In a previous blog post, we discussed some of the most common causes of tooth pain, how to identify them, and the course of action to take to treat them. In this blog, we’ll show you more ways that tooth pain can affect your oral and overall physical health.
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Causes of Tooth Pain, Part 2
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Broken or Damaged Filling
Fillings are a great way to alleviate pain caused by cavities and protect the structural integrity of a tooth. However, if your filling becomes loose, broken, or damaged in any way, there could be bacteria entering the area where the filling once was, causing pain, discomfort, and further tooth decay.
If you suspect you’ve chipped, broken, or knocked your filling loose somehow, it’s critical to go to your dentist as soon as possible so the filling can be repaired before any complications arise.
Teeth Grinding
While the occasional teeth grinding or jaw clenching doesn’t cause damage to your teeth, frequent teeth grinding and jaw tension in your sleep can cause severe tooth and jaw pain, wearing of the tooth enamel, headaches, and tooth loss—plus, it can also be a sign of sleep apnea.
Teeth grinding (also referred to as bruxism) can be difficult to diagnose—after all, most people aren’t aware of teeth grinding if they’re asleep. More often than not, a spouse will hear the teeth grinding while their partner is asleep. However, if you suspect you might be clenching your teeth in your sleep, stop by your local dentist, as they’re trained in identifying signs of bruxism.
Gum Infection
Gum infections like gingivitis (also known as gum disease) can, at best, causes swelling, inflammation, and bleeding of the gums—but at worst, it can cause severe pain and even tooth loss by damaging the structural tissues around the teeth and infecting the jawbone. In these severe cases, gingivitis evolves into a much more serious ailment called periodontitis.
When the effects of periodontitis take hold, tooth pain becomes sharp and intense, causing difficulty eating, chewing, talking, and laughing, as well as foul-tasting drainage in the mouth and bad breath.
Periodontitis is directly caused by excess plaque buildup, so brushing, flossing, and maintaining other quality oral health habits can keep bacteria from causing severe problems in your mouth. Hopefully, your great oral health habits and frequent trips to the dentist will prevent tooth loss and damage, and keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Talk to Your Dentist If…
If you’re experiencing any form of tooth, gum, jaw, or mouth pain, it’s very important to schedule an appointment with your Germantown dentist as soon as possible so your condition doesn’t worsen. Many oral health ailments, like an abscessed tooth, for example, with continue to worsen even when the pain goes away—so don’t choose to skip the dentist if you’re not feeling pain anymore.
Clopper’s Mill Dental Care is Germantown’s expert in general dentistry and oral surgery, so no matter your oral health problem, we have the advanced treatment options and highly experienced medical professionals to take care of it. We’re happy to help—so if you have a toothache that’s bothering you, schedule an appointment with us today!