What Does Tooth Nerve Pain Indicate?

There may not be a more irritating, and quite frankly painful, oral health problem than tooth nerve pain.

Due to the extreme sensitivity and severe ache caused by nerve pain, it can lead many to become concerned something is severely wrong and seek ways to fix the tooth nerve pain.

What Does Tooth Nerve Pain Indicate?

In most cases, tooth nerve pain does indicate an underlying issue that is causing the pain. By treating the underlying condition, the nerve pain should go away.

The following are the four most common causes of tooth nerve pain.

Cracked or chipped tooth

One of the more common causes of tooth pain is a cracked or chipped tooth. In many instances, a damaged tooth is obvious, especially when it leads to severe pain.

However, there are instances where cracked or chipped teeth may go unnoticed. Anyone who experiences tooth nerve pain and is unable to diagnose the underlying condition should check for a crack or chip. They should also consider visiting the dentist for proper diagnosis and treatment for the tooth nerve pain.

In most instances, a dental bonding, dental veneer or a dental crown can fix a damaged tooth.

Tooth decay

Another major cause of tooth nerve pain is tooth decay. While tooth decay does not damage the tooth nerve in most cases, the cavity can worsen and lead to nerve damage. This is especially true when the tooth decay leads to a hole in the tooth.

In the event a cavity is noticed, it is important to seek dental care as soon as possible, especially if the cavity has led to tooth nerve pain.

Dentists can treat tooth decay through dental restoration. In some instances, a root canal may be necessary to treat the tooth nerve pain.

Teeth grinding

Teeth grinding is a significant issue, and it is a common cause of tooth nerve pain. Unfortunately, it is hard to catch ourselves in the act of grinding as it most commonly takes place while we are asleep.

Grinding not only damages the enamel of the tooth, but it can affect deeper levels of the tooth, including the tooth nerve.

See a dentist so that they can recommend the best mouthguard to wear during sleep. When tooth grinding leads to tooth nerve pain, a root canal is often the only way to treat the issue properly.

Gum disease

Sometimes, tooth nerve pain has nothing to do with our teeth. Instead, the gums may be the issue. When gum disease forms, it often spreads to deeper levels of the teeth, including the tooth nerve.

Anyone who experiences tooth nerve pain and cannot diagnose the root cause should visit the dentist. This is especially important if there are any other signs of gum disease, such as gum sensitivity or bleeding gums while brushing.

With proper, prompt dental care, tooth nerve pain caused by gum disease can be effectively treated in a relatively short amount of time.

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