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Common Causes of Tooth Pain

Dark-haired man wearing a navy dress shirt cringes and touches his cheek due to tooth pain

Pain of any kind is your body telling you that something is wrong; and untreated pain can often lead to even more pain. For example, unaddressed tooth pain can cause a headache—literally and financially! Read on to learn about common causes of tooth pain and how to get relief.

  1. Gum Disease
  2. When a buildup of food particles and bacteria irritate your gums, they become painful, swollen, and prone to bleeding. This indicates the first stage of gum disease, called gingivitis, which is characterized by inflammation of the gums. If your oral hygiene routine is not improved, gingivitis can progress to infection and gum recession. As the gums recede and expose your sensitive tooth roots to infection, you can experience tooth pain, sensitivity, bone loss, and eventual tooth loss. Here at Corvallis Dental Group, we can provide dental tips and a professional cleaning to help you reverse early-stage gum disease, and can treat advanced gum disease before you lose a tooth!

  3. Decay
  4. Decay is also a very common cause of tooth pain and dental discomfort. When you develop a cavity, decay has created a hole in the tooth. As that hole extends deeper through the enamel and underlying dentin, the inner pulp that contains a soft bundle of nerves and blood vessels can become irritated and increasingly painful. If the decay is left untreated and develops into an abscess or infection, the pain will only grow worse. We can clean out existing decay and treat your tooth with a filling or root canal therapy to eliminate your pain and preserve your oral health, as well as suggest tips to prevent future decay and cavities.

  5. Injury or Impact
  6. Teeth can break, chip, or get knocked out for a variety of reasons. If you experience trauma to your teeth, our office offers same-day care for dental emergencies. Unexpected facial trauma is harder to prevent than gum disease and tooth decay, but there are things you can do to try: always wear a mouthguard when playing sports; consume a healthy diet that is rich in tooth-strengthening calcium and phosphorus; and avoid chewing ice, biting your nails, and opening things with your teeth.

Relief for Tooth Pain at Corvallis Dental Group

If you are experiencing tooth pain, don’t hold off on seeing a dentist. If the cause is one of the aforementioned issues, or if it’s something else (such as wisdom teeth that need to be removed), we can resolve your tooth pain. Contact us today to schedule an appointment at our dental office in Corvallis, OR!

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