Your pearly whites need a great deal of care and attention to stay healthy. Though your teeth are quite strong, tooth decay can destroy the hard enamel and dentin( which is the middle layer of the tooth that lies between the enamel and the pulp) and expose the nerves beneath, causing sensitivity and toothaches. These toothaches usually stem from small spots of tooth decay that are commonly known as cavities. While these appear to be tiny spots on your tooth’s surface, cavity pain is not to be taken lightly. This hole in the tooth can range from a speck to a large hole that is big enough to break teeth!
If you have been experiencing cavity pain recently, let’s find out more about this condition and deep dive into effective cavity pain relief measures.
Symptoms of cavity pain
Do you know what helps in managing cavity pain? Diagnosing the condition in the initial stages itself. Understanding the symptoms of cavity pain will help you seek timely treatment. Keep in mind that the pain can range from mild to unbearable, depending on how damaged the tooth is. When the decay eats away at the tooth enamel, you might experience tooth sensitivity when you brush your teeth or drink cold or hot beverages. If the hole in the tooth is deeper, it can affect the nerve and cause intense pain. Sometimes, the cavities become so big that the bacteria get into the gums or affect the bone underneath, causing serious infections or intense, excruciating pain. The symptoms include:
Sensitivity on one side of the mouth, especially when you chew hard foods
Occasional toothaches
Discolouration of teeth; white, yellow, or brown spots form on the teeth
Tooth sensitivity that feels like a burning or stinging sensation.
If left unchecked or untreated, cavities can often grow and eventually cause a tooth abscess. The symptoms are:
Nausea
Pain in the jaw, gums, or ears
Intense pain in a single tooth
Tooth pain that interferes with your daily activities or sleeping
Throbbing pain that can cause a pounding or burning sensation
Causes of cavity pain
Cavities mostly occur when you eat sugary foods, don’t brush your teeth, or fail to keep up with your dental appointments. The bacteria that eat sugar are present on the teeth, and they eat into the enamel if you don’t brush your teeth or floss. They go on to form biofilms that cause plaque, making it difficult to remove. The bacteria tend to damage the sensitive pulp and nerve of the tooth, triggering cavity pain.
Tips for managing cavity pain
A major part of your cavity pain relief measures focuses on managing the pain. These remedies for cavity pain can help you manage it effectively:
Consider avoiding sugary foods and extremely hot or cold beverages. This can aggravate your cavity pain.
Another effective tooth cavity home remedy is to use an oral rinse after you eat to dislodge the food particles that are stuck between the teeth.
Home remedies for cavities warrant you to brush twice a day and that too carefully. It might be a little painful when you brush around the cavity and prevent food particles from causing further cavity pain.
Since you’re already dealing with tooth pain, eating crunchy or hard foods will only aggravate your tooth pain. So, till you get it treated, consider eating only soft foods, such as mashed potatoes, soups, yoghurt, and other things that don’t require a lot of chewing.
Visit your dentist if the pain becomes unbearable. Your dentist can prescribe some over-the-counter painkillers to manage the cavity pain.
How to prevent cavity pain
Brush twice a day:
This is the easiest yet the most effective way to prevent cavity pain. You can choose from the Oral-B Pro Series Electric Toothbrushes . Equipped with round brush heads, these electric toothbrush offers deep cleaning and rotates, pulsates, and oscillates to remove up to 100% more plaque than a regular manual toothbrush.
Moreover, the built-in timer ensures that you brush for at least two minutes, which is the minimum brushing time as recommended by dentists.
Rinse your mouth:
If you are at risk of developing cavities, your dentist would recommend using a mouth rinse with fluoride.
Avoid frequent snacking:
Frequently eating or drinking beverages can cause the mouth bacteria to create acids that can destroy tooth enamel. So, if you are constantly eating or drinking throughout the day, your teeth are always under attack by bacteria.
Add tooth-healthy foods to your diet:
Consider adding fresh fruits and vegetables that increase saliva flow, unsweetened tea and coffee, and sugar-free gum to wash away food particles that may get stuck between your teeth.Use dental sealants:
A dental sealant is a protective plastic coating that’s applied to the surface of the back teeth that’s involved in the chewing mechanism. It seals the corners and gaps where food particles get stuck, thereby protecting your tooth enamel from acid and plaque.2
Children are more susceptible to cavities, so you can also get your little one Oral-B Star Wars Electric Toothbrush. This electric toothbrush is meant for children over three years of age and is equipped with a special gentle mode and soft bristles to protect their delicate gums. Also, this toothbrush has a built-in timer that makes sure that your kid gets the dentist-recommended two-minute brushing time.
Treatment for cavity pain
Depending on the severity of the cavity, your dentist would recommend the following treatment methods:
Dental fillings:
If the cavity is present on the tooth in the form of tiny spots, the dentist would recommend dental fillings. They drill out the cavity and then fill the hole with a safe substance to keep out the bacteria.
Crowns:
The crown removes the outer layer of the tooth and eliminates decay, and a permanent cap is placed on top to cover the entire tooth.
Root canals:
Root canals are used to save a dying tooth, where the tooth decay is quite severe.
Antibiotics:
If you are dealing with a severe dental infection, you’ll need antibiotics to stave off the infection.3
Cavity pain can occur anytime and anywhere, and this toothache is simply more than just a dull throbbing sensation. However, this condition is completely preventable; all you have to do is practice good dental hygiene habits and upgrade to advanced dental products from Oral-B that will give you healthy teeth and gums.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the pain from the cavity feel like?
The pain caused by a cavity feels like a tingle or tickle in your teeth in the beginning. If you experience sudden sensitivity when you drink cold or hot beverages, this implies that the decay has affected your enamel. If left unchecked, the pain can aggravate, causing throbbing sensations and extreme discomfort.
Are cavity fillings painful?
Cavity fillings aren’t painful because the dentist would numb the area with a numbing gel. You might just feel a sting when the local anaesthetic is administered, but it does an incredible job of blocking the nerve signals so that you don’t experience pain during the drilling.
Do cavities go away on their own?
Cavities do not go away on their own. In fact, if you leave the cavity unchecked, it can cause more damage and the cavity can grow so deep that it can cause bacterial infections. The most common treatments include dental fillings or crowns, and a root canal for a dying tooth.
