How do I know if my toothache is serious?

Dealing with a severe and constant tooth pain is one of life’s hardest and most painful things to go through.

Not only does it mess up your normal schedule, but it often means you need to see a dentist right away.

You should never ignore tooth pain, whether it comes on quickly or is a dull ache that you feel every time you chew.

There are different kinds of toothaches and different reasons why they hurt, so there are also different ways to treat each one.

You shouldn’t just try the first DIY “solution” you find on Google. Instead, you should talk to an urgent dental care dentist in your area.

After all, one of our favorite sayings is that there is always a dental emergency when there is pain.

What Defines a Toothache?

A toothache is characterized by general pain that originates in or around a tooth, regardless of the source. It’s possible that a toothache could be brought on by a few different things.

Some toothaches, particularly the milder ones, respond well to treatments that can be done at home, while others develop into more serious cases.

It is essential to have the awareness to pay attention to your body and recognize the signs that indicate the need for dental care from one of our dentists in Grand Rapids.

If a severe toothache is not treated as soon as it begins, there is a good risk that removing the affected tooth will be the only way to alleviate the pain.

How do I know if my toothache is serious?

You could tell them that you can handle a lot of pain or that you would wait until the pain goes away. Almost always, pain is an unmistakable sign that something is wrong.

Even though tooth pain might not put a person’s life in danger, that doesn’t mean it’s not a serious problem.

Even though your tooth is one of the smallest parts of your body, the so-called “mouth-body link” means that it can have a big effect on almost every part of your life.

It could just hurt your teeth for now, but if you wait long enough, the pain in your teeth could turn into something much worse.

To figure out what’s causing pain in the teeth, it’s important to know what the different feelings are.

The following words to describe pain should not be used to diagnose a condition. Instead, they should only be used for informational purposes. Never miss a dentist appointment.

Dull, Chronic Ache

The most common kind of toothache is a dull pain that lasts for a long time. This kind of toothache could be caused by anything from an abscess to a piece of food stuck in your gums or between your teeth.

This kind of pain could also mean that you grind your teeth while you sleep. If you keep grinding your teeth without getting help, you could get TMJ or end up with broken or chipped teeth, or both.

If you can’t feel better after gently flossing your teeth to get a piece of food out, you should make an appointment with your dentist so he or she can do a more thorough checkup.

Hot/Cold Sensitivity

Some people have sensitive teeth, but the problem can sometimes be fixed by using the right toothpaste and getting their teeth cleaned regularly.

Yet, being very sensitive to either heat or cold could be a sign of a more serious problem.

If your teeth are sensitive and it doesn’t go away after about 30 seconds, it could be a sign of gum disease, tooth decay, worn enamel, or cracked teeth.

Thumping, Throbbing

A constant, throbbing toothache can be a huge distraction that keeps you from doing other things, like working or sleeping well.

If it doesn’t go away, it could be a sign of a broken tooth, a nerve that is dying, an abscess or other infection, an oral lesion, or something else. Dial your dentist’s number to find out what’s wrong and get some relief.

Sharp Pain 

When you have sudden, severe pain, you should always go to the dentist, who will almost certainly suggest some kind of restorative dental care.

If you are in a lot of pain, it could mean you have a cavity, a cracked or broken tooth, or an older dental treatment that needs to be replaced or fixed, like a crown or filling.

Inflamed gums

If your gums are red and swollen, it’s likely that you have a severe form of gum disease. If you brush and floss your teeth and still feel pain in your gums, this could be a sign that you have gum disease.

Most of the time, this is caused by a tooth infection that has spread to the gums. This is another reason to see a dentist as soon as possible if you have any problems with your teeth.

Loose teeth

Your gums are one of the most important parts of your mouth because they connect your teeth to the rest of your mouth.

As gum disease gets worse, it can loosen the gums, which can cause the teeth to become loose and unstable.

Chipped tooth

Have you noticed that you have a chipped tooth? Have you also had pain when chewing or biting hard foods, especially if you were overly sensitive to how hot or cold foods were?

No one should be surprised that these two things have something to do with each other.

If one or more of your teeth is chipped or damaged in any other way, you should make an appointment with a dentist as soon as you can so that the problem doesn’t get worse.

What does it mean when your tooth pain comes and goes?

Whether it’s a pain that comes and goes or a pain that doesn’t go away, tooth pain can be a sign of a number of dental health problems, such as a cavity, gum disease, or an infection.

Teeth with cracks

Possible causes of the condition are chipped, broken, or cracked tooth, which expose the innermost parts of the dental pulp.

This pulp is very sensitive, and if food particles, dirt, or germs get inside, it can cause more than just a sharp pain.

 Your pulp can get infected, swollen, or even irritated to the point where it touches the nerves in your teeth, gums, and tissues.

Loose dental fillings

Fillings are often thought to be one of the best ways to treat tooth decay and fissures, which can both be found in teeth.

They create a physical barrier between your dental pulp and anything that might try to get in. This keeps infections from happening and keeps you from feeling the pain that comes with dental problems.

Loose or broken fillings in teeth are one of the most common causes of tooth pain. Because of this, you should go to your dentist as soon as your fillings start to come loose so they can be fixed. One of the most common reasons for tooth pain is loose dental fillings.

Tooth abscess

Tooth abscesses and other types of dental infections are very painful. There is no other word that comes close to describing what happened.

In some cases, the infection in your tooth could go all the way to the tip of the root, where it would affect the nerve and any other nearby tissues directly.

You might notice that some parts of your cheek or jaw are starting to swell, and it’s likely that the pain in your teeth will move up to your neck and maybe even your ears.