Nothing can seem quite as bad as suffering from dental pain— it can keep you up at night, deter you from eating, and can make even things like touching your face hurt. If you are experiencing tooth pain, it’s important to understand what the different types of tooth pain are and if you need to seek emergency dental care or if it can simply wait a day or two.
Sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity typically causes a shooting sensation of pain in your mouth after you eat or drink either hot or cold foods. Typically caused by your enamel eroding, tooth sensitivity can usually be treated with over the counter toothpastes like Sensodyne. However, by getting a proper exam from your dentist, you can determine just how bad the sensitivity is and what treatment route to take.
Dull and Persistent Tooth Pain
This kind of tooth pain is typically a clear indication that you have some sort of oral infection like a cavity. Look inside your mouth and see if you can see any small holes in your teeth or any sort of corrosion, if you can’t, it is still likely there and you need to see a dentist as soon as possible. Depending on the severity of the infection, you may have to have your cavity filled or you may even have to have a root canal procedure done.
Painful Gums
Painful gums are usually indicative that you have gingivitis or most commonly known as gum disease. Causing your gums to become sore, swollen, and even bleed, gum disease can make simple things like chewing or brushing your teeth to be painful. However, by visiting your dentist as soon as possible, they can help put you on a plan towards recovery from gum disease that will make you feel like your normal self once again.
Sharp, Shooting Pain
This type of pain typically presents itself when you chew or bite down on something. This sort of pain is typically indicative of a problem with your tooth’s root or even a cracked tooth as well. If your dentist is unable to treat this problem, they will refer you to an endodontist.
To learn more about the different types of dental pain or to schedule an appointment with Centennial Dental, contact our office today!
