Causes of Toothache and How to Treat Them?

Toothaches are symptoms that your gums and teeth are not in healthy condition. Toothaches might not be life-threatening issues, but you must not ignore them either. Ignoring toothaches might be troublesome in case the pain is due to tooth decay or cavity attacks, which might worsen the situation further.

However, this article will provide you with all details about the causes of toothache and how to treat them. If you have been experiencing toothaches lately, reading this piece will help determine the reason behind the dental problem.

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What Are the Causes of Toothache?

While minor toothaches can appear from a temporary irritation in your gums that you can treat at home, you cannot treat severe toothaches at home. You need to consult a dentist to treat it. Here are a few common reasons for tooth pain:

1. Cavity

Dental cavity is the most common cause of toothaches, usually caused due to poor oral hygiene. When you do not brush or floss regularly and deeply clean your teeth, bacteria create a hole in your tooth. They can grow significantly in size, causing severe toothaches. Additionally, when you consume sugary food, your saliva tends to mix with sugar. As a result, they become infected by bacteria, causing wearing away of your tooth enamel. Later this might even lead to loss of the tooth.

Cavities are hardly noticeable and are difficult to catch at an early stage. Therefore, you must visit a dentist regularly for dental cleanings. This will hinder the growth of cavities.

2. Gum Disease

Gingivitis is a common gum disease happening to most people, and the next stage of it is periodontitis. Both these gum issues cause toothaches. These occur due to the building up of plaque and tartar due to poor oral hygiene. Plaques and tartars make your gums bleed, swell and redden, worsening the situation. If this gum disease is left untreated, you might experience tooth loss.

3. Tooth Abscess

Also known as pulp chamber, a tooth abscess is a severe dental problem caused due to an infection in your tooth roots. This results in swelling, throbbing pain on your gums, and tooth and bone loss around the infected area. An abscess can be caused due to several factors. For example, it can happen if a cavity reaches the pulp chamber, due to tooth injury, tooth grinding, or due to any improper dental restoration process.

4. Tooth Injury

You will feel mild to severe pain around your tooth and gums if you have had a dental injury resulting in a chipped tooth or broken enamel. You might feel pain whenever you consume food. It is better to avoid biting onto hard eatables during this time as it can worsen the situation. You must visit a dentist for immediate treatment whenever you feel pain around your jawline.

5. Bruxism

Commonly known as teeth grinding, bruxism is a dental habit and one of the reasons for a toothache. In this case, you are clenching your jaw or grinding the teeth applying excess pressure on your jaw muscles, leading to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. The temporomandibular joint is the one that holds your lower jaw to the skull, allowing you to talk and eat. This dental problem commonly happens when your body lacks necessary vitamins and calcium.

6. Wisdom Teeth

When wisdom teeth emerge, it creates pressure on the adjacent teeth and the gums, causing discomfort and severe pain. This can lead to swollen gums, and the pain increases if the wisdom teeth grow sideways or in a misaligned structure. Furthermore, your wisdom teeth can cause more pain if trapped between the adjacent teeth and the jaw bone. If you ignore this dental issue, it might worsen in the future.

7. Unusual Bite

Just like bruxism, a sudden or abnormal bite might also lead to TMJ syndrome. Malocclusion or unusual bite happens when your top and bottom teeth do not hit properly. This leads to difficulty chewing or biting onto something while eating. Malocclusion might also lead to loss of teeth.

What Are the Other Health Problems that Appear During Toothaches?

Now that you know about the reasons for tooth pain, here are some additional health issues that arise alongside toothaches:

Sensitivity around your tooth while consuming hot or cold food and beverages.
Sharp pain while you touch the tooth.
Fever that is recurrent, along with severe headaches.
Pain in your jaw.
Bad breath.
Discharge from your tooth
Swelling and reddening of gums.

What Are the Ways to Treat Toothaches?

Toothaches might be mild or severe. Depending upon this, you can treat the pain at home or by visiting a dentist. Here are the following ways to treat your toothache:

By a Dentist:

If your dentist finds cavities in your tooth causing pain, they will fill the hole or extract the infected tooth.
Your dentist might need you to undergo a root canal procedure if the toothache is due to an infected nerve in your enamel. This procedure includes the removal of the infected pulp through sealing.
If your dentist finds that you have a fever and a painful jaw, they will prescribe antibiotics after a dental cleaning. Depending upon the severity, your dentist might also suggest periodontal therapy.

Treatment at Home

Rinsing your mouth with lukewarm salt water will loosen the debris and food particles that get trapped between your teeth. In addition, saltwater is a wonderful disinfectant and helps reduce swelling.
You can also rinse your mouth thoroughly with hydrogen peroxide, which helps to reduce pain and swelling.
A cold compress can work wonders on toothaches. You need to hold the compress wrapped in a cloth onto the affected area for about 15-20 minutes. Repeat it thrice a day and you will notice your toothache has subdued.
You can go for clove oil treatment at home that numbs the ache and reduces swelling.
Vanilla extract is an antioxidant that ensures healing of the affected area when you dab a pinch of it on your gums and teeth.
You can use peppermint tea bags which will have a soothing effect when you hold the tea bag against your tooth.
Apply garlic paste onto the affected area around your tooth as garlic contains antimicrobial properties that kill bacteria.

How to Prevent Recurring Toothaches?

As you are aware of the causes of toothache and treatment, here is a list you should follow to avoid recurring toothaches:

Eat a lot of vitamin rich food such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, and fish. This will reduce calcium deficiency in your body as well.
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush and floss your teeth regularly twice a day or post your meals.
Try to use fluoride-based toothpaste that is good for dental care.
Avoid eating food that contains sugar or starch to prevent bacteria attacks.
Go for dental check-ups and professional dental cleanings twice a year.

As you have an idea of the causes of toothache and treatments to consider, you must consult a dentist if you still haven't thought about it. Additionally, taking care of your oral hygiene is necessary, and you must follow the above measures to avoid such instances of toothache disrupting your daily activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

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When must I see a dentist if I have a toothache?

After following the home treatments, if you notice that the pain sustains for more than two to three days, you must consult a dentist. Also, if you notice pain in your jaw and headaches followed by fever, you can see a dentist who will detect the underlying issue and provide a solution.

Can toothache be a warning sign of a heart attack?

Yes, toothaches can be a warning symptom of a heart attack. Conversely, lung and heart diseases can also cause toothaches.