Whether a minor annoyance or a major throbbing, all forms of dental pain may be sending you a message. Our bodies were designed to tell us when something major might be wrong. Pay attention to your body and contact us right away if you have a serious concern.
To simplify things, here is the #1 rule for all forms of dental pain…if the pain lasts more than a day, call us.
Below are some other scenarios to help guide you…
1. COLD CAUSES BRIEF SENSITIVITY AND PAIN.
There is nothing to worry about if ice cream, popsicles, and other cold treats cause a brief twinge of pain in your teeth. In most cases, this is considered normal.
Call us if the food or drink is only slightly cold and tooth sensitivity occurs, or if the pain persists beyond a few seconds, or if heat makes the pain worse. Dental concerns range from a small gap in a filling, tooth decay, an exposed root, or possibly a crack in the sensitive tooth.
2. YOU BIT DOWN ON SOMETHING HARD, CAUSING IMMEDIATE PAIN BUT IT DISSIPATED QUICKLY.
There is no need to call, but you might want to take it easy on that tooth for a few days. However, if the tooth continues to ache or becomes overly sensitive to temperatures, you should give us a call.
3. SORE TEETH, ESPECIALLY UPON WAKING.
Set up an appointment for an Evaluation. You may be clenching or grinding your teeth during sleep. This condition is called Bruxism and presents a danger to your oral health if left untreated.
4. TOOTHACHE THAT MYSTERIOUSLY WENT AWAY.
Set up an appointment. Chances are good that the pulp of the tooth died, thus the nerve tissue is no longer delivering pain messages. Dead tissue leads to oral health concerns if left untreated.
5. TOOTHACHE PERSISTS AND WORSENS WHEN BITING OR PRESSING ON THE TOOTH.
Emergency. Call Now. You probably have an infection and it must be treated quickly before it causes issues to your overall health. Small abscesses can lead to deeper infections resulting in greater health risks.
6. BROKEN TOOTH BUT NO PAIN.
Set up an appointment. Any opening in your tooth leads to infection as bacteria reaches the pulp, eventually killing it and leading to a toothache. In many cases, the tooth may not hurt because the pulp has already died.
7. YOU’RE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT TO DO.
Call and Ask for Advice. We’ll be happy to help answer your questions and concerns.
