Causes and Cures for Teeth Infection

Types of teeth and gum infections vary from mild tooth decay or gingivitis to severe periodontitis or a tooth abscess. (1)

Identifying Types of Teeth and Gum Infections

Some causes of teeth and gum infections include:

• Infection in Tooth Pulp: A tooth abscess occurs when tooth decay penetrates the tooth pulp. This type of tooth infection can be treated with a root canal.
• Impacted Wisdom Tooth: If an impacted wisdom tooth is causing your tooth infection, a dental professional can remove the wisdom tooth.
• Infection Following Dental Procedure: Sometimes  infections occur after a tooth has been removed, and you may need antibiotics to help eliminate the infection.
• Injured or Damaged Tooth: A chipped or broken tooth can lead to teeth infections, but a dental professional may be able to preserve part of the natural tooth.
• Gum Infection: Many factors including poor oral hygiene and the gum recession that occurs naturally with aging can cause  infections along the gum line. A dental professional can treat gum infection with deep cleaning procedures, or with surgery if necessary. (1)

Signs of Serious Teeth Infection

Symptoms of serious teeth infections include:

•  Pain, swelling, or redness in the teeth and gums
•  Fever
•  Pain when chewing
•  Swollen glands in the neck
•  Difficulty swallowing or breathing

Source: Crestprohealth.com

How to Rebuild Tooth Enamel

Tooth Enamel Loss Due to Erosion

The tooth consists of four layers: enamel, cementum, dentin, and pulp. The enamel, cementum, and dentin are hard and calcified, while the pulp in the center of the tooth contains nerves and blood vessels. The enamel is the outermost layer that covers the visible crown of the tooth. The enamel is not living tissue, so your body can’t rebuild tooth enamel that has been damaged or worn away due to erosion from dietary acids..

Causes of Enamel Damage

Tooth enamel can be damaged by a variety of factors:

• Overexposure to Acids from everyday Food and Drinks: If plaque is not removed by regular toothbrushing and flossing, the acids  produced by the plaque can cause demineralization of the tooth enamel.
• Physical Damage to Teeth: You have tooth enamel loss if you have a chipped or broken tooth.
• Other Health Issues: Certain medications, including aspirin and vitamin C, can contribute to tooth enamel erosion.

Options to Rebuild Tooth Structure

To rebuild tooth  structure and protect the teeth from further erosion, your dental professional may recommend one of two options:

• Tooth Bonding: Tooth bonding is an effective way to rebuild tooth   structure if teeth have been chipped or cracked. Tooth bonding involves attaching tooth-colored composite resin to the tooth to fill in the damaged area.
• Tooth Crown: A tooth crown, also known as a cap, can rebuild tooth  structure by covering the damaged enamel to help prevent further erosion.

Source: Crestprohealth.com

Could Stress Be Causing Your Aching Teeth?

If you have aching teeth with no signs of tooth decay or gum disease, you may be experiencing bruxism. Bruxism is the technical term for grinding your teeth. Bruxism is a common cause of aching teeth that affects millions of people of all ages in the United States. (1)

In addition to aching teeth, symptoms of bruxism include:

•  Headaches upon waking in the morning
•  General feeling of pain in the face
•  Jaw muscles that feel painful or tight
•  Chipped, broken, or worn teeth or fillings
•  Swelling along the lower jaw
•  Contractions of the jaw muscles
•  Audible teeth grinding at night (1)

Treatment for Aching Teeth

If you experience aching teeth and other symptoms of bruxism, see a dental professional as soon as possible. If left untreated, chronic tooth grinding can damage crowns and fillings, and wear away tooth enamel, putting your teeth at increased risk for infection or decay. Causes of bruxism that lead to aching teeth include crooked teeth, poor jaw alignment, and stress or anxiety. If bruxism is due to misaligned teeth, straightening your bite with orthodontia could help solve the problem. But if bruxism is due to chronic stress, stress management techniques may be needed to help relieve your aching teeth.

Your dental professional may recommend a mouth guard to wear at night to help prevent tooth pain associated with bruxism.

Source: Crestprohealth.com

Cracked Teeth Hurt

Teeth hurt due to a number of potential causes, including tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth sensitivity. But teeth hurt from external damage, too. Cracked tooth syndrome makes teeth hurt when you bite down on a cracked or fractured tooth.

Why Do My Teeth Hurt? The Start of Cracked Tooth Syndrome

Cracked tooth syndrome starts with the development of cracks in the teeth that are too small to appear on a dental x-ray. The cracks can occur from chronic teeth grinding (bruxism) or from tooth or jaw alignment that puts a disproportionate amount of pressure on a certain tooth or teeth. Cracked teeth syndrome usually makes the molars or back teeth hurt, because they do most of the work of chewing. If you have cracked tooth syndrome, you may only notice that your teeth hurt when you bite down in a certain way, in contrast to the more frequent tooth pain associated with a tooth abscess or a cavity.

Teeth Hurt from Cracked Tooth Syndrome

Your dental professional can use special tools to test your teeth for possible cracks. Treatment usually involves a tooth crown for mild cases, but if the tooth crack impacts the tooth pulp, a root canal may be necessary. If the tooth crack penetrates down to the jaw, the tooth will need to be removed.

Source: Crestprohealth.com

Dental Repairs and Toothache Pain

Dental repairs, such as fillings, crowns, and implants, can relieve toothache pain, but some people experience additional toothache pain after these procedures. Reasons for toothache pain after a dental procedure include:

• Poor Fit: A filling, crown, or dental implant that is not fitted correctly can cause toothache pain. See your dentist if you think you have a problem with a filling, crown, or implant.
• Sore Mouth: Even if a dental procedure went well, you may experience some toothache pain afterwards. Try using oral care products for sensitive teeth until the toothache pain subsides. Talk to your dentist if toothache pain persists after a dental procedure.

Source: Crestprohealth.com