The severity of a toothache depends on several factors, including the location in your mouth, how long it lasts, what makes it better or worse, and what causes the pain in the first place. The type of pain that you have gives important clues as to what could be causing your toothache and how you can potentially relieve it. Do you recognize any of the symptoms below?
Back of Mouth Pain
Throbbing pain at the back of your mouth usually indicates impacted wisdom teeth. A problem with your jaw joints can also cause this type of pain.
Intense Aching with Disrupted Sleep
A dental abscess or inflammation inside of the tooth is usually the cause when you experience an intense toothache that doesn’t respond to any attempts to relieve it. The pain can travel from your mouth to your ears, eyes, and temples.
Jaw Movement Problems
Pain in your jaw joint usually indicates that you have a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). Common symptoms include pain when eating, yawning, or moving your jaw. It might seem like an issue with your teeth when it’s really a jaw problem.
Mouth Swelling
If you experience pain and swelling in your jaw or elsewhere in your mouth at the same time, it could mean that you have impacted wisdom teeth or an abscessed tooth. It’s important to seek immediate help from First Street Smiles, especially if you feel unwell or have a fever.
Pain Worsens When You Move Your Head
This type of pain starts on the top of your back teeth and feels worse when you nod your head, walk up and down stairs, and complete other types of head motions.
Problems with Biting, Chewing, and Eating
When you have this problem, it’s the physical properties of your food or drinks that cause pain and not the temperature. A cracked tooth, abscessed tooth, or dental decay are the most likely causes.
Sensitivity and Sharp Pain
With this type of toothache, you typically notice a sharp pain in one area as soon as the affected tooth has contact with a hot or cold beverage or sweet foods or drinks. The most common causes for this type of tooth pain include:
- Abrasion from aggressive toothbrushing
- Broken filling
- Dental decay
- Loss of tooth enamel
- Recession of gums
This type of toothache can last for a short time with each episode or for several minutes after exposure to something hot, cold, or sweet. When the pain becomes persistent, it usually indicates that you have damaged the nerve of a tooth.
Contact First Street Smiles for Help in Getting the Pain Under Control
Sometimes you can manage toothache pain yourself by taking ibuprofen, gargling with salt water, or applying an ice pack to your cheek. However, we still recommend
scheduling an appointment with Dr. John Rizza to figure out what caused the pain since it could indicate the presence of a more serious dental problem.
