What to Do When It Hurts to Chew

It can be scary to experience pain when you chew. Not only does it prevent you from eating your favorite foods (or at least significantly decrease the enjoyment), but it can also worry you if you feel like you’re aggravating the problem. Here, we’ll look at some of the most common factors behind tooth pain, and what you can do about them.

What Causes Tooth Pain?

There are an array of issues that can potentially cause tooth pain in Beavercreek, OH, including:

• Decay: Whether it’s a tiny cavity or an infection, tooth decay can eat away at the tooth’s structure and, eventually, cause pain while you eat.
• Cracks: Cracked or broken tooth can put a lot of pressure on the tooth, even when it’s at rest. That pressure is only exacerbated every time you put a piece of food in your mouth.
• Gum disease: Inflamed gums don’t just affect the gum area. The sensitivity can travel all the way down to create pain as you chew.
• Bite issues: Bite issues create uneven wear on each side of the mouth, similar to having one pebble in your shoe and then running a marathon.

What to Do in Beavercreek, OH

If you’re in severe pain, the best thing that you can do is to see a qualified emergency dentist in Beavercreek immediately. If your pain is management, it could be fine to wait until the next available appointment. That said, you won’t want to put off seeing a professional as quickly as possible. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that you’ll lose either a tooth or a large chunk of your gums. At Keep Smiling, we can help you determine the cause of your pain and the best steps to treat it.