Common Causes for a Throbbing Tooth and Tooth Pain

If you've ever wondered what's going on when you have throbbing tooth pain, you're far from alone. According to one survey, one in four adults reported oral pain within the past year, with some people even reporting lost productivity as a result.

How can you tell what's causing your toothache? Tooth pain can happen for a huge spectrum of reasons, and it's not always easy to identify the culprit on your own.

Here at our dental clinic, we treat patients for everything from cavities to TMD, and we're used to every complaint about pain you can think of! Let's take a look at some of the most common culprits our team addresses.

Damaged Fillings or Crowns

If you've ever had a cavity, you likely have one or more dental fillings in your mouth. Depending on the material used in these fillings, they can last for over a decade, with some lasting up to 20 years. 

However, older fillings can sometimes break or grow loose. This is common after normal wear and tear. Fillings may chip or crack, and they may sometimes even pop out of their socket. 

The same is true of dental crowns, which are often made of similar materials to fillings. After wear and tear, these prosthetics may loosen, and the dental cement that holds them in place may degrade under pressure.

Issues with fillings and crowns aren't just cosmetic problems. They can also be the cause of your tooth pain. If the filling or crown presses against sensitive tissues in your mouth or allows bacteria to enter your tooth, you might be looking at significant pain until you have a dentist address the problem.

Gum Disease

Also called periodontal disease, gum disease can affect your teeth as well as your gums. This condition happens when your gums get infected.

You can spot a minor infection by checking for signs of bleeding when you brush or floss. Once this infection has progressed, it may result in your teeth throbbing. In serious cases, your gums may even begin to pull away from the teeth, making you more susceptible to decay and cavities.

Proper dental hygiene can help keep gingivitis at bay. Regular visits to your dentist can also ensure that your mouth stays healthy, and your dentist can also give you a deep cleaning and antibiotics for any current gum disease.

Tooth Decay

This is one of the most common dental problems when a tooth hurts. Decay happens when bacteria attack a tooth, chewing through the protective enamel layer to reach the sensitive pulp within.

You can sometimes recognize tooth decay before you get to the dentist. If you have abrupt tooth sensitivity or pain, especially when you eat or drink hot or cold foods, you may be dealing with a cavity. Pitting and holes are also red flags, as is sudden discoloration.

If you're dealing with a cavity, visit a dentist to have them remove the damaged section of your tooth to ease your pain.

Tooth Abscess

Like tooth decay, tooth abscesses cause serious pain. They're also the result of bacteria attacking your teeth.

However, a tooth abscess occurs when the pulp inside your tooth dies. This creates an abscess, or a pocket of bacteria within the tooth. Left untreated, this infection can spread to the jaw as well, so it's important to visit your dentist as soon as you start experiencing pain.

Your dentist will need to drain and clean the tooth and gums to treat your abscess. You will often need antibiotics as well.

Tooth Grinding

Grinding or clenching your teeth may seem like a minor bad habit, but it can cause a lot of pain if you aren't careful! Our tooth enamel is durable, but it can wear down or even crack when it's forced against the enamel in our other teeth. This can increase your risk of tooth fractures and cavities, both of which can cause significant pain.

Tooth grinding can be an involuntary act with many different causes. This sometimes makes it hard to tell when you have the habit. Look for common signs like rounded or thinning teeth, rough textures or cracks on the chewing surfaces, and discoloration.

Another common sign is jaw pain. People who grind their teeth at night may experience temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), which radiates throughout the jaw, often causes headaches, and sometimes causes pain in the neck as well.

Addressing your tooth grinding is crucial for stopping your pain. In addition to doing physical therapy exercises for pain, visit a TMD specialist for help.

Erupting Tooth

For younger patients, the culprit behind tooth pain may be a developing tooth. When teeth push out of the gums, or "erupt," they can cause the area to ache. This pain may be even worse if the tooth is impacted, meaning that it is growing in incorrectly. This can put pressure on neighboring teeth, damage the tooth roots, or cause other teeth to loosen. Problems with impacted teeth are most common with wisdom teeth, which are more likely than other teeth to experience crowding.

Chipped or Fractured Tooth

If your teeth are under enough pressure, they may chip or fracture.

Minor chips and fractures may not delve past the enamel, meaning they're less likely to cause pain. However, if a split in the tooth reaches the sensitive inner pulp, you are more likely to experience a toothache.

Major chips and fractures allow food particles and bacteria to get into the tooth. Over time, this can lead to a serious infection.

Depending on the damage, your dentist may repair a fractured tooth with a filling, veneer, root canal, or crown.

Visit Us for Throbbing Tooth Pain

When you're dealing with throbbing tooth pain, the chances are good that one of the culprits above is to blame. However, diagnosing the issue on your own can be tricky.



That's where Dental Care Burke comes in. Our team is proud to offer specialist care for all of the pain-related issues above, and we even offer same-day and emergency appointments. Contact us now to get the relief you need.