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5 Potential Reasons You Are Dealing with a Throbbing Toothache – And What to Do About It

July 29, 2020

5 Potential Reasons You Are Dealing with a Throbbing Toothache – And What to Do About It

Does your tooth hurt? Are you dealing with a severe toothache that is making it difficult to sleep, talk, or eat? If so, you are likely wondering: Why does my tooth hurt? The answer is that it could be one of many different things. Read on to discover five of the most common reasons people suffer from throbbing toothaches. Then contact your local dentist to have us take a look.

  1. You Have Tooth Decay
  2. The most common cause of tooth pain is decay. This is the destruction of the enamel on your teeth. Enamel is the hard, outer layer of your teeth. Decay will eventually cause a cavity, which then must be treated with a filling, in most cases. Cavities that have not been treated can be very painful. The best way to avoid them is to brush and floss regularly.

  3. You Have Fractured a Tooth
  4. Also known as cracking or breaking a tooth, if you have fractured a tooth you might not even realize it. It could be caused by an injury to the tooth, by grinding your teeth at night, or by many other causes. A minor fracture might not cause pain but even a tiny one has the potential to. The best way for us to treat your fractured tooth will depend on how severe the damage is.

  5. You Might Have an Abscessed Tooth
  6. If you have an infection at the root of your teeth, this is also known as an abscessed tooth. Likewise, it might involve an infection between the gum and the tooth. This is generally a very painful experience and there are several causes. For example, it could be caused by severe decay, gingivitis, or a fractured tooth. There are generally other symptoms of abscessed teeth, such as fever, sensitivity to hot or cold, and bad breath.

  7. A Gum Infection
  8. In addition to having an infection in your teeth, you could also have an infection in your gums. This is called gingivitis or periodontitis, depending on the severity. If you catch it during the early stages of gingivitis, you can likely take care of the problem by improving your oral hygiene. If it has advanced beyond that, then your dentist will need to treat it.

  9. You Have a Damaged Filling
  10. It is often confusing to a patient when they are experiencing pain in a tooth that has already had a cavity that has been filled. The thing many people do not know is that fillings do not last forever. Particularly, the fillings that were used a decade or more ago do not last long. If your filing is damaged, it could cause significant pain in your teeth.

No matter what the cause of your throbbing toothache, you should let your dentist get rid of the pain and treat the underlying cause sooner rather than later. You can do that by calling California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 at your convenience.

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