Four Common Causes of Tooth Pain in Adults

8/27/2022

Has your mouth started to throb in pain? Maybe you are experiencing sharp pain every time you take a deep breath, eat something cold, or enjoy a sweet treat. Tooth pain can occur for a wide array of reasons. In this blog, we will examine four common causes of tooth pain in adults.

No matter what the cause of tooth pain, you should never have to suffer from discomfort. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Eileen Huynh at Elegant Smiles in Las Vegas, NV to discuss your tooth pain and determine the best treatment option to fix the problem. Dr. Huynh will conduct a dental exam and x-ray to look closely at the problem tooth and recommend a treatment plan.

Causes of tooth pain in adults

Below are the four most common causes of tooth discomfort:

  • Tooth decay

  • Damaged filling

  • Fractured/broken tooth

  • Abscessed tooth caused by a bacterial infection in the tooth

Symptoms of tooth pain in adults include:

  • Constant, throbbing, or sharp pain

  • Feeling of pressure

  • Pain when biting down

  • Swelling in the gum or tissue around the tooth

  • Foul taste in the mouth

  • Fever

  • Headache

  • Foul mouth odor

Will tooth pain go away?

Pain in a tooth can go away temporarily but will eventually return if the underlying cause of the tooth pain is not treated. If you suffer from tooth pain, try to eat only soft foods, avoid cold/hot foods, and do not eat sweets which can further irritate the tooth.

Treating tooth pain

The first step to treating tooth pain should involve scheduling an appointment with Dr. Huynh at Elegant Smiles in Las Vegas, NV to treat the source of the tooth pain.

If you cannot get in to see the dentist right away, then try the following at-home treatments to treat tooth pain.

  • Rinse your mouth out with warm saltwater. Saltwater is an excellent disinfectant and can effectively reduce inflammation to ease tooth pain. Use ½ a teaspoon mixed in warm water, and then rinse your mouth thoroughly.

  • If you do not have access to saltwater, then rinse your mouth using hydrogen peroxide to ease the pain and reduce inflammation. Use equal parts hydrogen peroxide mixed with equal parts water. Rinse your mouth thoroughly and avoid swallowing the solution.

  • Apply a cold compress to ease swelling and pain.

  • Use over-the-counter pain medications for pain control.

The first step in treating tooth pain involves making an appointment with Dr. Huynh at Elegant Smiles in Las Vegas, NV for a full evaluation and examination. If a cavity or break in the tooth is causing discomfort, then Dr. Huynh will discuss treatment options with you, such as filling the cavity or removing the tooth.

A broken tooth or missing filling usually involves the placement of a filling to fix the break or replace the lost material.

In some situations, a root canal might need to be performed to remove the tooth’s infected pulp and replace it with a sealing material. In many cases, an antibiotic is prescribed to fight any infection.

Schedule an appointment with your dentists in Las Vegas, NV today to relieve your tooth pain

There is no reason to live with tooth pain, and avoiding the problem might only make it worse! Early treatment is always the best choice. If you are suffering from tooth pain, you’ll want to schedule an appointment with Dr. Eileen Huynh at Elegant Smiles in Las Vegas, NV to have the discomfort evaluated and discuss treatment options.

* All information subject to change. Images may contain models. Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary.