There’s never a good time for a toothache, and when dental pain wakes you up at night or keeps you from being productive at work or school, you need to do something about it. Maybe you bite down and feel a sharp pain, or when you take a drink of hot coffee, you experience an unpleasant jolt. Perhaps it’s a throbbing pain that gets worse when you get in bed.
The truth is, there are several different types of dental pain, so understanding what your symptoms are trying to tell you can go a long way toward knowing what to do and when to seek expert care.
Types of Dental Pain: What You Should Know
Here are some of the most common types of dental pain and what likely causes them:
The Pulsing Throb
This type of pain is a rhythmic, beating pain that often worsens when you’re lying down or bending over. So, if you wake up and feel this pulsing throb, you might have an abscess or an advanced infection.
When pressure builds up inside your tooth’s root canal or bone, this throbbing is actually your heartbeat pushing against the inflamed tissue.
The Electric Zap
You won’t be able to mistake this sharp, sudden, jolting pain when it happens. Usually triggered by drinking a hot or cold beverage or taking a breath of cold outdoor air, you could have nerve exposure.
Exposed nerves can be caused by tooth decay, a cracked tooth, or a lost or broken restoration. Regardless of the cause, your tooth’s pulp is exposed to the environment. In addition to the discomfort it causes, this issue allows bacteria to enter the area and can lead to infection.
The Intense Pressure
It’s possible to feel more pressure than pain, but this is another symptom you shouldn’t ignore. If you feel a heavy, full sensation in your jaw or a specific tooth, it’s best to contact our office. You might experience this pressure during a dental procedure, or perhaps it happens when you’re biting down on your favorite food.
Either way, this feeling could be your mouth’s way of telling you something isn’t right.
Our Commitment to Comfort
At Urgent Dental Care, we understand that fear of pain keeps people from receiving the dental care they need and deserve. That’s why we use advanced local anesthetics to keep you comfortable while we restore your oral health.
And we’ll never touch your tooth until the local anesthetic is 100% active, ensuring that you’ll feel pressure, but you won’t feel pain. We prioritize your comfort above the clock, so we don’t stray from this “Golden Rule.”
When to Seek Urgent Dental Care in West Allis
It’s important not to ignore emergency dental issues, as they can lead to even more serious concerns. So, if you experience any of the following, please get in touch with our office right away:
- Severe tooth pain
- A dental infection
- Unusually swollen gums
- A lost or broken restoration
- A broken or cracked tooth
- A knocked-out tooth
Looking for Pulsing Toothache Relief in West Allis, WI?
If you’re searching online for “same-day dental appointments Milwaukee,” look no further than the experienced dental team at Urgent Dental Care! We are open seven days a week until 9:00 PM, and we accept walk-ins from 9:00-2:00 each day.
When you have a toothache or other dental emergency, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at (414) 667-0911.