One of the main reasons many people see an emergency dentist is to stop toothache. Toothache is a pain sensation, be it minor or severe, felt in or around a tooth. It is also called dental pain. A toothache can be caused by a number of different reasons, including these common ones:
Tooth decay
Tooth decay, or dental cavities/caries, is one of the major causes of tooth pain. It occurs when acids produced from bacteria-containing food debris damage the two outer layers of a tooth—namely, the enamel (the outermost layer of the tooth) and the dentin (the layer that lies under the enamel). The best way to prevent tooth decay is to practice good oral hygiene daily and to see a dental hygienist for routine dental check-ups and professional teeth cleanings.
In fact, tooth decay can be diagnosed and treated before it can lead to toothache if the patient sees their dentist for dental check-ups on a regular basis. Sadly, not everyone practices good oral care habits and visits a professional dental hygienists as regularly as they should, thus explaining why cavity-related toothache is so common.
Dental abscess
Have you ever experienced a painful lump, bump or bulge in your mouth that tends to cause swelling on your face? If so, you have probably experienced the pain caused by a dental abscess. A dental abscess, also called a tooth abscess, is essentially a pocket or buildup of pus that may occur on soft parts of the interior of your mouth. The affected area of the mouth often feels painful when touched or irritated.
The buildup of pus is usually caused by a bacterial infection that has occurred in the mouth. For the most part, dentists can alleviate the pain caused by tooth abscess by draining the pus and providing medication to treat the infection. In severe cases, however, the patient may require root canal treatment.
Tooth trauma
Trauma to the tooth is another common cause for tooth pain. People may suffer a traumatic dental injury when they get knocked in the mouth while playing sports like rugby, when they get involved in a car accident, etc. Whatever the cause of the dental trauma is, the affected individual may need urgent pain relief, which is why they may need to see an emergency dentist.
If you experience toothache, it is always best to immediately seek treatment from a qualified dentist. Luckily, emergency dentists operate round the clock every day of the week to ensure they will be there for you when you are facing a dental emergency situation.
Share15 March 2018
I have worked as a school nurse for decades. Children come to me with all sorts of scrapes and bumps and bruises. Black eyes from playing football, sprained wrists from falling off the monkey bars and stomachaches from too many sweets are common complaints. However, the issue that seems to cause the greatest angst is tooth problems. Sometimes a child will have a second tooth knocked out when playing sport and parents arrive in tears. At other times, children come to my office crying because their friends are teasing them about teeth that are discoloured or stick out. I take an active interest in the latest dental news so that I can give parents and children comfort and advice. I have included some of my collected wisdom on these pages. Perhaps this information can help you understand some options when faced with a dental problem. Thank you for reading.