Most Common Toothache Causes

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These are the most common toothache causes:

Toothache cause — Dental caries
Also called tooth decay. It represents the destruction of the outer surface (enamel) of a tooth. Decay results from the action of bacteria that live in plaque. The plaque bacteria sticking to tooth enamel use the sugar and starch from food particles in the mouth to produce acid that dissolves the minerals in the enamel, creating holes and weak spots. As the decay spreads inward into the middle layer, the tooth becomes more sensitive to temperature and touch. When the decay reaches the center of the tooth, the resulting inflammation produces a toothache.

Toothache cause — Inflammation of the tooth pulp
Also called pulpitis. It may be a result of trauma, such as thermal insult from repeated dental procedures or it may be caused by a dental caries. When the pulp becomes inflamed pressure begins to build up in the pulp cavity exerting pressure on the nerve of the tooth and the surrounding tissues. Pressure from inflammation can cause mild to extreme pain, depending upon the severity of the inflammation.

Toothache cause — Abscess
Represents another cause of toothache. A dental abscess is an infection of the mouth, face, or throat that begins as a tooth infection or cavity. Bacteria can extend into the gums, the cheek, the throat, beneath the tongue, or even into the jaw or facial bones. A dental abscess can become very painful when tissues become inflamed.

Toothache cause — Cracked tooth
It causes toothache when chewing, possibly with release of biting pressure, or pain when your tooth is exposed to temperature extremes. In many cases, the pain may come and go, and your dentist may have difficulty locating which tooth is causing the discomfort.

Toothache cause — Impacted tooth
An impacted tooth is any tooth that is prevented from reaching its normal position in the mouth by tissue, bone, or another tooth. The teeth that most commonly become impacted are the wisdom teeth. These are the last to develop when the jaws have stopped growing and may be too small to accommodate these four additional teeth.

Toothache cause — Irritated tooth nerve
The tooth pain is caused when the bullet proof enamel is lost causing exposure the dentin and the tiny nerve endings. Temperature changes like cold and hot or changes like sweet and sour foods cause the fluid in the tubules to move. This fluid movement tugs on the tiny nerves causing sensitivity and pain.

Toothache cause — Gum diseases
Periodontal (gum) diseases are serious infections that, left untreated, can cause toothache and tooth loss. Gum disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth. It can affect one tooth or many teeth and usually begins when the bacteria in plaque causes the gums to become inflamed. Gum diseases also can expose tooth roots making them more sensitive to hot and cold foods, causing toothache.