I love that my family dentist is tech-savvy. It's so easy to book a dentist on his smartphone app if I have a tooth problem or if anyone in my family needs emergency problems (I can choose either my normal dentist or another dentist in his practise depending on availability). He also has some great cameras so that we can see exactly what is going on during treatment. I prefer not to see this, but my kids love to be able to see the dentist using his specialised tools to clean and repair their teeth. This blog has some tips on finding a tech-savvy dentist to help give your family the best possible dental care.
Dental pain can at times be difficult to assess in terms of its location and cause. When the dental issue is less obvious, even dentists must perform a series of tests on teeth and gums before they can correctly identify the affected region. Because the trigemenal nerve, which is the largest nerve of the 12 cranial nerves, supplies sensation to the teeth and gums via three different but connected branches, pain is often referred.
Therefore, even if it feels as though a top (maxillary) 2nd molar is giving you pain, the cause of the pain may actually originate from a lower (mandibular) tooth or gum. This is what makes identifying the location of a toothache difficult at times. Fortunately, gingivitis pain and toothache can easily be separated if you know what to look for.
By using the following indicators to identify the problem, you can notify a dentist of the issue in advance.
A Cavity Causes Tooth Nerve Pain
When attempting to determine whether pain is due to a gingival (gum) or tooth issue, you should first analyze the pain as it happens. While dental pain is unpleasant, it does provide you with clues as to the type and origin of the pain. Tooth nerve pain arises when a tooth:
In all cases, the outer layer of enamel has been compromised, either via fracture, crack, wear and tear, or tooth decay caused by acid-secreting bacteria. Each type of pain differs slightly. For example, temperatures cause sharp, abrupt pain that fades, a nerve irritated by bacteria entering the tooth through a cavity will throb constantly, and a fractured tooth will produce sharp stabbing pain upon the application of pressure to a tooth.
Even if you cannot see any noticeable damage, this type of pain indicates that the nerve of a tooth is exposed due to the enamel of the tooth being compromised in some way.
Gingivitis Causes Pain on Contact
Also known as mild gum disease, gingivitis affects the gums first, then the teeth, but once teeth are involved, the condition becomes periodontitis--a more severe form of gum disease. Identifying gum disease quickly then will prevent the disease from spreading to your teeth. Gingivitis is caused by a build-up of tartar; which contains harmful bacteria, along the gum line.
The pain of mild gum disease is felt through contact with the infected area through brushing, flossing, or even eating. Temperatures will not cause gum pain in this case, and the pain is more of a constant burning rather than abrupt stab. If you experience this pain, examine the area and you should be able to see swelling and redness of the gums. This is gingivitis.
No matter what the issue is, book a dental appointment as soon as you can. Both conditions can lead to tooth loss and a series of expensive dental treatments to repair the damage. By acting quickly, you allow your dentist to cure the problem and save you from both pain and considerable dental expense.
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