If you’ve ever had a toothache, you can relate to the agonising pain it brings. Often, it’s a sign that there’s something more seriously wrong with your teeth or gums. However, it can sometimes be referred pain from elsewhere in your body. Whatever the potential cause of your toothache, you shouldn’t ignore it. Whilst dosing the discomfort with painkillers might relieve the symptoms, it doesn’t solve the problem and it might worsen.
In this article we will further explore some of the factors that may be causing your toothache and discuss what actions you should be taking next.
Tooth decay
The main cause of tooth decay is poor dental hygiene. Not cleaning your teeth thoroughly could result in food residue getting trapped between the tooth and your gums. Over time, the acid in the food begins to break down your tooth enamel, causing cavities. Without treatment, cavities can get bigger and potentially destroy your whole tooth.
Impacted tooth
An impacted tooth is when an emerging tooth gets trapped beneath the surface of the gum. As a result, it puts pressure on your mouth causing immense pain. The only way to sort an impacted tooth, like most causes of toothache, is to see a dentist. Dental check-ups or procedures can be expensive, so if you’re facing bills that you can’t afford to cover, a short-term loan could help cover the cost. However, it’s important to consider your financial circumstances and only take out a loan if you’re certain you can pay it back.
Dental abscess
Dental abscesses are caused by a bacterial infection inside the teeth, gums or bone. Often, pus will collect in the infected area causing pressure and pain. Dental abscesses are recognised by throbbing, a tender tooth, bad breath, sensitivity, redness and referred pain to your ear, neck, or jaw. Dental abscesses need to be assessed by a medical professional, as you may need treatment and antibiotics.
Damaged filling
A damaged filling is noticeable by visible cracks, tooth sensitivity, aching and sudden pain. As a filling is mainly used to protect the tooth, you should get a damaged one seen straight away. Waiting around could risk loose food or debris getting caught, leading to tooth decay.
Referred toothache
Toothache isn’t necessarily caused by a tooth; the pain can sometimes be referred from elsewhere in your body. One common cause of referred toothache is sinusitis, an infection in your sinus cavity. As the roots of your teeth aren’t far from your sinuses, the pain is easily transferred from inflammation and gives the feeling of toothache.
