Learning to Manage Your Dental Problems

OUCH! 3 Things You May Not Know About Toothaches That Explain Why They're So Painful

11 May 2017 by Charlotte Beck

Sometimes, it will hit you out of the blue, and sometimes, you will feel it coming on after a bite of something sweet, a cold drink, or a misguided piece of food. There's no doubt about it, no matter how it starts, a toothache can be a real pain in the mouth. Some would even go as far as to say that a toothache can be one of the most painful experiences there is. Perhaps this is because toothaches are pretty persistent, and occasionally, they refuse to let up until the problem is fixed. If you understand a little about why a toothache hurts so badly, you may be better equipped to alleviate the pain until you get to the dentist.

Many toothaches come from pressure-causing infection inside of your tooth. 

Consider what happens when you have a pimple on your skin, which is essentially a localized pocket of infection. This tissue surrounding the pimple swells and the pimple itself fills with pus until a small "head" forms that can be easily pricked with a needle to relieve the pressure. Skin is soft, pliable, and porous, so this process is fairly simple and not too painful.

When you have an infected tooth, which is often the root cause of the pain, you have infection inside of the hard tooth that is trying to force its way out through the root. This can build up extreme pressure, which in turn, creates tremendous pain in some cases. The throbbing sensations you feel are the pressure of the infection against the walls of the tooth as it is trying to work its way out. 

Some toothaches occur because the nerve of the tooth is exposed. 

Even though you do not see the nerves of your teeth, they are hidden inside and should be tucked away safely where nothing can come in contact with it to cause you pain. However, if you have a tooth that is damaged or decayed, it can leave the extremely sensitive nerves of a tooth exposed, which will definitely create an almost overwhelming sense of pain in the area.

Exposed dental nerves are one of the primary reasons for emergency dentist calls to a family dentist because they often happen as the result of a broken or chipped tooth. Because of the severity of the pain, any time you suspect you have an exposed nerve, it is highly important to get to a dentist as soon as possible. However, you may be able to find a bit of relief by covering the exposed nerve with a piece of gauze, a piece of chewed sugarless gum, or temporary filling material. For more information, visit websites like https://valleyoakdentalgroup.com/.

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