Some throbbing toothaches occur suddenly and without warning. Others begin as a slight sensitivity and become increasingly painful over days or weeks. According to the American Dental Association, people experiencing toothaches turn to dentists, physicians and emergency rooms for alleviation of their pain. Several common causes of toothaches lead to emergency dental treatment.
Inflamed Pulp
The pulp is the soft tissue on the inside of a tooth. It contains blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue, according to the American Dental Association. Tooth decay, dental fillings, trauma and cracks can cause inflammation of the pulp. The hard structures of the tooth encase the pulp and prevent it from swelling to relieve the increasing pressure, becoming very painful. Symptoms of an inflamed pulp can include intense sensitivity to hot and cold; pain when biting; and spontaneous, throbbing pain. Endodontic, or root canal, treatment can save most teeth with an inflamed pulp.
Infected Bone
An abscessed tooth is the result of necrosis of the pulp, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The accumulation of dead tissue, bacteria and white blood cells within the tooth eventually spreads to the surrounding bone and causes an infection. As the pus in the bone accumulates and expands, pressure increases on nerve fibers located in the bone and gum tissue. Although the pain emanates from the bone, it feels like a throbbing toothache. According to the American Association of Endodontists, root canal treatment saves most teeth in this condition. Lancing the infection for drainage and antibiotics are occasionally required.
Cracked Tooth
A sharp toothache caused by biting on a tooth may indicate a cracked tooth, according to the American Dental Association. Chewing on hard food such as ice, trauma to the mouth and tooth clenching produce visible or microscopic fractures. Discerning the fractured tooth may require diagnostic tests performed by a dentist. Treatment depends on the severity of the crack. Some minor cracks require a filling or crown. More severe cracks require root canal treatment or extraction of the tooth.
Gum Abscess
Failure to remove plaque with brushing and flossing results in inflammation of the gums around a tooth. Untreated inflammation eventually produces a pocket in the gum that harbors bacteria. Eventually an infection that produces pus forms. This infection produces pressure in the soft tissue around a tooth that feels like a toothache. Deep cleaning of this pocket relieves that pressure and pain.
Prevention/Solution
Many toothaches are preventable with regular dental checkups. A dental filling placed in a small cavity prevents extensive tooth decay, which leads to a toothache and root canal treatment or extraction. Early detection of a crack or gum abscess also averts pain and more extensive dental treatment.
