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 at all possible, carefully insert the tooth into the socket and then gently bite down. Put the tooth inside a container with a lid and some milk if you can't get the tooth back into the socket. By doing this, you might be able to keep the tooth and increase the likelihood that your dentist will be able to replace it.
If you are experiencing swelling or pain, try taking over-the-counter painkillers (while carefully following the instructions on the bottle for the recommended dose) and applying an ice pack to the area.
Next, schedule a visit with your dentist so that the problem can be identified and treated. Be aware that most dental pain won't go away on its own, and trying to diagnose or treat the problem yourself could have long-term serious consequences.
Depending on the cause of the pain, our dentists at Northgate Dental Centre in Burnaby may either tell you that you should come to our office right away for treatment, or make an appointment to see you as soon as possible.
Bookmark our website or search “dentist near me” in your favourite search engine and we will likely pop up.
Call our office as soon as you feel secure and safe if you have undergone trauma to the tooth that has resulted in a fracture or breakage or if you are in excruciating pain that you cannot control on your own. If you require urgent dental care, we will do our best to accommodate you in our schedule.
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