When you start feeling pains or sensitivity in your teeth, you may begin to dread an inevitable visit to the dentist’s office. Although some dental pain requires immediate attention from a dentist, not all of it is a sign of something serious or permanent. In fact, most of the dental pains that you experience are likely to resolve themselves with some adjustments to your habits. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons that your teeth might hurt.
Reasons Why Teeth Hurt: Tooth Decay and Cavities
Tooth decay and cavities are where our minds usual go when we first experience pain in our teeth. Damage caused to your teeth by an accumulation of bacteria can lead to painful, expensive procedures. However, most dental pains aren’t caused by tooth decay. You should take awhile to analyze the type of pain you’re experiencing. If your pains are sharp, in a very specific area of your teeth and they last for more than a week, you should consult a dentist to see if you have a cavity.
Reasons Why Teeth Hurt: Grinding and Clenching
We tend to hold a lot of tension in our mouths. This tension often results in the clenching and grinding of your teeth. These habits will often result in aches, sensitivity and small breaks. If you suspect that you have these habits, try to catch yourself clenching your teeth throughout the day. If you are clenching your teeth, relax your mouth and stop it. If you are grinding your teeth in your sleep, you might need to have a night guard made to protect them.
Reasons Why Teeth Hurt: Temperature Sensitivity
Temperature sensitivity can have a number of causes. If you have a cavity, hot or cold drinks will feel agonizing. However, these pains will be confined to a very small area. If the pain is more generalized, you may have sensitive teeth. Although you may have sensitive teeth for a number of reasons, this problem is often linked to your brushing habits. Brushing too hard will wear down your tooth enamel, causing your teeth to be more sensitive. Brushing too often or with too much toothpaste can also have this effect. Eating a lot of acidic foods and drinks can also cause your enamel to be worn down. Although tooth sensitivity can be painful, it can be corrected quickly and easily.
Having tooth pain can be very scary, but it is often not that serious. If you have any concerns, you should consult a dentist. They will be able to correct any problems that you have and help analyze any dental hygiene habits that are causing your pain.
