Toothache Situations and How to Deal with Them

Posted by

SinusitisWhen you experience a serious injury, the pain and discomfort can take over every waking moment. Severe toothaches can have this kind of all-encompassing power. Your mouth and jaw are such a big part of day-to-day life – talking, eating, smiling – that a radiating pain in that area can make you feel useless. Here are a few scenarios of what could cause a toothache, and what you might want to do in each case.

Toothache Scenario #1

You have been putting off a dental checkup for years. Sure, you brush your teeth twice a day. Well, definitely once a day. Okay, maybe you skip some days, and you’ve never regularly flossed. Lately, you’ve noticed a bit of a dull ache in your mouth and you keep telling yourself you should make a dentist appointment, but life is so crazy. Then, one morning, you wake up to an intense toothache. What could the cause be? In a case like this, it’s likely that you could have tooth decay that is advancing to a point that the nerves in your teeth are now exposed. You should call your dentist and get in to see them ASAP.

Toothache Scenario #2

You haven’t been feeling all that well – maybe a cold coming on. One night, you wake up from a deep sleep with an intense pain in your upper molars. You go to the dentist regularly and have a clean bill of dental health, so you can’t imagine that you have a cavity. What could be causing this pain? While you should still call your dentist, this could very well be a sinus infection. Sinuses are inside the jawbone, very close to the upper molars, so sinusitis and toothaches can easily be mistaken for each other. If your dentist can’t figure out the source, your general physician can check your sinuses.

Toothache Scenario #3

You had a pick-up hockey game last night, and things got a little rough and tumble. An elbow to your jaw from the opposing team did shake you up a bit, but you kept playing like a champ. Now, though, sitting at home with the adrenaline worn off, your tooth is hurting more and more. What’s going on? It could be a tooth fracture. Seek an appointment with your dentist as soon as you can.

Visit your Des Moines Dentist

Call Gateway Dental Group today at (515) 244-9565. Dr. Burds serves patients in Sherman Hill, River Bend, Kirkwood Glen, East Village, and the communities surrounding Des Moines.