2 Possible Reasons Why You Feel Sharp Pains In Your Tooth
Posted on: 11 November 2022
If you have suddenly started experiencing sharp pain in your tooth, the first thing you may have thought is that you may have struck your mouth. However, after thinking back, you are able to rule out any trauma done to the tooth.
Since you know you have not hit the tooth, you may be looking for answers to why it hurts so badly. Below are a couple of possible reasons why your tooth has started to hurt, both of which need to be treated by a dental professional as soon as possible.
1. Cavity Has Broken Through the Enamel into the Pulp
One possible reason why your tooth is suffering from sharp pains is that you have a deep cavity. Unlike a shallow cavity that only affects the enamel and may occasionally ache, a deep cavity breaks through to the pulp.
Because the pulp is full of nerves, when air or any food or drink enters the cavity, you will experience severe pain when it hits them. Since the nutrient-rich pulp is vulnerable to outside elements, your tooth will decay quickly.
If you do not have the cavity treated, the pain will increase, and you will be at greater risk of losing your tooth. As soon as the pain starts, you need to have it looked at by a dentist.
2. Tooth Has Developed an Infection or Abscess
Another potential cause of the pain in your tooth is that it has developed a pocket of infection known as an abscess. This abscess can be located inside the tooth or in the gum around it.
When you have an abscess, it must be treated quickly with antibiotics to keep the infection from spreading to other parts of your body. Since the pulp and gums have a lot of blood vessels and capillaries, the bacteria can easily move into the bloodstream.
If the abscess is severe enough, the dentist may lance it after a round of antibiotics.
If sharp pains are suddenly felt in your tooth and you have not suffered any recent trauma to your mouth, the pain may be coming from a cavity that has reached the pulp and nerves of the tooth. It is also possible that your tooth has an abscess. Either of these problems should be treated as soon as possible to avoid complications. Make an appointment with a dentist in your area so that they can begin treatment for the cause of your tooth pain.
Contact your dentist to learn more about tooth pain.
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