What Does It Mean If My Tooth Hurts?

Are you experiencing a toothache that is affecting your daily life? Any tooth pain should be evaluated quickly. Dr. Tim Nguyen from Parker West Dental Associates helps treat his patients in Plano, TX who are experiencing painful or sensitive teeth. Our caring team can identify the source of your tooth pain and offer you solutions for treating your teeth pain. Tooth pain can range from minor to severe and can be caused by many things including tooth decay.

Causes of tooth pain

There are many medical conditions and factors that can cause a toothache. Dr. Nguyen can help you to find relief quickly from a variety of tooth pain causes including:

• Tooth decay: Cavities can lead to tooth pain. Tooth-colored fillings at our Plano, TX office can remove this decay and restore the tooth to normal function.

• Tooth infection or abscess: When bacteria enters a tooth and makes it way to the pulp, a tooth can become infected. This infection can travel to the root, causing severe tooth pain. When left untreated, an abscess can develop. These teeth usually require root canal therapy. Untreated infections can otherwise spread throughout the body.

• Cracked or broken teeth: Cracked and broken teeth allow bacteria to access a tooth, which can lead to sensitive teeth and tooth pain. Root canal therapy may be required for cracked teeth.

• Impacted wisdom teeth: These teeth are often impacted as there isn’t enough space for them to fit properly in the mouth. These teeth can cause pressure and pain in the jaw and the surrounding teeth. Extraction is usually required to relieve this tooth pain.

• Loose/damaged restorations: Bridges, veneers, crowns, and fillings all can become loose and damages due to regular wear and tear or trauma.

• Teeth grinding or clenching: Bruxism can place stress on the teeth and the jaw. This can result in cracked or worn teeth. A night guard will help resolve tooth pain.

• Sensitive teeth: Teeth can become sensitive to hot or cold food or beverages due to periodontal disease, teeth grinding, crowded teeth, and bite misalignment.

• Gum recession

• Sinus pressure

Diagnosing tooth pain

Dr. Nguyen will first learn about your medical history and ask you relative questions about your toothache, including how long your pain has been occurring. Is it constant or is it triggered by hot or cold? Have you experienced any trauma? Next, he will examine your teeth and gums thoroughly to determine the cause of your toothache in Plano, TX. He will look for signs of infection or decay. Digital x-rays will give him a look at the inner tooth, gum, and jawbone to reveal problems he cannot see with his naked eye. These digital radiographs help detect oral health issues early.

Treating tooth pain

The type of treatment used will depend on the cause of your tooth pain in Plano, TX. After a thorough dental examination, Dr. Nguyen can recommend the best tooth pain solution.

Some of the most common treatment methods for treating tooth pain include:

• Restorative procedures: Cracked, broken, or decayed teeth can oftentimes be resolved with a restoration such as a filling or crown.

• Root canal therapy: Abscessed or infected teeth may require a root canal procedure to remove.

• Emergency dentistry: Some causes of tooth pain in Plano, TX patients require immediate emergency dental treatment. This can be because of a knocked-out tooth or other trauma.

• Sensitivity toothpaste and rinses: For sensitive teeth, topical solutions allow Dr. Nguyen to prevent substances from reaching the nerve center of the tooth and causing a toothache.

Find ways to treat tooth pain in Plano, TX

Whether your tooth pain is severe or not, it’s still important to have it checked out as soon as possible. Not all toothache symptoms signify the need for extensive treatment. However, it is a sign that something is wrong. If you have tooth pain, schedule an appointment to be evaluated by Dr. Tim Nguyen at Parker West Dental Associates quickly. Doing so will help you to relieve your toothache or sensitive teeth and to save your smile from requiring more extensive dental treatments in the future. Allow our professional team to help find the tooth pain relief you need to get back to normal.