Toothaches are one of the most annoying and painful problems that your mouth can experience. It can be tempting to just shrug off a toothache and hope that it will get better on its own, but unfortunately, that is not always the case. It is important to get your toothache checked out if certain signs appear. Continue reading to learn more about toothaches, what causes them, and what you can do to avoid and/or treat them.
Symptoms Of Toothaches
Firstly, it is important to identify what a toothache feels like and what could cause those symptoms. The name toothache is a pretty clear description of its main symptom: pain. This can range from a sharp pain every once and a while to a throbbing pain that is constant. Other symptoms of a toothache can include swelling around the tooth, bad breath, fevers, and headaches.
What Causes Toothaches?
There is a wide variety of potential causes of toothaches including simply eating or chewing something wrong to a tooth fracture. Eating a piece of popcorn wrong or not brushing your teeth often enough, leading to tooth decay, are two other potential causes of toothaches. An improperly completed dental filling, repetitive clenching or grinding of teeth, or infected gums may also be to blame for toothaches. A sports injury may also be to blame for tooth pain. Consider getting a mouth guard to help avoid oral health problems when playing sports and/or to minimize tooth grinding at night.
How To Avoid Toothaches
The best way to avoid a toothache is to make sure to practice proper oral hygiene. Brush your teeth morning and night, floss once a day, and use mouthwash. Also, make sure to go to your regularly scheduled dental appointments so that your teeth can be properly cleaned. Also, make sure to drink water and/or brush your teeth after eating in order to avoid food getting stuck in your teeth. Sometimes despite your best efforts, you may still end up getting toothaches. If you get a bad toothache, you may want to see your dentist to determine what the best course of action would be.
Signs You Need To Get Your Toothache Checked Out
Now that you understand better why toothaches can occur and how to identify them, it is important to understand when you should see a dentist. Some toothaches will subside on their own, while others can get worse, causing much worse problems including tooth decay. Signs that you should get your toothache checked out as soon as possible include:
- Your toothache has persisted for more than a couple of days.
- Pain medication has done little to decrease your pain or your pain has only worsened.
- Your jaw or cheeks have become swollen and/or your gums are overly red.
- There is a sudden putrid taste in your mouth or you have very bad breath.
- Sensitivity to heat and cold and pain when biting down.
Do You Need To Get Your Toothache Checked Out?
If you have been experiencing symptoms of a severe toothache or are wanting to avoid future toothaches, you should consider reaching out to us here at Eric Felt Dental. Our dentist is experienced and knowledgeable about toothaches and other oral health problems and will be able to help you find a suitable solution for your particular dental issue. We not only provide comprehensive dental care services, but we also provide specialized services for individual problems, including toothaches. We also provide emergency dental extractions and other urgent dental services. So if you are in need of quick and efficient dental care, feel free to reach out to us at Eric Felt Dental today.
