Dental Pain: Causes and remedies

After Hours Emergency Dentist in Ballina 0473374166

Toothache can be one of the most painful experiences. Gums or periodontal infection can be the site of the pain. Wisdom teeth can be painful as they emerge. The pain can also be coming from the nerve of the tooth – usually bacteria have reached the pulp. A cracked tooth can also be painful.

The sooner you can be seen by a dentist the better. If we are closed however, there is some emergency advice available for traumatic injuries of teeth. Use painkillers as directed on the packet until you can be seen.

We will book you in as soon as we can. If you are suffering please call our after hours emergency number and tell the answering machine all the details. We will call you back as soon as we can. After Hours Emergency : 047 337 4166

Types of pain – Slight sensitivity to severe toothache

Sensitive teeth. Slight sensation when brushing or scratching the tooth. Reactive to cold.

You may be suffering dentine hypersensitivity, caused from loss of enamel. Dental enamel is the very hard protective coating covering each tooth. It is formed in early childhood and does not replenish over a lifetime. Once the tooth has lost enamel, it is gone for good. Teeth can lose enamel from grinding (including brushing too vigorously), bacterial attack (dental decay), acid erosion (from acidic fluids like lemons, cola’s and stomach acids), and from receding gums.

Sharp Pain when biting.

Pain could be short and sharp, like a “zing” when biting on a certain spot.
A cracked tooth will zing with pain because the nerve is being triggered as the crack is activated. Teeth do not repair themselves very effectively, and once a crack starts, it usually gets worse. The aim of treatment is to remove the cracked portion of the tooth, and cover over the gap. Cracks can be unpredictable. The sooner the diagnosis is made, the simpler the treatment can be. If a tooth is cracked beyond requiring a simple filling, a crown may be advised. A crown will embrace the tooth to help support the fracture.

If the pain is quite intense, the crack may have propagated to the pulp causing pulpitis. Pulpitis can recover if attended too quickly enough, or it can end up as a traumatised nerve that does not recover. If the tooth sensitivity has become tooth pain, then see below.

Dull Pain when Biting. Alternatively pain may be more diffuse or dull and lingering for hours. The tooth is tender to press or tap. If the tooth is loose there could be a gum infection.
Bacteria are usually to blame for a toothache. Whether they have entered the tooth via a crack, a leak in the filling, or from dental decay, once they are near the pulp, the tooth will ache. There are degrees of aching:

Pain to eating – Food or sugar or drinks cause the pain, but the pain goes away quickly.