Many people judge the seriousness of a toothache by the level of discomfort it causes. If it doesn’t hurt that bad, then it might not seem that serious. However, the threat of a toothache isn’t the pain that it causes, but rather that reason why the tooth hurts in the first place. A toothache can be a symptom of many different things, but in most cases, it means trouble for the health and integrity of your tooth and oral health. This means hesitating to treat the toothache could allow the problem behind it to grow increasingly worse, making the pain more intense and the threat to your oral health more immediate.
Some of the reasons why teeth ache
While teeth can ache for a wide range of specific reasons, the way in which these issues make your teeth uncomfortable can be similar. Many cases of tooth sensitivity or pain involve the wearing down of your tooth enamel or damage to its main structure (called dentin). This might mean a crack or fracture in your tooth, or the formation of cavity due to infectious decay in the tooth structure. What most toothache causes have in common is the fact that they’re progressive, which means they only need time to grow increasingly worse and more severe.
Why all of these reasons should be addressed promptly
The specific type of concern that leads to a toothache can threaten your tooth and oral health in different ways, especially as they progress. For instance, even a minor crack or chip in your tooth could become much more severe as the tooth is continuously exposed to your bite pressure over time. A minor cavity can become a severe case of tooth decay over time, as well, and require extensive treatment such as root canal therapy by the time you seek treatment to alleviate it.
A few common ways to treat your toothache
Because a toothache can be caused by so many different potential reasons, treating a toothache requires highly personalized care and attention. This is also why it’s important to take every case of tooth sensitivity seriously, as it could take your dentist professionally diagnosing it before you could effectively treat it. Fortunately, addressing a toothache as early as possible can maximize your chances of keeping your treatment minimally invasive. For example, an early cavity can often be treated with a tooth-colored filling, which is a much more convenient treatment process than root canal therapy.
Learn why your tooth aches and how to treat it
A toothache can vary in how much it hurts, but whether it’s minor or severe, it’s important to understand why your tooth hurts and treat it as soon as possible. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Creekside Family Dental Care in Columbia, TN, today at (931) 388–3384.
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