According to the CDC, around 40% of Americans have reported feeling tooth pain in the past year alone.
When you’re dealing with tooth pain, the obvious move is to see a dentist as soon as possible. That being said, it helps to understand what might be going on before you panic about your oral hygiene.
The most common form of tooth pain is tooth pain when biting down. In today’s post, we’ll tell you about some of the potential toothache causes and what they mean. Keep reading and gain a clearer picture of your oral health before you make a dental appointment!
Periodontal Disease
Having tooth pain when biting down usually causes one to think about cavities or chipped teeth, but that’s not always the case. More often than not, it’s your gums that are having the issues. Periodontal disease affects almost half of the population – more than 47% – over 30.
This is why you should always go see a dentist when you have tooth pain. During your exam, a dentist can take a look at your gums, especially around the tooth in question. If you’ve got swollen or bleeding gums, exposed roots, or tartar buildup, that could be the thing causing your pain.
Treatments for periodontal disease include scaling, which is the removal of tartar buildup around your teeth. You may also benefit from root planing to smooth the root surfaces. Antibiotics can also help reduce the amount of bacteria in your gums.
Large Tooth Cavity
Tooth decay is a very common cause of pain when biting down. Cavities most often show themselves when you’re eating certain foods, especially those high in sugar. Sensitivity isn’t necessarily cause for concern, but if you’ve got large cavities, you need to have them filled to stop the pain.
Advanced cavities will cause pain every time you bite down. Schedule an appointment with a dentist immediately to have your teeth looked at and your cavities taken care of.
Dental Abscess
Biting down creates pressure on your teeth. When you’ve got a dental abscess, you’ll feel pain each time pressure is placed on the sore.
Abscess swelling comes and goes, so the pain could be better at times and worse at others. The only way to deal with a dental abscess is to have a root canal – a routine form of oral surgery.
Gum Recession
Receding gums isn’t necessarily a sign of periodontal disease, but it can expose tooth roots and cause pain when biting. You may also feel pain when food or liquid comes into contact with the tooth root.
Again, this is a common occurrence for American adults. It comes from something as mild as hard brushing or as severe as gum disease.
Deal with Tooth Pain When Biting Down ASAP
Tooth pain when biting down isn’t something to take lightly. It might not be anything too serious, but the longer you leave it, the worse it could get. You should never deal with tooth pain and hope it goes away.
The only reasonable course of action is to make an appointment with a dentist as soon as possible. Tuan Pham DDS is one of the top cosmetic and family-dentsitry practices in Redlands. Contact us today to see us and get to the bottom of your toothache.
