Tooth Pain in Queens, NY

Monitor your symptoms before you get in to see your Queens dentist. Clear explanations of when it’s worse, when it started and what helps it lessen help him come to a correct diagnosis. Your dentist wants to know a number of variables, including if it’s:

• Temporary sensitivity. If mild discomfort appears when you eat cold or hot drinks and food, the culprit might be a cavity created by tooth decay. You also may be experiencing tooth sensitivity after fillings, a loose filling or receding gums that are exposing vulnerable teeth.
• Sensitivity for two-weeks or more. You shouldn’t wait a month, but if the pain has lasted that long, it may be because pulp within the tooth has becomes irritated.
• Sensitivity that lingers. If tooth sensitivity lasts for more than 30 seconds after you eat or drink, it may indicate tooth pulp damage from an accident or injury. It may take a root canal to alleviate the pain.
• Wisdom tooth pain. Wisdom tooth pain can be excruciating as those back teeth erupt. When there isn’t sufficient room for the new teeth in the back of your mouth behind the molars, the pain emanates throughout your whole head.
• Sudden pain when eating. While teeth are very strong, you can break a tooth by biting down on ice or other hard substances. You may have a loose filling or other unseen damage to the pulp that then requires emergency dental care from your Queens dentist.
• Extreme tooth pain. Swollen gums combined with extreme tooth pain often indicate the presence of an abscessed tooth. An infection beneath or in your tooth can cause an abscess. Infection, if left untreated, can spread to adjacent gum tissues and bone.
• Front tooth pain. Front tooth pain may be particularly troublesome, particularly when tooth decay causes the front tooth pain. Filling a tooth in the front of your mouth requires the expertise of your family dentist who also is a trained cosmetic dentist to ensure it doesn’t affect your appearance.
• Aching in upper teeth. If you have upper front tooth pain, or feel pressure primarily around the upper jaw, you may have sinus issues. Your dentist often recommends over-the-counter medication for tooth pain relief and sinus headaches.

If you have to wait for your dental appointment to address your front tooth pain or a throbbing ache, maintain your regular dental health regimen if it doesn’t create additional discomfort. Products specifically designed for sensitive teeth may help. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and comfort-glide floss to reduce the risk of making it worse.

Warm saltwater rinses can provide tooth pain relief temporarily. They reduce inflammation while loosening food particles that may be stuck in your teeth. Hydrogen peroxide used as a mouth rinse also reduces inflammation and kills bacteria. Minimize risks of front tooth pain and tooth sensitivity after fillings by staying away from very hot and cold beverages and meals.

First, your dentist looks for decay that may be causing your tooth pain. He removes it and gives you a filling if necessary. Further examination requires x-rays and possibly tapping on teeth to find a crack or loose tooth. Apparent swelling usually means you have an infection that needs to be treated.

While rare, you can experience front tooth pain or tooth sensitivity after filling a tooth for up to a month. It may take that long for the sensitivity to subside, though discomfort after a filling doesn’t usually last longer than a day or two.