When a tooth starts to hurt, many people can make an educated guess as to why. For instance, if your dentist has told you that you’re at risk for cavities, then you might guess that your tooth hurts because one has started to develop. However, not all toothaches are the same, and even if you might think you know why your tooth hurts, there may be one or more factors at play that you aren’t aware of. Today, we examine a few less common, but equally serious, reasons for teeth to hurt, and why you should schedule a professional dental examination as soon as yours start to.
1. Pressure from being misaligned
When you think of crooked teeth, you might consider several different potential consequences. The appearance of your smile might be one of the most obvious ones, as well as changes to how your bite feels when you open and close it. However, one or more of your teeth might also start to hurt, depending on the severity of your tooth misalignment. When teeth are crooked, they can place excess pressure on the teeth closes to them. This can force these teeth out of alignment, as well, and lead to them becoming more sensitive and painful the longer the misalignment is left uncorrected.
2. The force of an impacted wisdom tooth
Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are often a source of different kinds of trouble for your oral health. For many people, wisdom teeth can become impacted before they can fully erupt due to limited space at the ends of each dental ridge. This impaction can force the third molar to grow against the nearby tooth and/or the surrounding bone structure of the dental ridge. Severe discomfort is common in such instances, as the pressure and force of the wisdom tooth will not subside on its own. To alleviate it, your dentist will have to surgically extract the impacted molars to stop them from pressuring the rest of your teeth.
3. The failure of your dental restoration
If you’ve had a tooth restored previously to address a case of tooth damage, decay, or other concern, then the development of sensitivity or aching in the tooth may be a serious sign. If the restoration has failed, it means the tooth structure that it was meant to restore is once again compromised and could become more significantly damaged or decayed. The risks of losing the tooth or having to have it extracted will also rise until you have the tooth retreated with an appropriate dental restoration.
Learn why your tooth hurts, and how to relieve it
If your tooth hurts to any degree, the reason is most likely a serious one, even if it isn’t exactly what you expected. To learn more, schedule an appointment with us by calling Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS, today at 913-681-5500. We also serve patients who live in Overland Park and all surrounding communities.
