Don’t ignore a painful tooth. Find out right away what might be going on.

Whether you woke up with a throbbing tooth or it’s been a nagging pain for days now, it’s important that you take time to handle this issue. After all, a toothache is considered a dental emergency and needs to be treated right away by our Mesa, AZ, dentist, Dr. Julee Weidner. Of course, we understand that you may be curious to know what could be going on in the meantime. Here are some reasons why you may be experiencing a toothache:

A Cavity

This is by the far the most common reason someone experiences a toothache. The pain may be dull or it may be sharp and stabbing. When decay continues to destroy tooth enamel it leads to cavities. While cavities are 100 percent preventable with the proper oral care, it’s not uncommon for most people to develop a cavity at some point during their lifetime. If you also notice a brown or black spot on the tooth that’s giving you trouble, this is another good indicator that you might have a cavity.

Inflamed/Irritated Dental Pulp

The dental pulp is a soft structure found within the confines of the tooth that also contains nerves. When the pulp is damaged in any way, this can cause a pretty miserable toothache (not to mention other problems like tooth sensitivity or an infection).

A dental pulp can become inflamed due to severe decay, an infection that has reached the inside of the tooth and the root canals, or direct trauma to the tooth. If caught early enough, our Mesa general dentist will be able to treat the tooth through a simple root canal therapy where we remove the dental pulp.

Gum Disease

Sometimes gum disease is the culprit behind your dental pain; however, in most cases, gum disease (particularly in the earlier stages) won’t cause pain or other issues. As the condition progresses you may notice a toothache along with red, puffy and tender gums. If left untreated, gum disease can cause tooth and bone loss.

Don’t just ignore dental pain. Make sure you visit our Mesa, AZ, emergency dentist right away if you are dealing with any oral health symptoms that worry you. Dental Care of Mesa would be happy to get you into our office as soon as possible.