A toothache is an oral symptom that may seem common. You can even purchase over-the-counter solutions to ease the pain and go on with your day. But that doesn’t mean it’s something you should ignore and think everything’s fine with your oral health. A toothache can have various underlying causes, and it’s important to figure out if treatment is needed to solve a dental problem and prevent it from worsening.

Minor Toothaches

Sometimes, the toothache truly isn’t a big deal. Generally, this is when the pain is caused from gum irritation that quickly goes away. It could be from a piece of food that got stuck in the gum or some other temporary source of irritation. With this type, good oral hygiene, time to heal and possibly home remedies can help.

Toothaches That Need Treatment

Once a toothache has stayed around for longer than a day or two, it’s time to see your dentist. This is also the case if you have severe pain or the toothache is accompanied by other symptoms of earache, fever or pain when opening your mouth. Most likely, you won’t want to wait for a visit anyway because of the difficult symptoms you’re experiencing.

A toothache could be a sign of an underlying cause such as:

• Tooth decay
• Damage to a tooth’s filling
• A broken tooth
• Repetitive tooth grinding, clenching or chewing
• Infection of the gums
• An abscessed tooth, which has an infection inside it

These underlying toothache causes require treatment. Without it, the symptoms will persist and the problem will likely worsen. If you have an infection, it’s especially important to get quick treatment. Infection can become dangerous if it spreads to other parts of the head or the bloodstream.

Treating the Cause

It’s best to have a dentist evaluate your mouth to determine the cause of the toothache. The treatment will vary depending on the cause. For example, you might need a filling for tooth decay, a crown for a broken tooth, antibiotics for an infection or a root canal for an infection inside the tooth. Your dentist will talk to you about the best treatment to solve the underlying problem and relieve the pain in or around the tooth. 

Technology has its place in pretty much all types of medical care, but technology is just as important in the dental care field. Intraoral cameras are a good example. These advanced cameras are very small and may be used during a checkup or during treatment as an assistive technology to the dentist’s work.

1. The dentist may use the camera to get a closer look at a problematic spot.

Even though a dentist is specifically trained to know what they are looking at when they see an issue on a tooth or in your mouth, it can be hard to get close enough to get a good visual look at an issue. Intraoral cameras are small devices that easily fit inside the mouth and can be pointedly placed or aimed at a certain area so the dentist can get an up-close look and make a proper diagnosis.

2. The dentist may use the camera to show you certain attributes of your teeth.

The dentist can tell you what problems with your teeth are, but it is so much better if they can actually show you the problems so you can get a look. The intraoral camera can be connected to an external monitor so you can see exactly what the dentist is looking at when they mention an issue. For example, if you have an area of decay in between two teeth where you can’t see, the intraoral camera can be used to show you what the decay looks like and where it is located.

3. The dentist may use the camera to perform certain dental treatments.

Intraoral cameras may also be used during specific dental treatments. For instance, a camera may be held in place while a dentist does a small filling in a damaged tooth so they have a more precise look at the issue and what needs to be done to correct it.

Schedule Your Appointment for a Dental Checkup in Charleston, WV

Whether it is intraoral cameras or other advanced equipment, these tools make it possible for you to get the best of care for your oral health possible. Reach out to us at the office of Michael J. Tupta DDS to schedule an appointment for a thorough dental checkup today.

Gum sensitivity is one of those dental health issues that sometimes sneaks up on people, which is why some patients struggle with pinpointing an accurate time frame for this condition. However, because gum disease is progressive, it’s important to pay attention to the small, initial signs so that treatment measures can be taken. Gum tissue is amazingly resilient, and patients often find that tenderness, redness, and other signs that gum disease may be on the horizon subside substantially and may even disappear with the right course fo treatment. Here’s what you need to know if you’re experiencing gum sensitivity:

Gum Sensitivity May Signal the Onset of Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a condition that causes sensitivity in the gum tissues. Gums may also be swollen and red, and sometimes, they bleed during or after brushing and/or flossing. Unfortunately, many people tend to put off seeing their dentist when they first notice the signs that gingivitis may be in the house, especially if the symptoms are mild. This is the absolute wrong approach, however — like many dental health issues, gingivitis can actually be reversed if it’s caught early enough. If you don’t catch it early enough, it can develop into a more serious condition of periodontal disease.

Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is a late-stage gum disease with the potential to result in a variety of adverse conditions. Patients who have developed periodontal disease often experience tooth loss, and if the infection becomes serious enough, it may enter the bloodstream and become systemic, which may possibly affect the body’s major organs.

What to Do for Sensitive Gum Tissue

One of the first things you should do if you notice a sudden onset of sensitivity in your gum tissues is to step up your oral hygiene routine. If your toothbrush is sharp and stiff, exchanging it for one that’s soft may be all that’s necessary. You should also add an antibacterial mouthwash to your oral care routine. If sensitivity doesn’t subside after taking these measures, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your oral health care provider.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us at your convenience if you have questions about keeping your gum tissues healthy or if you’d like to schedule an appointment.

Even though most people expect that their smile will always be the same, the teeth can actually shift places in the gums and jawline. When this starts to happen, it can be rather alarming to see, especially if the shifts are leaving gaps or misalignment. Here is a look at some of the common reasons teeth can shift from their usual position.

The issue may be due to changes in the mandible.

The mandible is the lower jaw bone, and it does have the potential to both grow and shrink over the years, even in older adults. These changes can cause your teeth to appear as if they have shifted, but the change will be a very gradual thing. For example, if you notice that the teeth on your lower jaw are getting more crowded than they have ever been, this could be a sign that the width of your lower jaw is changing.

You could be grinding your teeth while you sleep.

Bruxism is the medical term given to teeth grinding, and a lot of people do this without even realizing that they are. One of the unfortunate side effects of tooth grinding is the undue stress on the teeth can cause them to shift and move. If you feel like you have sore jaws in the morning or notice your teeth seem to be moving, talk to your dentist to determine if teeth grinding could be to blame.

You may have issues with bone loss.

Bone loss is actually bone breaking down and becoming less dense, and your jawbones can be affected. If your jaws are suffering from bone loss, it can definitely cause the teeth to shift and move. You may notice that your teeth seem to have sunken downward or tilted back. Even though bone loss can be age-related, it can also be related to certain medical conditions.

Get More Information About Tooth Shifting

It is never a good thing to see your teeth shifting positions in your mouth, and professional attention to the matter is always best. If you have started to notice changes in your teeth and where they are positioned in your mouth, contact us at the office of Dr. Michael J. Tupta DDS.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the primary connective point between your jaw and your skull. This complex joint bears the responsibility of allowing the jaw to open and close so you can chew, bite, speak, and open and close your mouth. TMJ disorders involve problems with this important joint, and many of these issues do go undiagnosed because people do not realize they have a correctable problem. Take a look at some of the most common signs of a TMJ disorder.

You hear popping and cracking when you open and close your mouth.

Do you hear your jaws pop every time you chew your food? Have you ever had painful pops when you open your mouth really wide or yawn? Do you hear crackling when you speak? All of these could potentially be related to a TMJ disorder. Excess air gets into the joint if there are small pockets inside, and this excess air can cause the popping and crackling sounds you are hearing.

You frequently feel tension or pain in your jaws.

Tension and pain in the jaws are some of the most common symptoms of a TMJ disorder, but this tension or pain constantly gets blamed on other issues. The sensations actually come from overworked nerves and muscles surrounding the joint; they work harder to compensate for the undue stress on the joint. Over time, these sensations can actually grow worse, so early diagnosis is key.

You have an issue with grinding your teeth.

People who have a tendency to grind their teeth can be more prone to also having a TMJ disorder. The grinding, whether you are doing it when you are stressed or when you are simply asleep, puts a lot of strain on the muscles that surround the TMJ and the joint itself. If you have already been diagnosed with bruxism (teeth grinding, clenching, or gnashing), it is important that you talk to the dentist about any symptoms of TMJ as well.

Reach Out to the Office of Dr. Michael J. Tupta for Advice

A dentist can help properly diagnose a TMJ disorder and make recommendations about treatment so you can get some much-needed relief from the symptoms. Reach out to us at the office of Dr. Michael J. Tupta in Charleston, WV for an appointment.