Sometimes painkillers cannot mask the pain when it’s severe enough. If there was ever a sign to finally call an emergency dentist in Mississauga, this would be it. But let’s dive in.
A toothache is one of the most irritating sources of pain we can experience. It affects our ability to focus on work, affects our ability to sleep, causes stress and worry, and leaves us feeling robbed of energy and in the worst cases, unable to function properly in daily life.
What causes toothaches?
Toothache can be caused by a number of issues, with nerve damage or infection being the underlying problem, which can result from a number of conditions:
- Tooth Decay – Formed by the acid from bacteria which causes cavities. Tooth decay is like a sharp pain when biting into something.
- Abscess – You will know if you have this because the pain is so severe, you cannot sleep at night.
- Sensitive teeth – Instant pain that appears when teeth come into contact with cold air, cold drinks or food such as ice cream.
- Tooth damage – A broken or cracked tooth, whether through trauma or other cause. You can irritate the nerves if you bite on it.
- Dental work – If you recently had some dental work, this could be the cause of your problem. Not uncommon if you have had major surgery. If the pain persists for a number of days, you will need to contact your dental professional
- Wisdom Teeth – These can cause pain if they fail to break through the gumline and cause inflammation (impacted wisdom teeth) which can become a more general jaw pain.
- Gum Disease – Gum disease eventually causes receding gumline that can expose a tooth and lead to painful toothaches.
Dealing with Toothaches
Treatment will depend on the issue, but the most common approach for you at home is to reach for painkillers to help manage the discomfort. In some cases, such as with wisdom teeth, this may help, but there are times when painkillers won’t reduce the pain, here are the reasons why.
Infection
If your toothache is caused by an abscess or other gum problems, it is the infection that is causing the issue and painkillers are unlikely to solve the issue for you. Exposed teeth or spreading infections are constantly causing pain, overwhelming any pain blocking effect and continuing the problem. It is important that if you have an infection of this type, you decide to choose the best dentist for an emergency as quickly as possible.
Damaged teeth
Cracked or damaged teeth can expose the nerve, causing inflammation that is too severe for the medication to overcome. Trauma due to accidents can leave you with one or more broken or cracked teeth, or a tooth may crack in use if it is decayed, but whatever the underlying cause, it is essential you visit a dentist to fix it. Most of the time, they can repair the tooth but that depends on how fast you call to get it examined. In worst cases, they will need to extract the tooth.
Wisdom Teeth
In many cases, painkillers are a great way to combat the discomfort caused by an impacted wisdom tooth that has failed to push through the gumline. However, it is crucial to remember that painkillers only mask the pain, they do not treat the underlying cause of that pain. If the wisdom tooth problem is left untreated, it can cause worsening issues that spread to the jaw and ears. At this point, painkillers will have little effect, and you will need to obtain a wisdom tooth removal.
There are times though that even painkillers or a dentist won’t help and you do need to seek medical help. https://www.peeldentist.com/posts/should-i-go-to-the-er-for-tooth-pain/
Conclusion
Even if painkillers help deal with your discomfort, sometimes they do not work or work as well and that is a very big red flag. They certainly do not solve the cause of the pain. Never leave your oral health to chance. If you are suffering from toothache, go to an emergency dental clinic as soon as you can to deal with the issue quickly and prevent further problems.