Sometimes the symptoms of throbbing pain in a tooth or multiple teeth are triggered by sensitivity from early-stage tooth decay. If you notice throbbing and sensitivity in certain situations, tooth decay may be the cause.
In conclusion, a toothache does not necessarily mean infection. It's important to schedule an appointment with your dentist to identify the source of the problem. Once a diagnosis has been made, your dentist can move forward with an appropriate treatment plan to get you back to a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle.
If your tooth is throbbing this could be a sign of early onset tooth decay. Tooth decay occurs when bacteria eats away at the enamel on the exterior of your tooth, causing a cavity in the tooth which gradually becomes bigger as bacteria builds.
A toothache can occur for many reasons — from a popcorn hull stuck in your gums to a broken tooth to a bacterial infection. Temporary gum irritation can cause some toothaches. But serious toothaches need professional treatment.
Nerve pain can fall into two categories: Pulp sensitivity or pain results from a tooth infection or decay, recent tooth filling, pressure from bruxism, and dental trauma like chips, cracks, and breaks.
Patients experiencing tooth sensitivity may look to gum recession as the culprit. Recessed gum tissue causes the enamel at the gum line to wear away, exposing the tooth to the elements and creating sensitivity. This type of pain does not linger, but rather popping up every time the hot or cold foods hit the tooth.
Sharp, intense pain: Nerve toothache is often characterized by sharp, intense pain that may be constant or come and go in waves. Sensitivity to hot and cold: Nerve toothache may cause sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, which can worsen the pain.
Throbbing tooth pain is characterised by a pulsating feeling, similar to a heartbeat. The most common cause of throbbing pain in a tooth is early stage tooth decay. Tooth pain or toothache is one of the most common types of pain and may require dental treatment.
One of the easiest ways to determine if you have an infection rather than a cavity is to use water. Take a mouthful of lukewarm water and swish it around the tooth. If you have an infection, the cool water will help reduce inflammation.
Atypical odontalgia, also known as atypical facial pain, phantom tooth pain, or neuropathic orofacial pain, is characterized by chronic pain in a tooth or teeth, or in a site where teeth have been extracted or following endodontic treatment, without an identifiable cause.
If you have throbbing tooth pain that comes and goes, you may be in the early stages of tooth decay or gum disease. While tooth pain may come and go, it's especially important to see your dentist right away if your tooth pain is accompanied by fever or facial swelling.
On average, a tooth nerve pain can last from as little as just a few days to as long as 4-6weeks or, in some instances, even longer.
An X-ray of the aching tooth can help identify an abscess. Your dentist may also use X-rays to determine whether the infection has spread, causing abscesses in other areas. Recommend a CT scan. If the infection has spread to other areas within your neck, a CT scan may be used to see how severe the infection is.
Symptoms can develop and become severe. Signs you may have a tooth infection include toothache, sensitivity to hot or cold, bad breath, a pocket of pus on or near the gum line, and sensitivity to chewing or biting.
Sharp, severe, and throbbing pain
A tooth infection or dental abscess is indicated by a progressively worsening toothache and red or swollen gums. This is a major dental problem. A dental abscess is a pus-filled pocket in the tooth or its supporting structure. The pus leaves a terrible taste in the mouth.
A persistently high fever, dizziness, lightheadedness, a rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, confusion, and digestive problems are potential signs of sepsis and should be treated as a medical emergency.
Tooth Pain
It does not necessarily mean you need a root canal, but most teeth that need root canals do cause pain. Dental pain may be bothersome or severe, but it almost always has a throbbing “heartbeat” rhythm.
In some cases, nerve pain in the tooth can go away on its own if the cause of it is temporary. For example, nerve pain from a cracked tooth may go away if the crack does not deepen and the nerve is left undamaged. However, nerve pain from decay, trauma, or infection will likely not go away on its own.
It can come and go or be constant. Eating or drinking can make the pain worse, particularly if the food or drink is hot or cold. The pain can also be mild or severe.
It used to be when you got a toothache, an antibiotic was instantly prescribed by the dentist. However, a new recommendation has been released by the ADA. They say, in most cases, antibiotics should not be given for tooth pain.
A sharp, stabbing pain always requires a visit to your dentist and will most likely require some sort of restorative dentistry treatment. Sharp pain could mean you have a cavity, a cracked or broken tooth, or you have an old dental restoration such as a crown or filling that needs attention.
When you lay down horizontally all the blood flows towards your head and face and therefore can cause pressure on the sensitive areas where your toothache is. This can cause that throbbing sensation that a toothache might give.
A dentist can tap on the problem tooth to determine whether pain appears when adequate pressure is applied. The painful feeling can mean that a root canal is required.