Radiating tooth pain that comes and goes, what to do? What are the symptoms of dental pain? What are the potential causes? Treatments for dental pain? And finally how to prevent this kind of pain?
I. Why Is Radiating Tooth Pain that Comes and Goes?
Radiant pain that comes and goes in a tooth is usually caused by pulpitis. Pulpitis is when the pulp of the tooth is affected.
The pain comes and goes because it is favored by certain elements, such as lying down or eating hot or cold products. It can be particularly intense and then subside.
II. Symptoms of Tooth Pain
The first symptom of dental pain is a painful sensation in the tooth, jaw, or gum.
This pain may be accompanied by swelling of the cheek. If the pain is caused by an abscess, then you will also have a pus-filled button on the gum.
It is also possible to have bad breath and a bad taste in the mouth.
III. Potential Causes of Radiating Tooth Pain that Comes and Goes
1. Gum Infection
Gum infection is one of the potential causes of tooth pain. This is gingivitis, which is a condition that affects the gums.
Bacteria, present in poorly cleaned dental plaque, spread to the gums and inflame them. Tooth loss is even possible in the long run.
2. Tooth Abscess
In the case of a dental abscess, dental pain is almost inevitable. A dental abscess occurs when there is an infection in the mouth.
The bacteria present cause a dental abscess, which can form under a tooth or on the gum. It is necessary to consult a dentist because only a dentist can get rid of the infection.
3. Tooth Cavity
Tooth decay is the best-known cause of dental pain. Caused by the consumption of refined sugars and associated with insufficient oral hygiene, tooth decay attacks the teeth.
Little by little, these are destroyed by bacteria, which dig the affected teeth and cause severe pain.
4. Tooth Fracture
A tooth can fracture as a result of an impact or over time by becoming brittle. Some fractures do not cause tooth pain, but if the pulp of the tooth is affected, then you will be in pain.
Your tooth may even be extracted. During the days following the tooth extraction, you will need to eat soups or broths, as these are foods that promote healing.
5. Impacted Wisdom Teeth
An impacted wisdom tooth is a wisdom tooth that has become trapped under the gums and cannot emerge.
It is important to know that the eruption of a wisdom tooth is painful in itself. The risk with an impacted wisdom tooth is that bacteria will grow in the area and affect the jaw.
6. Tooth Sensitivity
You may suffer from tooth sensitivity and have sore teeth. In these cases, hot and cold can be the triggers for severe pain in the tooth enamel.
Tooth sensitivity can be treated with a toothpaste specially designed to fight this syndrome.
7. Inflammation of the Pulp
Pulpitis is an inflammation of the dental pulp. The pain caused by pulpitis is so strong that it can wake you up at night.
It is not constant pain. The pulp can be saved if it is partially affected. But if it is destroyed, then your dentist will perform a root canal to clean your tooth properly.
8. Sinusitis
Sinusitis may not be a disease that affects the teeth, but it can have a parallel manifestation. In fact, sinusitis can cause toothaches.
This is because the area affected by sinusitis is very close to the teeth and mouth. The pain can radiate to the teeth.
9. Vagus Nerve
This is not the most well-known cause of dental pain, yet it is very real. The vagus nerve is the 10th cranial nerve, also known as the vagus nerve.
This nerve runs through the neck, thorax, and abdomen. Before reaching the brain, it passes through the lower jaw. Thus, a pulmonary pathology can cause dental pain.
10. Bruxism/Occlusal Issues
Bruxism is a condition that involves grinding your teeth, especially at night. Over time, it can cause tooth and jaw pain.
It can also happen if you have occlusal problems, which are misaligned teeth that don’t fit together properly.
See an orthodontist if you suspect either of these two causes are the source of your toothache.
11. Salivary Glands
Salivary glands can become infected and affected by bacteria. In this case, they can swell, usually when the salivary canal is blocked by a stone.
A problem with the salivary glands can cause tooth pain after the problem has caused a bacterial infection.
12. Crowded Teeth
Crowded teeth are not just a cosmetic problem. When you have crowded teeth, it is possible to have a toothache as well.
This can be caused by the pressure your teeth put on each other. Also, with crowded teeth oral hygiene is tricky. Then, bacteria can spread without your knowledge.
13. Weak Tooth Enamel
Weak tooth enamel is the cause of tooth sensitivity. Enamel can weaken over time, or from brushing too hard daily, or even from taking certain medications.
In any case, in these cases, you can use toothpaste to strengthen your enamel.
IV. Tooth Pain Treatments
Dental pain can only be treated once the cause is known. But before going to the dentist, you can take paracetamol, or make a mouthwash with cloves to calm your pain.
If it is an abscess, the dentist will drain it and prescribe antibiotics. In the case of gingivitis, he will do scaling.
V. Preventing Toothache
Good oral hygiene is the best-known way to prevent dental pain. With a soft toothbrush, brush your teeth at least twice a day.
Use mouthwash and dental floss. Drink plenty of water, too, to prevent problems like salivary stones.
VI. Other Questions About Radiating Tooth Pain that Comes and Goes
1. Why Is Toothache Worse at Night?
In the case of dental neuralgia, the nerve of the tooth is affected by bacteria. This means that the pain depends on blood circulation. At night, when lying down, the pain can become more intense.
If you notice this, try to sleep with your head slightly elevated against a pillow.
2. Home Remedies for Toothache Relief?
To relieve toothache, you can make a mouthwash with baking soda. Put a teaspoon in a glass of water and that’s it.
You can also make a clove mouthwash by infusing cloves. Clove paste can also help if you put it in the hollow of your decayed tooth.
3. When Do You Need to Take an Antibiotic for Tooth Pain?
Antibiotics should only be taken when the tooth is infected. This is especially the case when you have a tooth abscess. In this case, a bacterial spread is to be feared.
Amoxicillin is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for tooth infections because it is a broad-spectrum antibiotic.
4. Can Tooth Pain Radiate to Other Side?
There are several types of dental pain. It may radiate to one side, in the case of pulpitis for example.
But it is also possible to have the sensation that the pain has moved from one side of the mouth to the other.
This can happen when the pain is diffuse, you have difficulty locating it. It happens when the origin of your pain is not dental.
5. Can Upper Tooth Pain Radiating to Lower Jaw?
In cases of projected tooth pain, it can feel as if the tooth pain has moved from one area to another.
Tooth pain is nerve-related. Consult your dentist to find out which nerve in your jaw is affected.
6. Why Is My Tooth Throbbing But no Pain?
It is possible to have a tooth that palpitates, a kind of vibration that is not painful in the teeth.
Generally, they are triggered by certain stimuli, such as cold or heat. It may be mild tooth sensitivity.
If you often have this kind of symptom, see your dentist for a diagnosis.
7. Why Do Tooth Pain Goes Away When Standing?
In the case of dental neuralgia, lying down promotes dental pain. When you lie down, the blood flow increases the pain in the already affected nerve.
This is why you feel less pain when you stand up. For the same reason, at night you will tend to have more pain.
8. How Do I Know If It’s Tooth Decay?
Tooth decay, at some level, manifests itself as a hole in a tooth. This hole is caused by bacteria that have eventually deteriorated the structure of the tooth.
It is possible, by running your tongue over it, to feel the hole. But not all cavities show up this way. Consult your dentist for a reliable diagnosis.
9. Why Did My Tooth Pain Suddenly Go Away?
In the case of pulpitis, it is indeed possible that the tooth pain goes away. But tooth pain can also be caused by a parallel cause, such as a sinus or lung concern.
In this case, when the actual problem is treated, the tooth pain goes away on its own.
10. Toothache But the Dentist Says Nothing Wrong, Why?
You may have a toothache but your dentist does not see anything on examination. This may be because your pain is not dental.
Another pathology, such as earache or sinus pain, can have a side effect of toothache. It is therefore normal that your dentist will not see anything during the examination.
11. Can Toothache Be a Symptom of Something Else?
Yes, a toothache may be a symptom of something else. This is called projected toothache because the brain is not sure where the problem is coming from and refers it to the tooth.
Projected tooth pain can be caused by lung conditions or even a heart problem.
Useful Links:
Diagnosis and treatment of abnormal dental pain
Management of acute dental pain: a practical approach for primary health care providers
Patients presenting to the general practitioner with the pain of dental origin