April 4, 2009 8:07 pm

What is toothache

What is toothache ?
Toothache is a painful condition in your jaw and facial area. It usually occurs when a nerve in the tooth root is inflamed or irritated. It could also occur because of tooth decay, infection or even tooth loss.
Types of toothache
Everybody doesn't experience the same kind of toothache, and very often a toothache can be a sign of a much deeper condition. The severity of the toothache may also vary, in terms of the sensitivity of the tooth and the pain intensity. No matter what type of toothache you suffer from, you should get it evaluated by a dentist.

Sharp tooth pain or sensitivity
When your teeth become extremely sensitive to cold, causing a sharp pain when you eat or drink very cold items, it could be due to loss of tooth enamel. This deterioration of tooth enamel occurs because of excessive brushing, as a natural part of the aging process, recession of the gums or the deterioration of a tooth cavity. If your teeth are overly sensitive to heat, this could be because of dental cavities, abscesses or a severely decayed tooth.

Chronic toothache
A consistently aching tooth can be the result of nerve damage. The nerves of the tooth may get damaged because of severe dental decay or because of excessive grinding of the teeth. It could also occur because of any kind of injury or trauma to the tooth.

Excruciating pain
Intense, agonizing pain, including a throbbing sensation, is most often because of an abscess or dental infection. Very often, when the pain is this intense, there is also a noticeable swelling in the face.

Pain while eating
If you experience pain while eating, it could be either due to a crack in the tooth or dental decay.

Pain the in back of the jaw
If the pain is mainly concentrated in the back of the jaw, it could be due to impacted back molars. People, who have a habit of grinding their teeth or TMD can also experience jaw pain.

Serious health issues
A little known fact is that a toothache can often be a symptom of serious underlying health problems. Studies have shown that a pain on the left side of the jaw can be the first sign of a heart attack. Your toothache can also be a sign of sinus infection. Inflammation of the jaw, and pain while eating can be one of the earliest symptoms of a maxillofacial condition called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).
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