Toothache

Why do my teeth hurt?

There are lots of reasons why you could have toothache, but most occur when the nerve or root of the tooth in inflamed, this could be due to an infection, tooth decay, or as a result of a recent dental procedure, such as a filling. The reason behind your toothache really depends on the type of pain you’re experiencing, and the circumstances that have led to your symptoms.

How does a filling cause toothache?

Getting a filling is fairly traumatic for a tooth; it must have been in a bad state to begin with if your dentist recommends surgery. If you have a tooth that has been fractured or cracked, the pulp in the centre of it – where the root and nerves are encased – is in danger of exposure to infection, this is to be avoided at all costs, which is why your dentist may suggest a filling to solve the problem. Extracting the tooth is usually a last resort, your surgeon will do everything they can before that to rescue it and keep it functioning to some degree.

In preparation for the filling, any decay has to be removed or it will continue to contaminate the area, this involves using a drill to make sure the rotten parts are completely excavated. This leaves a clean cavity in the tooth, which must be filled to prevent further decay or infection. Material such as composite filling or amalgam is then used to plug the hole and protect the inner workings of the tooth. The main cause of toothache is the damage inflicted by the various surgical instruments – albeit with good reason – that can leave the tooth and gum area very sensitive to movement, hot or cold temperatures, and any kind of pressure. As with most other invasive procedures, it takes some time for the tissues to recover from the trauma, but the pain should alleviate within a few weeks.

What if it’s really painful?

Many different types of toothache are associated with fillings; some will require a visit to the dentist, whilst other are not as serious. Don’t assume that you should see an emergency dentist immediately, it takes time to heal completely and some toothache is to be expected, over the counter painkillers can help alleviate the pain.

What should I look out for?

Several kinds of pain should not be ignored and you should return to your dentist as soon as possible for further checks.

Pain from the filling itself – Localised pain around the filler material can indicate that the procedure was not properly completed, perhaps some decay was still present or the cavity was not completely filled in. In this case, it’s advisable to see your dentist as some repair work may be needed.

Sensitivity when biting or touching teeth together – After the procedure, it’s normal to feel some slight discomfort when trying to eat, but sharp, severe pain can mean too much material has been used to fill the cavity and it needs to be reshaped to fit better between the teeth. If it’s a dull ache and not an unbearable stabbing pain that occurs, this is likely due to small amounts of pressure being put on the area from chewing or touching and shouldn’t be too serious. However, if the pain persists for more than a few days, get in touch with your dentist and ask for their advice.

Constant pain – This could point to deeper problems that may call for more surgery. If you have ongoing toothache that is present without chewing or touching the teeth together, it may be that the central pulp of the tooth has become infected and needs to be removed. In these cases, a root canal treatment is necessary; this involves removing the unhealthy tissue and filling the empty space with either composite or amalgam. Your dentist may also feel the need to cap or crown the tooth after the procedure, in order to keep the remaining parts together and avoid an extraction. The tooth is essentially dead at this point, but can still be retained for cosmetic purposes.

Referred toothache – This means you will experience pain in teeth other than the one that was operated on. Patients will typically feel this sort of sensitivity after a filling; it should disappear on its own after a short time.

Allergic reaction to the material used – Some patients can suffer allergic reactions to amalgam or other silver metals used in the filling process, symptoms exhibited can include rashes, itching, dry skin and other indications similar to a skin allergy. This type of reaction is very rare, but if you think you are allergic to your filling, you’ll need to return to the dentist to have it replaced with a composite material as soon as possible.

Is there anything I can do to help myself?

In the more extreme cases, the best course of action is to let your dentist solve the problem. However there are some things you can do to alleviate mild toothache.

Avoid hot or cold drinks, your teeth are still very sensitive and vulnerable to changes in temperature. Sticky sweets or hard candy are not a good idea either, the filling has to bond with the tooth enamel and can be pulled out if you are not careful in the weeks after your surgery. Choose soft foods and lukewarm liquids, anything that doesn’t involve crunching or vigorous chewing, this puts too much pressure on your delicate teeth.

Be careful when brushing – you do have to brush the filled tooth in the same was as your other teeth, but take it steady and make sure you rinse around the area after eating.

Take note of foods that aggravate your condition and avoid them – sugary drinks and sweets are particularly bad for freshly filled teeth and can trigger a bout of toothache.

Take over the counter painkillers if you’re really suffering, but for the most part it’s just a case of bearing the pain until your teeth are fully healed.