What does a toothache actually mean? Read on to find out!

Waking up with a toothache can be downright nerve-wracking. What could be going on? This is where our Forest Hills, NY, dentists come in to provide your dental pain with exactly the care it needs. After all, a toothache is considered a dental emergency, so the sooner you seek treatment the better.

While several things could cause dental pain the most common cause is decay. Decay is the most common dental disorder to affect both children and adults. The sooner decay is detected the better, as it can continue to spread throughout the tooth. Decayed enamel will need to be removed right away, after which our dentists will then apply a dental filling to restore the tooth.

Other causes of a toothache include:

An abscess: This pimple-like bump on the gums is a warning sign of a dental infection within the pulp chamber of the tooth that may have also spread to the roots of the tooth.

An infected/inflamed dental pulp: If the dental pulp of a tooth becomes infected or inflamed (often from decay, an infection, or a traumatic injury), it will need to be removed through root canal treatment.

A cracked or fractured tooth: Several factors can lead to a cracked tooth, and if you notice that dental pain gets worse when chewing or biting then you could be dealing with a cracked tooth.

Gum disease: While this is a condition that affects the health of the gums it can also lead to bone and tooth loss, as well as tooth sensitivity.

Tooth sensitivity: This condition is characterized by a lingering sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks, as well as sweets. It could mean that there is a crack or fracture present or it could be a warning sign of dental decay.

Impacted teeth: An impacted tooth does not fully erupt through the gums. This is most common with wisdom teeth, which are the third and final set of molars to come in (they usually appear during the later teen years or early twenties).

To figure out what’s causing your dental pain, you must visit our emergency dental team here in Forest Hills, NY, as soon as possible. Don’t just ignore dental pain, as the problem typically won't go away on its own. Leaving a toothache untreated can result in more serious and long-term complications for the health of your smile.

If you are dealing with dental pain or other emergency dental problems, call Neman Family Dentistry at its Forest Hills or Great Neck, NY, location, by calling (516) 773-4554 or (718) 263-1010.