Understanding Toothache

A common dental problem or enquiry in the dental office is a sore tooth. Toothache can be very distressing, especially when it has kept you awake at night for days and all the dentists in your area are booked out. Most people will ignore an aching tooth until it reaches a point where it keeps them awake or interferes with drinking or eating. If you experience a sore tooth and visit a dentist, here’s what you can expect:

Assessment of the Tooth

In most cases, this will be an emergency appointment, and things tend to occur quickly as the dentist tries to get you out of pain, which may feel rushed. Your dentist will look at the affected tooth. Common causes of a sore tooth include decay, cracks, or large fillings that have caused infection. Your dentist will often request an x-ray to determine the extent of the issue and come up with the right treatment for you. At Markham Street Dental, we take photos of the teeth to show you what we are seeing, making things clearer and for record-keeping purposes.

Relief of Pain

Once your dentist has assessed the tooth, it is time to relieve your pain. The relief depends on the signs and symptoms the tooth is presenting with.

Types of Pain and Treatment

• Intermittent Pain: If the tooth has a hole and presents with intermittent pain that does not keep you awake at night and lasts for a short time, becoming sensitive to hot or cold, it can likely be filled, and the pain will stop.

• Continuous Soreness: If the tooth is continuously sore, has a throbbing or dull ache, keeps you awake at night, and hurts when you bite, it signifies a dental infection. This could be caused by decay, a large filling, or a crack. Such a tooth will need either extraction or root canal therapy to bring pain relief.