A toothache can be so severe that you forget your own name. Of course, tooth pain isn’t always so acute but even the slightest discomfort can have serious consequences if it is ignored for a long time and it can develop into a real problem.
Most people are mainly afraid of cavities and ignore other signs, like short-term pain. This pain can appear when eating hot or cold food and liquids. Because the discomfort usually doesn’t last longer than a few seconds, people tend to ignore it.
Dental sensitivity, the usual source of the small discomfort, can become in time a serious problem and cause severe gum problems.
What can actually happen and why does dental sensitivity turn into gingivitis? Dental plaque builds up around the tooth, above and below the gums. The toxins produced by the bacterial plaque can cause an inflammation. Untreated, the disease worsens and the gums retreat from the teeth, exposing the dentine layer.
Dentine consists of a network of many microscopic channels that radiate from the enamel layer towards the interior of the tooth. When dentine is exposed, these channels make contact with temperature variations and that affects the nerves. This is the moment when tension is caused and the pain appears.
The most sensible spot is usually the edge of the gums, because this area tends to be neglected during brushing. This is where gingivitis usually starts.
Often, excessive brushing or a brush that is too hard can accelerate the sensitivity. Other possible causes are bruxism or teeth grinding, the forced contact between teeth that can happen during the day or while sleeping or sloppy dental hygiene. Besides the danger of dental plaque, gingivitis can be caused by other factors such as smoking, irregular dentition or hormonal imbalances. Sensibility must be treated, even if the pain last less than a second, and has to be taken seriously because it can grow into a serious problem.
Gum diseases can lead not only to the inflammation of the gums, but also of the bone tissue around the teeth. Besides sensitivity and pain, bleeding can also occur. If gingivitis is ignored for a long time, there is a risk that it will evolve into periodontitis.
Another type of pain similar to dental sensitivity is post-obturation pain. This is likely to happen after dental restoration. The teeth can be sensitive for some time when in contact with sweets or due to pressure or temperature variations. Usually, the sensitivity eventually disappears without any treatment.
Teeth can also hurt due to the emergence of wisdom teeth, especially when they are badly aligned. An even worse scenario is when the wisdom teeth are stuck in the mandible, leading to severe pain and gum sensitivity.
Another cause can be a fractured or fissured tooth, as well as cavities, the usual suspects. Cavities appear due to the progressive breakdown of the hard structure of the teeth, due to factors like excessive sugar consumption, smoking, stress, bad hygiene or many others.
We should always take care of our dental hygiene and to treat plaque as early as possible in order to avoid the decay of the teeth and the severe pain that comes with it.
Even if today toothache can be relieved with many pills, some of them quite effective, the only person who can evaluate and treat correctly the cause of your dental pain is your dentist.