Tooth pain has the potential to interfere with your day-to-day life. Your teeth play a major role in determining what you can eat and how you feel, so any tooth pain you experience can have a negative impact on your well-being.
In order to determine the best course of action for treating your tooth pain, you need to know what type of pain you are experiencing. Most tooth pain can be categorized into one of three unique types: dull pain, intermittent pain, and sharp pain.
1. Dull Pain
Dull pain is one of the most common types of tooth complaints shared by dental patients. Dull tooth pain can be caused by compromised tooth pulp.
The center part of a tooth is made up of blood vessels, connective tissue, and other cells. Collectively, these materials are referred to as the tooth pulp.
Anytime the pulp becomes damaged or infected, you can experience a dull ache near the affected tooth. In order to treat this type of pain, a dentist will need to perform a root canal to remove the compromised pulp.
2. Intermittent Pain
Intermittent tooth pain can be challenging to deal with. You may have a tooth that aches for a few days, but then the ache goes away for a period of time. This on-again, off-again type of pain can be indicative of an abscess.
A dental abscess is essentially a small pocket of pus that forms near the nerve root of a tooth. The pus is caused by a bacterial infection that has affected the tooth. Some dental abscesses drain by themselves, which can temporarily relieve pain.
The only way to completely eradicate intermittent pain caused by an abscess is to have a dentist remove the affected tooth.
3. Sharp Pain
Sharp tooth pain is most often associated with sensitivity. There are many different reasons why a tooth may become sensitive to changes in temperature or airflow. A cavity can increase a tooth's sensitivity. A damaged filling or gum disease can also lead to sensitivity.
The most common reason why you might experience a sharp pain in one or more of your teeth is a thinning of the enamel. Enamel protects the nerve and pulp inside the tooth from exposure. When the enamel wears thin, the exposed nerve is affected by the elements, which causes a sharp pain.
Your dentist may use fluoride or a desensitizing toothpaste to help you find relief from sharp tooth pain.
Share12 January 2023
Being born with naturally soft teeth, I've spent a lot of time in and out of the dentist's office. Not only have I learned a lot about basic dental care, I've also discovered many tips for dealing with broken teeth, extractions, implants, and more. I decided that I wanted to make the most of my experience by sharing what I've learned with others. True first-hand experience is a great teacher, and I knew that my story could help. I created this site to do just that, and I hope that the information here helps you to understand what to expect from your dental problems.