Toothache 101: Causes, symptoms, and seeing a dentist

A few things feel as worse as a throbbing toothache. Besides the other structure, a tooth contains soft materials inside, including nerves and blood vessels. If the nerves are infected by bacteria or irritated due to trauma, you may experience a toothache. While taking an over-the-counter painkiller may alleviate the pain, you still need to look for general dentistry in Burlingame, CA, for further treatment. In this post, we are discussing the cause, symptoms, and other aspects.

What are the causes of toothaches?

A toothache could be related to numerous issues, and the most common cause is decay. When bacteria eat through the enamel and eventually cause an infection of the pulp, you may experience a toothache. Other causes for toothaches include an abscess, injury, fracture, and clenching teeth. If you have inflamed or infected gums, you may experience pain in one or more of your teeth. Toothaches are also often related to extraction and wisdom teeth eruption.

What does a toothache feel like?

If you have a toothache, you may feel a sharp & throbbing pain in one or more of your teeth, and the pain may get worse when you apply pressure or chew food. In some cases, toothaches also cause other symptoms like swelling of the gums, fever, and headache. You may also experience a bad odor in your mouth.

Do you need to see a dentist?

The short answer is yes. While toothaches may get better without medical care, it is usually not the case. If the pain is inside a tooth, the chances are high that you need root canal therapy or other treatments to counter the infection. If the inflammation is just in the gums, you may feel better after a couple of hours, but it is still a good idea to eat soft foods and talk to a dentist. Remember that painkillers only provide temporary relief, and therefore, popping pills for toothaches is never a good idea.

What is the treatment for a toothache?

Your dentist will check the possible signs of decay, injury, and infection to decide on the treatment. They may prescribe antibiotics to accelerate healing, but if there is a cavity or a fractured filling, you may have to go for a root canal procedure, which is a common endodontic treatment. Dentists do their best to prevent the need for extraction, but in some cases, that might be the only solution.

Call a dentist now to consult for toothaches.