Tooth Pain Guide
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers About Tooth Pain
Please select from the list below the title that best reflects your pain. Call our Frisco office for assistance: Lakeside Endodontics: Frisco Office Phone Number 214-423-7668.
Why am I experiencing momentary sensitivity to hot or cold foods?
Possible Problem
If the discomfort lasts only moments, sensitivity to hot and cold foods generally does not signal a problem. The sensitivity may be caused by a loose filling or by minimal gum recession which exposes small areas of the root surface.
What To Do
Try using toothpastes made for sensitive teeth. Brush up and down with a soft brush; brushing sideways wears away exposed root surfaces. If this is unsuccessful, see your dentist.
What if I experience sensitivity to hot or cold foods after dental treatment?
Possible Problem
Dental work may inflame the pulp, inside the tooth, causing temporary sensitivity.
What To Do
Wait four to six weeks. If the pain persists or worsens, see your dentist.
What do I do if I'm getting sharp pains when biting down on food?
Possible Problem
There are several possible causes of this type of pain: decay, a loose filling, or a crack in the tooth. There may be damage to the pulp tissue inside the tooth.
What To Do
See a dentist for evaluation. If the problem is a cracked tooth, your dentist may send you to an endodontist. Cracked tooth pain comes from damage to the inner soft tissue of the tooth, the pulp. Endodontists are dentists who specialize in pulp-related procedures. Endodontic treatment, also known as root canal treatment, can relieve that pain.
Why am I feeling lingering pain after eating hot or cold foods?
Possible Problem
This probably means the pulp has been damaged by deep decay or physical trauma.
What To Do
See your endodontist to save the tooth with root canal treatment.
I'm experiencing constant and severe pain and pressure, swelling gums, and sensitivity to touch. What should I do?
Possible Problem
A tooth may have become abscessed, causing the surrounding bone to become infected.
What To Do
See your endodontist for evaluation and treatment to relieve the pain and save the tooth. Take over-the-counter analgesics until you see the endodontist.
Why am I experiencing dull aches and pressure in my upper teeth and jaw?
Possible Problem
The pain of a sinus headache is often felt in the face and teeth. Grinding of teeth, a condition known as bruxism, can also cause this type of ache.
What To Do
For sinus headache, try over-the-counter analgesics or sinus medicine. For bruxism, consult your dentist. If pain is severe and chronic, see your physician or endodontist for evaluation.
What causes chronic pain in the head, neck, or ears?
Possible Problem
Sometimes pulp-damaged teeth cause pain in other parts of the head and neck, but other dental or medical problems may be responsible.
What To Do
See your endodontist for evaluation. If the problem is not related to the tooth, your endodontist will refer you to an appropriate dental specialist or a physician.