Toothache is never pleasant, but it is often a sign that something is wrong with your tooth and it is best not to ignore it for too long. If you do develop toothache there are various things you can do to help relieve the discomfort. Sometimes toothache can be caused by something as simple as having a piece of impacted food in between your teeth. This can be enough to push a tooth out of position, creating discomfort or pain. Gently flossing around the affected tooth and rinsing your mouth with warm water will help dislodge any food debris that might be trapped in between your teeth. If this doesn’t work and the pain persists, it’s a good idea to contact us here at Envy Smile Dental Spa. We can schedule an appointment with one of our dentists to assess the problem causing the tooth pain and provide appropriate treatment.
What Can Cause Toothache?
Toothache is generally caused when bacteria in your mouth have been able to get deep inside your tooth, reaching the very central area called the pulp and where all the nerves are located. The infection caused by these bacteria can be very unpleasant and may result in a persistent and throbbing pain, or your tooth may hurt whenever you try to bite down. Other symptoms include noticing the gum tissue around the tooth looks a bit red and perhaps slightly swollen.
Tooth Infection May Lead to Tooth Loss
A tooth infection does require prompt treatment as it has the potential to become quite serious, possibly even affecting your general health. If you notice your face has become swollen near the infected tooth, or that you have developed a fever then it is vital to book an emergency dental appointment as soon as you can. Seeking treatment sooner rather than later greatly increases the chances of our dentists being able to save the tooth. If the tooth infection has spread and has caused an abscess, it is possible we may have to remove the tooth to let the abscess drain. In contrast, endodontic treatment or root canal therapy can frequently save a badly infected tooth.
Diagnosing and Treating Tooth Infections
During your appointment at our advanced dental practice our dentists can quickly diagnose any infection through taking detailed dental x-rays and by carrying out other tests on the tooth. They may place something cold on the affected tooth to compare the reaction with an uninfected tooth. The next step will be to decide on the most appropriate treatment.
Root Canal Treatment
Hopefully it will be possible to save the tooth through root canal therapy which will remove the infected pulp, cleaning out all the tissues that extend into the root canals in the roots of the tooth. Afterwards the empty pulp chamber is thoroughly disinfected and antibiotics may be required for severe infections. Often a tooth that has received root canal therapy will be temporarily filled, just to make sure all the infection is removed before the tooth is permanently restored. Tooth restoration is completed with a dental crown as infected teeth are frequently badly decayed and need to be protected so the infection cannot re-occur. Teeth that have received root canal therapy will often last for many years.