Even though you strive to stay on top of your oral and dental health by brushing and flossing your teeth daily, eating healthy, and catching up with your routine dental checkups, you could experience a toothache at some point. A toothache can be alarming and challenging to ignore, whether it is a dull, sudden, sharp, or throbbing pain.

Experiencing tooth pain, especially when you touch it, bite down, or chew food, indicates something is wrong with your dental health. Understanding the root cause of your issue can assist you in addressing it and determining appropriate treatment as soon as possible, because this discomfort can affect your daily life.

That is where the services of a seasoned dentist become vital. A skilled dentist well-equipped with modern dentistry equipment can help pinpoint the root cause of the issue and offer appropriate treatment.

Possible Culprits and Treatments of Tooth Pain When Touching it or Biting Down

Undoubtedly, one of the most uncomfortable and bothersome dental health issues is tooth pain. In addition to affecting your ability to bite or chew your favorite food and drink hot and cold drinks, a toothache could affect your sleep patterns. Fortunately, it is a treatable issue, especially when you seek a dentist's intervention as soon as possible.

Below are some common causes of tooth pain when touching or biting down, along with appropriate treatment options:

  1. Cavities

One of the leading causes of toothache when biting down or chewing food among most people is cavities. Also known as tooth decay, a cavity is a hole that develops in your tooth enamel. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), about 90 percent of adults aged 20 and above have had one or more cavities at some point.

This dental issue occurs when your tooth enamel (the mineralized hard outer surface of your tooth) becomes eroded by acidic excretions released by harmful bacteria that live on the plaque. When you eat sugary foods, the plaque bacteria feed on them and release acidic excretions. No wonder, as children, our parents emphasized that we should refrain from sugary foods.

Plaque is the colorless or yellow sticky film of bacteria that forms on your tooth’s surface when bacteria, food particles, and saliva combine. That is why brushing your teeth at least twice daily is advisable to minimize the chances of developing plaque, which later hardens to tartar.

Since cavities start as tiny holes in your tooth enamel, you will not detect that you have this issue until they enlarge and extend to the inner and sensitive part of your tooth. However, your dentist can detect this issue during routine dental appointments and recommend appropriate treatment. Depending on the severity of your enamel damage, your dentist could recommend the following treatments:

A Dental Filling

For a typical and non-advanced cavity, a dental filling could help fix your toothache issue. During this procedure, your dentist will remove the decayed part of the tooth and use composite resin material or dental cement to fill the gap.

Root Canal Therapy

If the infection has compromised the pulp chamber of your tooth, your dentist will perform root canal therapy. Root canal therapy involves removing the infected pulp (nerve tissue and blood vessels) and thoroughly disinfecting the tooth using antibiotic medication.

After proper disinfection of the canal and your tooth roots, the dentist will fill it using a temporary filling to allow it to heal before placing a permanent restoration. Since a significant part of your tooth enamel is affected, your dentist could recommend placing a dental crown on this tooth to strengthen it and boost the aesthetics of your smile.

Extraction

The dentist could recommend tooth extraction or removal in severe cases when it is impossible to save the tooth due to weakened roots. However, that does not mean you must live with a gap in your teeth for the rest of your life. The dentist could recommend a dental implant and a crown to restore your teeth's functions and smile appearance.

A dental implant is a metal post that your dentist places in your jawbone surgically to act as tooth roots and support an artificial tooth or dental crown.

  1. Cracked Tooth

In many cases, you will not notice you have a cracked tooth until you chew food or bite down and feel a sharp pain once you release the bite. The longer the pain persists, the more severe the crack or fracture is likely to be. Some of the causes of a cracked tooth include:

  • Natural wear and tear
  • Accidents and falls
  • Bruxism or teeth grinding
  • Chewing on hard food like nuts or ice

When you experience a sharp toothache after a meal, you should try to find the exact source of the pain. Your dentist can help you determine whether you have a fractured tooth by using a special stick to apply pressure to specific areas of your tooth to check for pain.

While severe teeth fractures can show on digital X-rays, hairline fractures could go undetected on an X-ray. Fortunately, using 3D imaging techniques like Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), your dentist can detect these hairline fractures on your tooth.

Once your dentist determines the location of the crack or fracture and its severity, he/she can recommend the following treatments:

Dental Bonding

During a dental bonding procedure, your dentist will use a special resin material to repair the chipped or cracked part of the tooth and restore its shape.

Dental Veneers

For minor fractures, your dentist will likely recommend dental veneers. A dental veneer is a thin composite resin or porcelain-made shell that your dentist places on the surface of a fractured tooth to restore it and improve its appearance.

A Dental Crown

Also known as a dental cap, a dental crown is a tailor-made cap that your dentist places over the remaining part of the cracked or damaged tooth to strengthen it. Since its shape and color match the surrounding healthy teeth, it can give you a new smile, and many will not notice if you have dental restoration.

Tooth Extraction

If the crack extends below your gumline, compromising the pulp chamber of your tooth, a tooth extraction could be necessary to fix the issue.

  1. Malocclusion

Improperly aligned teeth could also cause tooth pain. When your jaws are correctly aligned, your upper set of teeth should protrude slightly over the lower set of teeth, and your molars should interlock. You have malocclusion if your teeth are not well aligned.

While misaligned teeth are not painful, they could increase your risk of teeth cracking, decay, wear and tear, and even gingivitis or periodontitis, all of which can cause tooth pain. If you have a bite issue or malocclusion, your dentist can talk with you about the available treatment options, including the following:

Wearing Aligners or Braces

Depending on the severity of the misalignment, your orthodontist can recommend wearing clear aligners or braces, which apply pressure on the affected teeth to push them into proper alignment.

Reshaping the Affected Teeth

Sometimes, the dentist can reshape or file down the affected teeth to fix their positioning and alignment. Additionally, the dentist could suggest veneers or crowns to accompany this dental work to strengthen it and improve its appearance.

Tooth Removal

If your unique bite issue is due to teeth overcrowding, the dentist will recommend the removal of some teeth. Doing that allows the other adjacent teeth to shift to fill that gap, fixing your teeth alignment issue.

Jaw Surgery

In severe cases, jaw surgery could be necessary to lengthen, shorten, or otherwise adjust your jaw's shape. Then the dentist will reinforce the jaw using a plate, screw, or wire to enable you to chew food properly.

  1. Periodontitis

Another common cause of tooth pain is periodontitis. Periodontitis is a severe infection of your gums, which causes your gums to recede or pull away from the teeth, creating a periodontal pocket. While it could be due to other issues like poor oral hygiene and smoking, in most cases, periodontitis starts when you leave gum inflammation (gingivitis) untreated.

The toothache caused by periodontitis mostly occurs due to decay below your gumline and the loosening of your tooth. Other common symptoms associated with periodontitis include bad breath, red and bleeding gums. To treat periodontitis, your dentist will recommend a deep teeth cleaning procedure.

Also commonly known as scaling and root planing (SRP), deep teeth cleaning is necessary to scrape off plaque and tartar buildup on the surface of your teeth, below your gumline, and on the roots. However, surgical procedures like flap surgery or gum grafting could be necessary in severe cases.

Flap surgery involves lifting the affected gums for a thorough cleaning. On the other hand, gum grafts help the affected tissue regrow and reattach to the surface of your teeth, preventing further infection.

  1. Abscessed Tooth

If you have tooth pain when you bite down and it becomes worse over time, there is a high chance you have an abscessed tooth. Also known as a dental abscess, an abscessed tooth is a painful condition caused by a bacterial infection that causes pus to build up on your teeth, jawbone, or gums.

When left untreated, this painful condition can spread the bacterial infection to the surrounding tissues and bones and even lead to hospitalization. Therefore, seeking immediate treatment is vital if you have any pain in your tooth, especially one that worsens over time.

If your dentist determines you have an abscessed tooth, he/she will perform various tests and exams to determine the root cause of the problem for appropriate treatment. Some of the treatments your dentist could recommend include:

  • Taking prescribed antibiotics to combat and kill the bacteria
  • Deep teeth cleaning to remove the plaque buildup on the surface of your tooth and below the gum line
  • Draining the pus caused by the abscess helps reduce the pressure and accelerates your healing process
  • Root canal therapy will be necessary to clean the pulp chamber if the bacterial infection is due  to tooth damage or decay
  • Tooth extraction is necessary if the infection has weakened your tooth roots, and it is impossible to save the tooth using root canal therapy

  1. Loose Dental Crowns or Fillings

Dental crowns or fillings are helpful dental restorations when you have a cavity or damaged tooth, but they do not last forever. With the average lifespan of dental crowns and fillings falling between ten and fifteen years, those dental crowns or fillings you received as a teenager could be the culprits of your tooth pain as an adult. In addition to aging, other possible causes of loose dental crowns or fillings include:

  • Wear and tear
  • Dental infection
  • Poor fit
  • Tooth decay

Generally, loose dental crowns and fillings, regardless of the time that has passed since the dentist performed these procedures, can cause a toothache. If you have a broken, loose, or poorly fitting dental crown or filling, the underlying structures and tissues could be impacted, causing discomfort when biting food or touching the affected tooth.

Fortunately, repairing a loose dental crown or filling is easy. If your dental filling is loose or broken, your dentist can replace it or adjust and cement it back in place. However, if the tooth beneath your dental crown or filling has decay, additional treatments like root canal therapy could be necessary to halt the progression of the infection.

When Should I Schedule an Appointment With My Dentist?

Generally speaking, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist at least twice annually, but scheduling an appointment with your dentist sooner could be necessary if:

  • You have tooth pain that has lasted for more than forty-eight hours
  • You have red gums or fever
  • Over-the-counter medications are not alleviating the tooth pain
  • You have a swelling on your jaw or cheek

Find a Northridge Dentist Near Me

Tooth pain is a dental issue you cannot ignore because the discomfort can affect your ability to enjoy your favorite meals and beverages. You should consult a dentist if you are experiencing tooth pain when biting food or touching your tooth. As with many dental health issues, the sooner you seek treatment, the better to restore your dental health and protect your smile.

If you are experiencing tooth pain often triggered when you touch the tooth or bite down, our reputable dentists at Northridge Advanced Dentistry would gladly offer the necessary medical assistance. We invite you to call us at 818-701-3010 to discuss your painful dental issue with one of our dentists for appropriate treatment.