How to Know if You Have an Infected Tooth
Monitor any toothache that you feel., Pay attention to dental sensitivity., Watch for pain while eating.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Monitor any toothache that you feel.
An infected tooth can cause mild to severe pain in that area, depending on how infected the tooth is.
The pain is generally continuous and sharp.Some dentists describe it as a shooting, throbbing, or gnawing type of pain.
This pain will radiate upwards and downwards along the side of your face to places like your ear, jaw or head.Your dentist will tap your teeth with a dental probe.
If you have an abscess, you will feel pain when the infected tooth is tapped — what the Merck Manual describes as “exquisite” sensitivity.— or when you bite down.
Keep in mind that if your infection is severe, you will most likely be unable to pinpoint the exact tooth causing the pain because the whole area around the tooth will also feel painful.
Your dentist will need to take x-rays to identify which tooth is infected.
If the infection destroys the pulp at the root of the tooth — the "heart" of the tooth — the pain may stop because your tooth has died; however, this does not mean that the infection will stop.
It will continue to spread and destroy other tissue and bone. -
Step 2: Pay attention to dental sensitivity.
Some amount of sensitivity to hot and cold is normal in teeth.
This is caused by small holes in the enamel called “caries” and often doesn’t require special treatment;however, an infected tooth becomes very sensitive to hot and cold substances.
For instance, you will most likely experience severe pain if you eat a hot bowl of soup — a shooting pain that lingers after you have stopped eating.Aside from hot and cold, you might also experience pain when you eat sweet products, as the sugar can irritate the infected tooth and create pain.All of these repeated sensations may affect the pulp and inflame the entire system of vessels and nerves.
In most cases this damage is irreversible and you will need to have a root canal. , Chewing may also be painful when you have an abscessed tooth, particularly with solid foods.
Biting or chewing applies pressure to your tooth and jaw and can cause pain.
This pain may linger even after you stop eating.Keep in mind that there can be other causes of pain in the teeth or jaw while chewing.
It does not always mean that you have a tooth infection.
For example, sometimes people internalize stress and clench their jaw muscles, which can lead to very similar kinds of pain.
This is a “Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder.”Some people also grind or clench their teeth when they sleep, which is known as bruxism.
Sinus or ear infections may also cause discomfort like a toothache, but these usually feature a headache.
One symptom of heart disease, as well, is tooth and jaw pain.
No matter what it turns out to be, you should take the pain seriously and see a dentist. -
Step 3: Watch for pain while eating.
Detailed Guide
An infected tooth can cause mild to severe pain in that area, depending on how infected the tooth is.
The pain is generally continuous and sharp.Some dentists describe it as a shooting, throbbing, or gnawing type of pain.
This pain will radiate upwards and downwards along the side of your face to places like your ear, jaw or head.Your dentist will tap your teeth with a dental probe.
If you have an abscess, you will feel pain when the infected tooth is tapped — what the Merck Manual describes as “exquisite” sensitivity.— or when you bite down.
Keep in mind that if your infection is severe, you will most likely be unable to pinpoint the exact tooth causing the pain because the whole area around the tooth will also feel painful.
Your dentist will need to take x-rays to identify which tooth is infected.
If the infection destroys the pulp at the root of the tooth — the "heart" of the tooth — the pain may stop because your tooth has died; however, this does not mean that the infection will stop.
It will continue to spread and destroy other tissue and bone.
Some amount of sensitivity to hot and cold is normal in teeth.
This is caused by small holes in the enamel called “caries” and often doesn’t require special treatment;however, an infected tooth becomes very sensitive to hot and cold substances.
For instance, you will most likely experience severe pain if you eat a hot bowl of soup — a shooting pain that lingers after you have stopped eating.Aside from hot and cold, you might also experience pain when you eat sweet products, as the sugar can irritate the infected tooth and create pain.All of these repeated sensations may affect the pulp and inflame the entire system of vessels and nerves.
In most cases this damage is irreversible and you will need to have a root canal. , Chewing may also be painful when you have an abscessed tooth, particularly with solid foods.
Biting or chewing applies pressure to your tooth and jaw and can cause pain.
This pain may linger even after you stop eating.Keep in mind that there can be other causes of pain in the teeth or jaw while chewing.
It does not always mean that you have a tooth infection.
For example, sometimes people internalize stress and clench their jaw muscles, which can lead to very similar kinds of pain.
This is a “Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder.”Some people also grind or clench their teeth when they sleep, which is known as bruxism.
Sinus or ear infections may also cause discomfort like a toothache, but these usually feature a headache.
One symptom of heart disease, as well, is tooth and jaw pain.
No matter what it turns out to be, you should take the pain seriously and see a dentist.
About the Author
Ann Anderson
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in organization and beyond.
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