Emergency Dental Clinic: Common Underlying Issues of Tooth Pain

Emergency Dental Clinic

Emergency Dental Clinic|Tooth pain is about more than just tooth decay. In fact, the causes of this kind of pain can be wide-ranging. If you are currently experiencing tooth pain, all that you want right now is pain relief. However, your dentist must determine the underlying causes of your tooth pain to provide the appropriate treatment so that you receive long-term pain relief. If the cause can be addressed now, you may be able to avoid a future trip to your emergency dental clinic.

Possible underlying causes of tooth pain include:

• Abscessed tooth
• Broken or fractured tooth
• TMJ
• Sinus infection

Abscessed Tooth

Most people are familiar with the process of tooth decay. Oral bacteria damages tooth enamel – the hard, outer layer of the tooth. An infection can eventually reach the soft tissues found at the heart of the tooth. Known as dental pulp, this tissue contains many nerves, connective tissue, and a blood supply. If the dental pulp becomes inflamed or infected, it can cause severe pain. Left untreated, the infection can cause the loss of the affected tooth.

If you have an abscessed tooth, you will need to visit an emergency dental clinic to obtain prompt pain relief. Next, the source of the pain must be addressed by your dentist. In the case of an abscessed tooth, you would probably need a root canal treatment.

During a root canal, your dentist will remove the inflamed or infected dental pulp, replacing it with an inert filling. Following a root canal procedure, your dentist will more than likely place a dental crown over the treated tooth to protect it.

Broken or Fractured Tooth

A broken or fractured tooth is also a common underlying cause of tooth pain. If the condition was caused by trauma, the damage may have reached down into the dental pulp and inflamed the nerves found there, leading to significant pain.

Furthermore, if the broken or fractured tooth was due to biting down on something hard, the inner parts of the tooth may or may not be affected. But you still need to visit your dentist as soon as possible to get it checked out.

TMJ Pain

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) is a common condition affecting the temporomandibular joint. Sometimes It can result from some type of trauma occurring to the jaw. Other causes include grinding or clenching teeth, which typically occurs during sleep.

Treatment for TMJ depends upon what is causing the condition. Botox injections are sometimes helpful to patients. It minimizes the activity of facial and jaw muscles that cause problems like joint pain and headaches.

Other, less expensive, remedies include custom mouthguards, muscle relaxers, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Sinus Infection

Sinus infections are common, particularly during allergy and flu season. Some patients may experience an atypical sinus infection. The roots of some teeth are near the sinuses, so sinus infection pressure can actually be linked to tooth pain.

If a sinus infection is the underlying cause of your tooth pain, it may take some time to resolve the situation. In addition, rather than having a dental treatment, some type of medication like an antibiotic or decongestant should help relieve the infection and eliminate tooth pain.

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