That nagging toothache has increased to real pain. What should you do when you have a toothache?

Here at Germantown Cosmetic and Family Dentistry, we search for all the issues that can cause a toothache.

Teeth sensitivity – this ranges from normal to severe. The first step we take is fluoride treatments and sensitivity toothpaste. If that doesn’t solve the issue we will look at other reasons.

Here are some reasons your teeth hurt:

Dirty Decay – cavities form on teeth as a result of acid breakdown. When decay becomes deep, it affects the nerve of the tooth and causes pain. Decay, if caught early and small, can be removed and the tooth fixed before pain sets in. This is why we recommend exams with xrays to find small cavities before they start hurting.

Cracks – our teeth take a good beating everyday from normal wear but sometimes we cause additional harm to our teeth because of bad habits. Stress can cause us to grind our teeth which causes the tooth structure to crack. These cracks can be small and cause just sensitivity but sometimes they can lead to big problems. Teeth can fracture and need extensive work to fix them or sometimes even removal if the fracture is too big. When we identify someone is grinding their teeth, we may recommend therapies such as mouth guards to prevent big damage.

TMJ problems – our jaw is a moving bone in our body that has a specific way it wants to fit into place. When we have misalignment of the jaw, problems can feel like toothaches. Sometimes this problem can be fixed with a mouthguard or orthodontics if not too severe. Other times surgery may be required. This is something we check for with xrays and exams. Jaw problems can also lead to severe migraine headaches.

Don’t wait until tooth pain interferes with your sleeping, eating, or working. Call Dr Garrett today so we can keep a small problem from becoming a huge issue!!!