Tooth pain can come on suddenly or gradually over several weeks. Diagnosing the source of pain may be challenging because of the complex anatomy of the tooth and surrounding jaw. Early treatment of symptoms can usually help ward off a more severe toothache. Several dental pain symptoms are possible and necessitate treatment from a dental professional.
Temperature Sensitivity
The dental pulp beneath the hard outer tooth surface contains nerve fibers prone to sensitivity under certain conditions. Tooth decay, dental fillings, cracks and trauma most frequently inflame the pulp and precipitate a sensitive tooth, according to the American Dental Association. The milder form of inflammation referred to as reversible pulpitis produces pain to hot and cold that diminishes very quickly after removing the stimulus. If decay or a crack causes this, a dental restoration is the treatment employed. The pain typically abates within a few days. Irreversible pulpitis causes dental pain set off by hot and cold that does not go away quickly. The pain is sharp, lingering and may cause a throbbing toothache. This condition requires root canal treatment to remove the diseased pulp and will not resolve spontaneously.
Biting Pain
The dental pulp within the tooth is contiguous with the periodontal ligament surrounding the root. This ligament attaches the tooth to the bone of the jaw and contains an abundance of nerve fibers. Irreversible pulpitis causes inflammation of the ligament. Biting on the tooth applies pressure to the inflamed ligament at the apex of the root. This is painful in the same way that pressure to inflamed tissue on the sole of a foot is painful when walking. Endodontic or root canal therapy is the treatment to alleviate this dental pain, according to the American Association of Endodontists.
Concussion injury to a tooth's supporting structures can also cause the periodontal ligament to be inflamed, according to the American Dental Hygienists' Association. This will create a pain when chewing that resolves in a matter of days without dental treatment. An abscessed tooth frequently is painful for chewing even soft foods. This is a result of severe inflammation and infection at the tip of the root, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Root canal treatment or tooth extraction relieves dental pain caused by an abscessed tooth.
Spontaneous Pain
A spontaneous toothache usually indicates an irreversible pulpitis or abscessed tooth. This pain can be very intense and so hard to localize that it is impossible to determine if it is the upper or lower jaw. Referred pain causes an earache or headache.
