When you bite or chew food, it should be a comfortable, pain-free experience. If you bite down and experience discomfort or pain, it’s a sign something is wrong. Tooth pain can be due to numerous reasons, but it’s always a signal that you should see a dentist for professional dental care. Below are some reasons your tooth might hurt when it comes under pressure.
Tooth Sensitivity
Your teeth are covered by tooth enamel, the hardest substance in the body, but it can still become damaged and erode over time. When tooth enamel becomes worn, it allows any sensations of hot, cold, sweet, or sour to penetrate the tooth nerves. Consequently, you may experience a twinge of nerve pain, or the discomfort could last longer.
Loose or Failing Filling
Dental fillings can last for years, but they will not last forever and will need replacing eventually. As fillings age, they can crumble and leak, becoming loose, so a gap around the filling material begins to open.
As a result, food and bacteria can penetrate the tooth more easily. You may end up developing a tooth infection that feels painful.
Cracked Tooth
Teeth can crack for several reasons. Sometimes, a crack is due to biting down on something hard, like popcorn kernels. A tooth may crack if you take a blow to the mouth. Some minor cracks can develop over time and may cause few, if any, symptoms. Hairline cracks affecting the tooth enamel can be harmless and require no treatment.
However, even a tiny crack can open up when you bite down, allowing food and bacteria to penetrate the tooth nerve and cause infection and pain.
Tooth Decay
Tooth decay is a common cause of toothache. Cavities can appear if a tooth becomes damaged or enamel is eroded. Once bacteria enter the tooth, they can destroy the dentin underneath the enamel. A tiny hole in a tooth could conceal a much larger cavity underneath.
A cavity can cause intermittent or continuous pain. Your tooth may throb or twinge when exposed to certain foods and beverages.
Loose Tooth
Healthy, strong teeth that should never feel loose. It can often be a sign of gum disease. A tooth may be loosened if you take a blow to the mouth.
Although some loose teeth can cause dental pain, others won’t cause any symptoms. You may only notice a tooth has become loose when you can wiggle it with your tongue or finger.
Dental Abscess
A dental abscess is a severe tooth infection. It can occur if you have a deep cavity inside a tooth or untreated gum disease. As the abscess develops, it can cause a buildup of pus on the gum or around the tooth, likely resulting in an extremely nasty and persistent toothache.
Sometimes, a tooth that has a dental abscess will stop hurting. You may imagine the infection has somehow cleared up on its own. A tooth infection cannot clear up without professional dental care. Instead, it’s much more likely that the tooth nerve has died, so it no longer transmits any feelings of pain.
Without treatment, there is a real risk that the infection could spread, impacting your general health. Dental abscesses require emergency dental care, especially if you have other signs like facial swelling, fever, or swollen lymph glands in your neck.
Gum Disease
Gum disease is another serious condition and is also called periodontitis. It is an infection caused by the bacteria found in dental plaque and tartar. The infection results in inflammation around your tooth that gradually destroys the structures holding it in place.
In addition to tooth pain, your gums may begin to recede and will bleed frequently. It is another problem that can impact your overall health.
As your gums bleed, bacteria can get into your blood and travel anywhere in your body. This enables them to create new sites of infection and inflammation. These can worsen existing health problems or increase your risk of developing them, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses.
Gum Recession
Although gum recession can be due to gum disease, it may also happen if you brush your teeth too hard. Brushing too hard or using a hard-bristled toothbrush can wear away gum tissue, exposing your tooth roots.
Your tooth roots are more prone to developing cavities as they are not covered in tooth enamel. Instead, they are covered in cementum that is easily brushed away. In addition, their exposure can cause sensitivity and pain whenever you eat or drink anything hot or cold.
Malocclusion
Malocclusion or a poor bite is where your teeth do not align properly. As a result, some teeth will come into contact with opposing teeth before others, increasing the stress and pressure on these teeth. They may become broken down or worn and can fail.
Another problem that can cause malocclusion is a high bite. If you recently had a dental filling or another dental restoration fitted, it may be too high, causing pain when you bite down.
In this case the problem is easily remedied by returning to your dentist so they can adjust your filling or dental restorations.
Sinus Infection
If you have recently had a heavy cold and your sinuses become infected, it can cause toothache. This is because your sinuses are just above your upper back teeth. Normally, they are air-filled cavities, but if they become infected, the resulting inflammation can press down on your tooth roots.
In this case, you may not need to see a dentist; instead, you must visit your healthcare provider. They might be able to prescribe antibiotics or another treatment to clear up the infection.
Root Canal Failure
A severe tooth infection or dental abscess can sometimes be treated with root canal therapy. The procedure removes the infection in the dental pulp, right in the center of the tooth, and cleans out the root canals in the tooth roots. Afterward, the tooth is permanently sealed and can be restored.
However, sometimes, a tooth receiving root canal therapy can be reinfected. It occurs right at the tip of the tooth roots due to some nerve tissue or bacteria left behind during treatment.
Reinfection is relatively uncommon, but if it occurs, it may be possible to carry out another treatment on the tooth to eliminate the infection and save it from extraction.
Have You Got a Painful Tooth?
If so, see your dentist. It’s worth seeing your dentist even if the discomfort is relatively mild. Prompt diagnosis and treatment will prevent any dental issues from worsening and could save you from requiring emergency dental care later. It’ll also save you time and money.