There are many reasons why you may be dealing with a toothache but most of them require immediate care.
Dealing with a toothache is not something to ignore. There are many reasons why your tooth may be hurting you, and no matter if the pain is mild, comes and goes or is persistent, it’s important that you turn to our East Brunswick, NJ, prosthodontist Dr. Nainesh Desai right away for treatment. Why the rush? Because a toothache is usually a sign of,
A Cavity
Decay is the most common cause of a toothache. Over time, poor hygiene and our diet can erode tooth enamel and lead to cavities. As the decay spreads throughout the hard, outer layer of the tooth (the enamel) into the dentin layer, this can lead to tooth sensitivity and pain. Since a cavity will continue to spread further into the tooth, it’s important that it’s treated as soon as possible.
Inflamed Dental Pulp
Even though tooth enamel is incredibly strong even this outer layer of the tooth can become damaged. When this happens, bacteria are able to get inside and infect the dental pulp, a soft tissue structure responsible for the development of the tooth. Once the pulp is inflamed or infected the only option is to perform a simple root canal treatment to remove the pulp, disinfect the tooth and preserve the natural tooth. If an inflamed pulp isn’t treated this can lead to an abscess, a serious dental infection.
Cracked Tooth
Everything from eating hard foods to playing sports can also put our teeth at risk for injury. If you crunched down on a popcorn kernel or someone hit you in the face while playing ball and you suddenly developed a toothache you could have a broken or cracked tooth. It is possible to have a cracked tooth without any visible signs of damage. If you suddenly notice pain and tooth sensitivity, particularly to extreme hot or cold, you could have a broken tooth.
Impacted Teeth
If your wisdom teeth are coming in then you may be more likely to experience a little pain or discomfort; however, if your wisdom teeth are impacted this can also lead to damage to neighboring teeth and also infections, abscesses and cavities. If you have an impacted wisdom tooth and you’re suddenly dealing with redness, swelling or gums that are hot to the touch (all signs of infections) it’s important that you visit our prosthodontics here at his East Brunswick, NJ, office as soon as possible.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Central New Jersey Prosthodontics in East Brunswick, NJ, will be temporarily closed to all non-emergency dental checkups and appointments. Once we open our offices again, we would be happy to schedule your next appointment with our prosthodontist; however, if you are dealing with a dental emergency please call us at (732) 254-2550.