Toothache: Causes, Treatments and Prevention
Toothache causes are as diverse as the treatments and ways to prevent them.
And when you do get a toothache— the pain is unbearable. Generally, we see patients come in with toothaches so severe that they wait to come in as a last resort. What usually starts as a mild throbbing pain can quickly turn into something serious if you don't visit your dentist.
Not only can we find the root of your pain problem, but we can treat it and give you instructions on how to prevent unbearable toothaches in the future.
Are you experiencing a toothache right now? Let's find out if now is the time to contact Downtown Dental in San Francisco.
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What is a toothache?
A toothache starts as a mild throbbing due to irritation on or near a tooth's nerve. The most noticeable toothaches you'll feel are located near your jaw or along the ridges of your gum.
When you have a toothache, it means the very center of your tooth (the pulp) is inflamed.
Toothache symptoms include:
Sensitivity to hot or cold drinks/food
Painful chewing
Tooth or jaw swelling
Tooth or gum bleeding
Trauma or injury around the area where you have a toothache
Toothache causes
What causes a toothache? There are many culprits behind this uncomfortable situation. If you're prone to grinding and clenching your teeth, you'll find you experience toothaches more often. What's worse is that this constant grinding can lead to cracks in your teeth, causing even more tooth discomfort.
If there's an infection inside the tooth, you may notice a dull pain and maybe even a slight throbbing. As the infection gets worse, so will your toothache, causing it to become more and more painful.
Gum disease, dentin hypersensitivity, teeth movement (from braces or Invisalign), sinusitis, and an abscess tooth can all cause toothaches.
If your child is experiencing tooth irritation, know that it's actually a regular part of a kid's development process. However, if this pain persists for more than a few days or you can't find a way to dull the pain, contact Downtown Dental SF for helpful instructions.
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Treatments
Treatments vary depending on the cause. However, if you let the infection and toothache fester, there's a higher chance of a potential root canal treatment or even a tooth extraction.
In many cases, we don't need to do an invasive procedure, but a consultation with a dentist is a must when it comes to toothaches— no matter how big or small.
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Prevention
The best way to prevent regular toothaches is to visit the dentist regularly for check-up exams and cleaning. You should be seeing your local dentist at least twice a year.
During your cleaning appointment, the dentist will do a thorough head and neck, dental and gum exam to make sure there are no oral health problems present.
Speaking of oral hygiene: make sure you're brushing twice a day for at least two minutes. Flossing every day is just as important, but remember to floss the correct way. You need to floss around each tooth (curving the floss in the shape of the letter C) to completely get rid of the plaque buildup surrounding your tooth.
Truthfully, we can only address toothache causes and treatments once our dentist Dr. Stefka Petrova thoroughly examines your tooth and the area around it. Not sure who to call? Call us!
You can call us at 415.982.2250 or schedule a free consult appointment if you have more questions about toothaches.
About Downtown Dentist San Francisco
Downtown Dentist SF offers a multitude of services to our patients. We not only address your aesthetic teeth concerns, but we provide solutions for common dental issues such as dental pain, periodontal disease, overbites, and dental implants.
Visit us!
450 Sutter Street
Suite 1220
San Francisco, CA 94108
415-982-2250