Do your teeth hurt when you bite down or chew? Teeth can hurt when chewing because of many reasons. It is essential to know its causes and warning signs to help treat it on time. If your tooth causes pain when you eat, it’s likely because of one of these reasons:
Incorrect Occlusion
Occlusion means the contact between your teeth. If your upper and lower teeth are occluded correctly, your mouth will exert equal pressure while biting down. This means you won’t feel pain in any specific tooth or filling. But if your teeth aren’t occluded properly, you can likely experience pain as you chew. Your tooth is hurt because of the excessive pressure it’s bearing due to incorrect occlusion.
Large Cavity
Are you feeling tooth sensitivity or toothache while eating? It may be because of a large cavity or tooth decay. You can feel pain when consuming sweets. Moreover, sometimes your food can stick in large cavities, thus causing lingering tooth pain. But not all cavities cause pain. So make sure to visit your dentist for regular dental cleanings and exams.
Dental Abscess
Your tooth can hurt because of an infection called a dental abscess. This condition is the result of the building up of pus caused by bacterial infection. In most cases, patients feel this pain in intervals. Sometimes you’ll feel worse. Other times it goes unnoticed. You can also notice small pimples on your gums. If you see such symptoms, make sure to talk to your dentist. This infection can spread to other body parts if left untreated.
Cracked Tooth
If you feel sudden tooth pain, this can be because of a cracked tooth. It’s not easy to diagnose a cracked tooth since it often shows no sign other than sudden pain while chewing. If you feel this kind of pain, pinpoint the area causing discomfort and visit your dentist. Your dentist will then help determine the root cause by using a special bite stick and dental x-rays.
Gum Disease
Sometimes, you feel tooth pain because of underlying gum disease. Periodontal disease is likely caused when you don’t follow proper oral hygiene practices. If left untreated, gum disease can result in teeth falling out. So, to avoid teeth sensitivity, pain, and tooth loss, make sure you get it treated at your earliest.
Bad Oral Habits
Your teeth can hurt if you practice bad oral habits, such as jaw clenching or teeth grinding. This way, you’re exerting more pressure on your teeth than needed. Such habits are the primary reasons for tooth pain or fracture. You may grind your teeth while sleeping as people suffering from bruxism do that without even realizing it. To avoid such a habit, make sure to visit your dentist. They will likely instruct you to wear a mouthguard while you sleep. This will save your teeth from exerting unnecessary pressure on each other.
Act Promptly
Tooth pain doesn’t leave you on its own, unlike most body pain. It requires prompt action. So, if your tooth hurts when chewing, don’t ignore it. You cannot treat tooth pain permanently by just resting and taking OTC pain relievers. You can visit Rodeo Dental in West Sharyland Mission, TX. Our dentists will assess your oral condition and suggest appropriate treatment plans to make you get back to your regular pain-free routine.
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