Pain in teeth and gums is a common indicator of poor oral health. Whether it is caused by decay or gum disease, gum and tooth pain can be debilitating, preventing you from eating or speaking. However, there are many effective treatments available. With the help of a qualified dentist, you can find relief from gum and tooth pain and enjoy a healthy smile.
What Causes Pain in Teeth and Gums?
Pain in the teeth and gums is typically caused by poor oral hygiene. This allows bacteria, plaque, and tartar to build up on your teeth, causing numerous oral health issues.
Here are some reasons why you may experience tooth pain and gum disease:
Tooth Decay
Plaque is a sticky biofilm produced by the bacteria in your mouth after you eat. This biofilm protects the bacteria from being washed away by your saliva and provides them with a source of nutrients from the sugars in the food you eat. As bacteria metabolise the sugars, they produce acid, which demineralises your tooth enamel and leads to cavities.
If plaque isn’t removed with regular brushing and flossing, cavities can worsen, allowing bacteria to penetrate the tooth’s inner dentin, cementum, and pulp layers, leading to decay and infection. Decay can damage or compress the nerves inside the tooth, causing intense pain when biting or persistent throbbing pain.
Periodontitis
When plaque hardens into tartar along the gum line, it causes irritation and inflammation of the gum tissue which is called gingivitis. If left untreated, the inflammation can cause the gums to recede and deepen the periodontal pockets, allowing bacteria to grow inside. This leads to an infection called periodontitis. Periodontitis can deteriorate the connective tissue and bone, leading to tooth loss.
Dental Abscess
Tooth decay and gum disease can cause tooth root or gum tissue infection. This can cause a pocket of pus to develop, called a dental abscess. It can be painful and may require antibiotics or surgery to treat. Left untreated, the infection can spread to nearby tissues, lungs, and the brain.
Wisdom Tooth Impaction
When wisdom teeth don’t have enough room in the jaw to grow, they can become impacted and compress the nerves inside the tooth and jaw, which can be very painful. They can also become infected or decayed.
How a Dentist Takes Care of Pain in Teeth and Gums?
If you are experiencing tooth pain and gum disease, there are several things a dentist can do to help:
Periodontal Gum Therapy
Periodontal gum therapy treats early gum disease, which may include scaling and root planing, especially if you have tooth sensitivity due to receding gums. Your dentist removes plaque and calculus from the teeth and any inflamed surface tissue. They also smooth rough spots on the root surfaces to prevent further bacterial growth.
Surgical Periodontal Gum Therapy
Surgical periodontal gum therapy is a procedure that is used to treat patients who have advanced periodontitis. The goal of the surgery is to remove the bacteria that are causing the infection and to repair any damage that has been done to the gum tissue.
During surgical periodontal gum therapy, your dentist makes an incision in the gums so they can access the tooth roots.
They clean out the infected area and remove any damaged tissue.
Once this is done, they suture the incision, or they may need to place a graft over the area if any dead tissue is removed. This improves the look of the gums and prevents further damage from occurring.
Gum Graft
If you have significant gum tissue loss due to advanced gum disease, your tooth roots become vulnerable to decay and nerve pain. Gum tissue cannot regenerate on its own. To restore your gum line, you need a gum graft.
During a gum graft, your dentist will either use a small section of tissue from your palate or move adjacent gum tissue over the gum recession. This new tissue can bond with your remaining gums to cover the exposed tooth root.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction
While some people have no problems with their wisdom teeth, others may experience tooth pain, crowding, or impaction (when the tooth fails to erupt through the gum line).
In these cases, wisdom tooth extraction may be recommended. For a fully erupted tooth, a simple extraction is typically performed under local anaesthesia. It involves removing the wisdom tooth using a dental elevator and forceps.
If the tooth is impacted, your dentist must perform a complex extraction, typically under sedation or general anaesthesia. During the procedure, your dentist makes an incision in the gums to access the tooth. Your dentist then removes the tooth and closes the incision with stitches. They may need to section the tooth for easier removal.
Alleviate Gum Disease and at Toothsome
At Toothsome, we are committed to providing our patients with the highest quality of dental care. We offer numerous services to alleviate pain in teeth and gums. Our experienced team of dentists will work with you to develop a treatment plan that meets your individual oral health needs and smile goals.
We understand that dental health is integral to overall health, and we are dedicated to helping our patients achieve and maintain their smiles. If you are concerned about gum disease or tooth pain, contact us today to book a consultation
