Three Possible Reasons Why You Have a Toothache Under Your Gums
A toothache isn't something that anyone wants to go through, but if it happens to the part of your tooth that's hidden under your gums, it can be downright alarming. If you think you're going through this problem, here are three potential causes for your pain.
Infection
One of the most common causes of pain in a tooth is an infection, and that goes for the area of the tooth that you can't see, too.
When you develop a cavity or experience damage to the external enamel shell of your tooth, the vulnerable tissues underneath can become infected. This is a simple process that occurs when bacteria gets into the deeper parts of the tooth.
Once a tooth is infected, that infection will spread throughout the tooth. This includes the areas under your gums. If you're also experiencing pain in the tooth outside of the gums, this may be your problem.
Gum Disease
Another potential cause is gum disease. As most people know, gum disease is an infection of the gums that can cause problems throughout your mouth, including your teeth.
When you have gum disease, inflammation in the gums can cause problems for the teeth. Not only may it lead to a tooth infection, but it can also cause the gums to swell around your tooth.
The part of your tooth that's hidden by your gums doesn't have an enamel shell to protect it. Instead, it's your gums' job to protect that part of your tooth. However, this also means that the nerves of your teeth are closer to the surface in this area. If your gums are inflamed and swollen, they may effectively be giving your teeth a squeeze and making them feel uncomfortable or painful in the process.
Collision
Finally, if your teeth are crooked, that's also a potential cause of the pain you're experiencing.
As you're probably familiar with, when teeth are overcrowded or experience repeated pressure from habits like nail biting, they can be pushed out of alignment. It's not just the area that you can see that's out of alignment, however.
When your teeth become crooked, the hidden parts of your teeth may begin to rub up against each other. Once again, with a lack of enamel, this can induce pain or discomfort. If the crookedness becomes severe enough, teeth can literally push each other out of the way. This can make you feel a lot of pain, especially if you've been engaging in the same bad habit that made them crooked in the first place, as it will continue to push one tooth against another.
If you're having pain in your teeth—whether it's the visible or hidden part—you should see a dentist, such as Affordable Dental Care, right away. Putting off getting help could allow these conditions to worsen to the point where your teeth could be at risk, or you could end up experiencing pain on a daily basis. Talk to a dentist and get help for your condition before it gets worse.
Share