These bursts of electrical stimulation produced a painful sensation similar to that felt when biting into an ice cube, Forster says, and were tuned such that the subject always rated the pain to be about 60 percent, with percent being the worst pain imaginable.
To see how the brain responds to pain emanating from different teeth, the researchers used fMRI to monitor changes in activity when the upper tooth or the lower tooth was zapped. Many brain regions responded to top and bottom tooth pain — carried by signals from two distinct branches of a fiber called the trigeminal nerve — in the same way. The V2 branch carries pain signals from the upper jaw, and the V3 branch carries pain signals from the lower jaw.
Extreme or debilitating pain can be caused by a number of different problems, from trauma to the tooth because of an accident to a tooth shattering and exposing the pulp layer and nerves. If you also experience painful pressure or notice facial swelling, chances are high that you have also developed an abscess. Oral infections like an abscess are an extremely serious condition.
Level 1: Tooth Sensitivity How It Feels Tooth sensitivity is a very common type of tooth pain that may come up suddenly or be a chronic issue experienced by individuals. What It Means Tooth sensitivity is often linked to weakened tooth enamel or receding gumlines. What to Do For minor tooth sensitivity, switching your toothpaste to one designed for sensitive teeth can be very helpful.
What It Means A dull ache can mean something fairly simple, like having a piece of food stuck in your tooth, or it can mean you have tooth decay present. What to Do Thoroughly floss and brush your teeth first to dislodge any stuck food.
Level 3: Sharp Tooth Pain How It Feels A sharp pain can feel very intense and usually occurs when your problem tooth touches another tooth or a food item when biting down. What It Means Severe, throbbing tooth pain is a serious cause for concern.
What to Do While you can take an OTC medication and use hot or cold compresses to ease the pain, this type of toothache should never be ignored.
Level 5: Extreme or Debilitating Tooth Pain How It Feels Without immediate action, a throbbing toothache can quickly turn into extreme, debilitating tooth pain. Migrating tooth pain is a toothache that moves from one part of the mouth to another, for instance, from the upper jaw to the lower jaw.
Several factors can cause migrating tooth pain. The most common are cavity, tooth abscess, and non-dental factors such as muscle pain and headaches. When a person eats and fails to clean their teeth, especially foods high in sugar, it provides the perfect breading ground for bacteria.
Bacteria that live in the mouth digest these foods and turn them into acids. The bacteria, acid, saliva, and food particles combine to form a sticky film known as plaque, which stays on the teeth.
Regular brushing and flossing remove plaque, but once plaque forms into tartar, you need a dentist to remove it. A person may not experience pain from cavities until the bacteria get deep into the tooth and affect the nerve below. The bacteria causing cavities can get into the gum or the pulp, which contains nerves and blood vessels. It is essential to consult a dentist when feeling sharp pains. When cavities are left untreated, they grow large and affect the deeper structures of the tooth.
This can, consequently, make the person experience pain in other teeth or even in the jaw. The bacterial infection known as tooth abscess happens when pus secretes at a part of the tooth, and this can cause migrating tooth pain. A tooth abscess results from an untreated cavity, an injury, or shoddy dental work.
When a tooth abscess is on the upper tooth, the pain can radiate to the lower jaw, making the person feel pain in someplace other than the origin of the infection. When a person experiences a cavity, it can extend into the structure of the tooth, such as the pulp or nerve, if left untreated. While it is often that tooth experiencing the pain, it can radiate to surrounding teeth as well. Bacteria are always looking for the right conditions to thrive. So, if one tooth suffers from decay, it may spread to the surrounding teeth if they have cavities.
Eating too many sugary foods and a lack of proper dental care creates an environment for bacterial growth. The sinuses are the small, air-filled cavities that sit behind the cheekbones and forehead.
Sinusitis can cause sudden pressure and pain in the jaw, and this may radiate to the teeth. Other areas that may be painful or tender include:. Most cases of sinusitis will improve within 2—3 weeks. During this time, a person can try the following home treatments:. If the symptoms persist or the pain is severe, a person should see their doctor. If the sinusitis is a result of a bacterial infection, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection.
In some cases, a doctor may also prescribe corticosteroid nasal drops to treat the sinus inflammation. Tooth pain can occur for many reasons. However, it is not possible to diagnose the cause based on pain symptoms alone, so a person should see their dentist if they experience any kind of tooth pain.
Some types of tooth pain indicate a need for immediate treatment. For example, anyone who experiences any symptoms of a tooth abscess should book an emergency dental appointment. In rare cases, infections from untreated dental abscesses can spread to other areas of the body. This can result in serious health complications. There are many potential causes of sudden pain in all the teeth. Home treatments such as tooth numbing gels, warm compresses, and OTC pain medications can temporarily dull a toothache.
People who experience any kind of tooth pain should see their dentist for diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Seeing a dentist sooner rather than later can help prevent any oral health problems from worsening. Dry sockets are typically painful and have no visible blood clot. Learn the differences between a dry socket versus a normal socket. Throbbing tooth pain is usually a sign of an injury or infection in the mouth. This is often, but not always, a cavity or abscess.
Learn more here. Acupressure is a type of alternative therapy that can help treat pain by manipulating pressure points in the body. Learn about the best pressure….
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