A severe lingering toothache can disrupt your daily routine and lead to an immediate call to your dentist. However, if your severe tooth pain suddenly stops before you make it to the dentist’s office, you may be confused and unsure what to do.
Contact Trident Dental for emergency and comprehensive oral health care if you have tooth pain or another dental emergency.
Causes of Severe Tooth Pain
There are several possible causes of severe tooth pain, including:
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Tooth decay. A small cavity may cause no or very mild symptoms. These typically include a slight sensitivity to cold or air. However, as decay goes deeper into a tooth and approaches the nerve of the tooth, the pain can become severe.
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Abscessed tooth. When the dental pulp, known as the nerve of the tooth loses its vitality, it causes an abscess or infection. The infection affects the bone and gum around the tooth and can result in swelling and intense pain.
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Fractured tooth. Biting on hard food, trauma, and grinding your teeth can cause a crack or fracture. A severe fraction can cause throbbing pain and prevent any biting on the tooth.
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Defective filling. A broken or missing dental filling can allow air, hot or cold food and drinks, or bacteria into the tooth’s pulp. Not receiving prompt treatment can lead to severe pain and subsequent dental infection.
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Gum infection. The accumulation of plaque around a tooth can cause a gum infection that creates pain in the gum, tooth, and jaw.
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Bruxism. Grinding your teeth while sleeping can cause severe tooth pain, typically experienced in the morning.
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Wisdom tooth. An erupting wisdom tooth can cause adjacent teeth to hurt.
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Sinus infection. A sinus infection can cause any tooth to hurt, especially upper back teeth.
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Impacted food. A piece of food, such as a popcorn husk, can lodge between a tooth and gum to cause pain and swelling.
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Heart disease. Tooth or jaw pain has been known to be a discreet symptom of a heart attack.
What Does It Mean If Your Tooth Pain Stops Suddenly?
If a piece of popcorn is the cause of your tooth pain, you may only need dental floss. However, you need emergency medical attention if cardiac arrest is the cause. Most cases of severe toothache are caused by an inflamed or infected dental pulp. In these cases, the culprit is usually tooth decay, trauma, or a cracked tooth. Because this is the most common cause, you should contact your dentist for a complete evaluation.
Signs You May Have An Abscessed Tooth
There is a high prevalence of abscessed teeth in the United States. One study found that tooth infections accounted for one of 2600 people being admitted to the hospital. The rate is much higher for children, with dental abscesses accounting for almost half of all emergency room visits. Signs that you may have an abscessed tooth include:
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Persistent, throbbing tooth pain.
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Intense toothache that spontaneously resolves quickly.
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Swollen gums or jaw.
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Pain refers to the ear or temple area.
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Pain when chewing.
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Bad taste in your mouth.
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Sensitivity to hot and cold.
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Pain that wakes you up at night.
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Fever.
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Discolored tooth.
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Draining sore in gums.
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Headache or earache.
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Difficulty opening your mouth.
Schedule Appointment
Although regular dental checkups help prevent dental emergencies, you may still experience a toothache, broken filling, swollen gums, or another dental emergency. If you need an emergency dentist, contact one of our offices located throughout Charleston, SC.