Anybody who’s ever experienced dental pain knows the sooner it can be resolved, the better. Feeling pain in your teeth is not normal and can be indicative that a problem that needs to be addressed. If your teeth are hurting you, it is always a good idea to see a dentist like Dr. Alla Brown or Dr. Amanda Newberry of Lanier Family & Cosmetic Dentistry of Buford GA as soon as possible. They can do a comprehensive examination and answer the frustrating question you’ve been struggling with: “Why do my teeth hurt?” It can be a number a reasons, but Lanier Dentistry can fill you in on some of the most common:
Cavity: A cavity is a spot of decay in your tooth enamel due to bacteria eating away at it. It can expose nerves and cause pain. Cavities are easiest to resolve when they are still small and the tooth can be resealed with a filling.
Damaged or Lost Filling: Sometimes a filling can fall out or be damaged, which can create issues with your bite and chewing and lead to pain. A visit to Lanier Dentistry or your local dentist can determine what needs to be done to alleviate the pain.
Teeth Grinding/Clenching/TMJ: If you bear down on your teeth during the day, or wake up with a sore jaw, this is a good sign that you are probably clenching or grinding your teeth at night. Dentists like Drs. Brown and Newberry can evaluate your problem and offers solutions such as customized mouthguards to help save your teeth from excessive wear and tear, as well as painful headaches, toothaches and jaw pain.
Abscessed Tooth: A abscessed tooth occurs when there is an infection festering at the tooth’s roots. This condition can be extremely painful and needs antibiotics to resolve the infection before the underlying cause (such as a crack or chip in the tooth enamel) can be addressed by your dentist. Failure to treat an abscess can lead to a widespread infection that endangers your life.
Wisdom Teeth: When your wisdom teeth begin to emerge, the swelling, and jaw stiffness that result can be very painful. Drs. Brown and Newberry or your local dentist can determine if the wisdom teeth are growing in properly or if they are impacted (bumping up against other teeth) and should be removed.
Injury caused by such things as contact sports or an accident can cause any number of problems including a “bruised” or deep discoloring of the tooth, a broken tooth, or total loss of one or more teeth.
Temperature Sensitivity: When the dentin- the sensitive layer of tissue under the enamel-is exposed due to cracks in the enamel or the recession of the gums, your teeth may become sensitive to either hot or cold temperatures, or both.
Orthodontic Treatment: When your braces have been adjusted by an orthodontist you are likely to experience some level of tooth pain. This is expected and using an over-the-counter pain medicine, or if the issue is caused by the hardware itself, a little ball of dental wax should help.
Teeth Whitening: Most patients will experience some minor discomfort after a professional teeth-whitening treatment, but the pain should resolve within a day. Talk to your dentist if it is too painful or problematic.
No matter what the reason, we know that living with tooth pain can be miserable, so stop asking, “Why do my teeth hurt?” and schedule an appointment with your dentist today. If you’re in the Buford GA area, call our scheduling specialist at 678-359-4707 or contact us online to schedule with Dr. Brown or Dr. Newberry. If you are experiencing pain, we will do our best to fit you in as soon as possible.