Toothache
Quality dental care that treats your toothache at the source
Toothache St. Louis: an extremely common dental plight that we all dread and fear. Luckily, dentistry has come a long way from the image of the swollen-cheek patient with gauze tied around their head when it comes to toothache diagnosis and treatment. Just as with any other dental care you receive, it is important that you put your toothache treatment in the hands of a dentist you can trust from a practice where you feel comfortable.
If you are suffering from a toothache in St. Louis, Plaza Dental Center can provide the toothache pain relief you desire. As leaders among dental providers in the St. Louis area, we provide quality dental treatments and procedures that effectively address dental ailments like toothaches for patients of all ages throughout the Greater St. Louis region. Learn more about our St. Louis area dental services or schedule an appointment to address your toothache today by calling us at 314-361-1818 or requesting an appointment online.
Toothache Symptoms
A toothache is a painful experience, but the quality and type of pain can differ–as well as the accompanying symptoms–depending on the cause of the toothache. If you suffer from a toothache in St. Louis, you may experience the following:
- Pain – throbbing, sharp, stabbing, dull, or aching pain that can be constant, intermittent, or only when you bite or eat
- Tingling sensation
- Swelling of the gums around the tooth
- Redness around the affected area
- Headache
- Fever
- Pus or drainage from the infected tooth
- A bad taste or smell coming from the tooth
Toothache Causes
A toothache can have various causes. Our teeth are actually made up of soft tissue on the inside, filled with nerves and blood vessels. The nerves inside our teeth are extremely sensitive, so any amount of inflammation or irritation can produce excruciating toothache pain.
- Cavities and damaged fillings – When cavities first form, they are very small and barely noticeable, but if left untreated, they can cause a toothache as the cavity continues to grow. Over many years, fillings placed over cavities can crack or move out of place which also exposes the cavity and leads to a toothache.
- Cracked and chipped teeth – Trauma that occurs when playing sports or getting in some kind of accident can crack, chip, or otherwise break a tooth. This can expose the sensitive part of the tooth and lead to a toothache.
- Dental abscess – An abscess is an infection that starts in the root of the tooth and can spread to the surrounding mouth and jaw areas. This type of toothache is often accompanied by swelling, heat, pus, or even a fever. Abscesses are commonly caused by untreated tooth decay.
- Bruxism – Bruxism is the dental term for grinding or clenching the teeth. Some people unknowingly grind their teeth at night or when stressed. The grinding can irritate the nerves in the tooth and cause a toothache.
- Exposed tooth roots – Severe gum disease can cause gums to recede so much that tooth roots may become exposed. The exposed roots are sensitive and lead to a toothache.
- Wisdom teeth – It is common for wisdom teeth to become impacted as they begin to come in. This puts pressure on other teeth and can cause toothache pain in a combination of different teeth depending on how the teeth are oriented and affected.
Sometimes the cause of a toothache isn’t even a dental issue. You may experience toothache symptoms without any of the above dental problems. Instead, your toothache could be caused by a sinus infection putting pressure in the upper back part of your mouth, some types of headaches, diabetes, and other conditions. In those cases, it is best to first receive the proper medical treatment for the underlying condition.
Toothache Treatments St. Louis
The best defense against toothaches is to practice proper oral hygiene and safety when playing sports. However, even those of us who brush and floss religiously can fall victim to a toothache at one point or another. Though certain toothache causes may not require professional care, there are several effective treatments your St. Louis dentist can provide that will help you experience relief from your toothache pain.
Fillings and Crowns. When a cavity or damaged filling is the source of your toothache pain, your St. Louis dentist can address the issue with a new tooth filling or a crown, which caps the to of the tooth. They work against a toothache by protecting the sensitive nerves from contact with air, saliva, and food.
Scaling and Planing. Tooth scaling and root planing are deep cleaning dental tools that address gum disease. When plaque builds up and hardens over time, turning into tartar, the roots and other parts of the tooth become a bacterial breeding ground. This often leads to infection and tooth decay. Together, scaling and planing are a deep cleaning method that can prevent and address gum disease-related toothache pain.
Root Canal. A toothache caused by an abscessed tooth can be treated by your Plaza Dental Center dentist with a root canal procedure. In a root canal, the infected soft tissue inside the tooth is removed. Your dentist will drill a small opening in the top of the tooth and use it to clear out all of the infected soft tissue from the top of the tooth down into the root. This toothache treatment method preserves the look of the natural tooth while removing the infection and protecting your gums, jaws, and bloodstream from infection too.
Extractions. For a badly damaged tooth that your dentist can not restore, an extraction may be the toothache remedy for you. This toothache treatment is also used for wisdom teeth. Extractions range from a simple procedure using only a local anesthetic to complete oral surgery. Your Plaza Dental Center toothache treatment team can perform a safe and effective extraction for a tooth that is beyond repair or a wisdom tooth that has no room to grow.
Other Toothache Remedies. In some cases, your toothache dentist may identify that your tooth pain may benefit from additional remedies. An infection may be managed by taking antibiotics. A toothache due to grinding or from an injury could be helped by wearing a mouthguard. By following your dentist’s recommendations on removing wisdom teeth can prevent various toothache causes.
Dental Care for Your Toothache St. Louis | Plaza Dental Center
Quality dental treatment for your toothache begins by understanding the source of your pain and discomfort. The experienced dental team at Plaza Dental Center provides quality dental care to families across the Greater St. Louis area, including treatments to address toothache pain. You do not have to live with ongoing toothache pain. When you experience a toothache that causes you pain you can’t ignore, contact us as soon as possible by calling 314-361-1818 or requesting an appointment online.