Why do my teeth hurt?
A toothache can bring throbbing pain to your mouth and be quite severe. You probably don’t need to be told to contact your dentist as soon as possible if you are experiencing this emergency.
There are several different signs that indicate you should see a dentist right away, in addition to pain around the tooth. These include:
- Foul taste in your mouth or bad breath
- Fever
- Swelling around the tooth
- Facial swelling
- Bleeding in your mouth
Different factors that may be causing your tooth to feel painful include:
- Trauma to the tooth or surrounding tissue
- Abscessed tooth
- Infected nerve
- Damaged dental work
- Infections in the mouth
- Tooth decay
- Teeth grinding
What to Do
If you are experiencing tooth pain, the first thing to do is to quell any bleeding using gauze. If the tooth (or a piece of a tooth) has been lost, try to locate it. Once found, dust off any debris (do not rinse with water).
If possible, place the tooth carefully into the socket, and bite down gently. If you’re not able to push the tooth back into the socket, add some milk to a lidded container and place the tooth inside. This may help preserve the tooth and make it more likely that your dentist will be able to replace it.
If you are experiencing swelling or pain, try taking over-the-counter pain relievers and applying an ice pack to the affected area (while carefully following the instructions on the bottle for the recommended dose).
You should then make an appointment with your dentist so the issue can be diagnosed and treated. Note that most dental pain will not stop on its own, and attempting to diagnose or treat the issue yourself could lead to serious issues long-term.
Our dentists at Markham Steeles Dental Centre in Scarborough may tell you to come to our office right away for treatment or make an appointment to see you as soon as possible, depending on the cause of your pain.
Bookmark our website or search “dentist near me” in your favourite search engine and we will likely pop up.
If you have experienced trauma to the tooth that has caused a fracture or breakage, or if you are in severe pain that you are unable to manage yourself, call our office as soon as you are comfortable and safe. We will make room for you in our schedule as soon as possible for emergency dental treatment.
If your case is less severe, here are some other things you can do to manage your discomfort until your appointment time:
- Rinse your mouth using salt water
- Record your pain
- Keep your teeth clean
- If the tooth is broken, apply a piece of gauze over the jagged edge of the tooth
