Your dentists in Danville, VA, can help when you have a toothache.
Toothaches are more than just a nuisance; in fact, they can become severe enough to disrupt your life. The pain from a toothache can be a sharp, stabbing pain that comes on suddenly. It can also be a dull, throbbing ache that can start out slowly, and last for days, weeks, or months.
Dr. Jessica Owens at Art of Dentistry in Danville, VA, offer comprehensive dental care, including treatments to eliminate toothache pain.
It’s important to seek out your dentist right when your toothache starts. Don’t wait, because toothaches can become worse, and they usually don’t go away on their own.
Each toothache is different and can be caused by different things. A toothache that gets worse when a tooth is exposed to hot or cold foods or beverages may indicate the innermost layer of your tooth, an area known as the pulp, has been damaged. Prompt root canal treatment can relieve your pain, and let you keep your tooth.
A toothache that happens as the result of trauma, either an accident or injury, can also result in damage to the pulp. This type of toothache doesn’t usually show up until weeks or months later. In addition to toothache pain, you may notice the tooth becoming darker or grayer compared to the teeth around it.
Sharp, stabbing pain when you bite down could mean dental decay, or a leaking or broken filling. Untreated dental decay gets worse, often resulting in either a larger restorative treatment, a root canal, or even loss of the tooth.
Visit your dentist when you first experience a toothache. Don’t wait! Your dentist will perform a dental examination, take x-rays, and use other diagnostic tools to determine the cause and severity of your toothache.
Your tooth may need:
- A dental filling, if the tooth is decayed and the area is small enough
- A dental crown, if the tooth is severely decayed and has lost significant tooth structure
- A root canal, if the pulp of your tooth has been damaged or is infected
To find out more about the causes and treatment of toothaches, talk with the experts by contacting Dr. Owens and Dr. Hairston at Art of Dentistry in Danville, VA. You can reach them at (434) 792-0700, so call right now!