Dental Pain - All Facts Cleared
TOOTHACHE
Mostly it is difficult to differentiate pain in teeth and gums, as it radiates to the whole jaw. Food stuck in between two teeth can cause pain and discomfort which can be subsided with just a mouthwash or at times may require cleaning the area with a toothbrush or/and a dental floss.
Different Types of Pain: - Sharp and continuous pain
- Lancinating pain (also Sharp)
- Dull and intermittent pain
- Sensitivity to hot or cold
Sharp and continuous pain - this type of pain is mainly seen in dental decay or fracture of the tooth. As the nerve inside a tooth, if exposed to any kind of food or drink, the pain can be short or long. A decayed tooth can mostly be treated and be used as before, but a fractured tooth can’t necessarily be treated always. Pulling the fractured tooth out may be the only treatment left.
Lancinating pain - it is almost always seen in cases of Trigeminal neuralgia. Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition which can cause severe pain sensation on one side of the face, along the course of the trigeminal nerve.
One may feel electric shock or being stabbed with a sharp object kind of pain. This condition has less chances of being treated completely, medication is required for the rest of patient's lifetime.
Dull and intermittent pain - dull pain is seen in cases of infected teeth.
When the decay is extended to the nerve, and pus is formed at the end of roots. Infected teeth tend to have minimal mobility in their own place, and can also lead to intraoral or extra oral sinus for pus drainage.
The term used for this condition is “Apical Periodontitis”. This kind of pain may or may not subside with pain medication. Treatment of the tooth and antibiotics therapy is needed to get rid of the infection. Get this tooth assessed at the dental office and the doctor will inform you if the tooth can be saved for further usage.
Sensitivity to hot or cold - sensitivity to hot is directly associated with longterm irritation of the nerve inside the tooth.
Pain may continue if aggravated and subsides after taking medicine and the term used for this condition is
“Irreversible Pulpitis”, it can be a result of longterm decay or abrasion.
Cold sensitivity is more of a short term result of decay or abrasion which subsides itself in a few seconds.
Mostly medicated toothpastes helps sensitivity or treatments provided by the dentist for decay and abrasion.
The treatment may be restoration/filling of the affected tooth or a Root Canal Treatment if the damage is deep enough.
Dental Pain in Sports Injuries:Athletes and sports people go through minor and major injuries. Some of them get trauma on the face which includes the jaws and teeth.
The injury may affect the teeth, jaws and on the lips or skin injury depends on the object causing trauma is sharp or blunt.
Trauma to teeth may cause displacement of the teeth and/or breakage, and may even cause avulsion (tooth is completely dislodged out of the jaw) of the teeth.
Tooth avulsion is a dental emergency and should be treated within 30 minutes of the injury.
The avulsed tooth can be fixed back and saved. If the tooth falls out of the mouth, do not attempt to clean it and gently place it in a cup with room temperature milk or cold milk and visit your dentist at the earliest so that it can be fixed back. If the tooth doesn’t fall out of the mouth, it can be carried inside the mouth or in a cup with saliva or milk.
The pain from such injuries can be managed with over the counter pain killers and further treatment is done at the dental office and you should take other medicines prescribed by the doctor only.
Fractured teeth can be treated as per the actual damage, may be just a build up or filling may do the work or surgery may be required or even a Root Canal Treatment may help.
Dental pain and Sports Injury or just a normal injury will be covered with elaborate explanation in the next article.
If you want to get rid of dental pain due to any reason then consult with us Dr. Rohit Ojha at Crown Multispeciality Dental Clinic, located near Nawada Metro Station, Najafgarh Road, Uttam Nagar, Delhi.
