Emergency Dentist in London Waterloo

There can be a number of causes for toothache. We have listed some of the common ones below.

Tooth decay – tooth caries or decay is the most common cause for a toothache. It often happens when bacteria eats through the hard outer enamel layer of your tooth. Bacteria in the mouth are a normal part of your oral and body health. However, if you consume excess amounts of sugar and other similar types of food, this can cause more bad bacteria to be present in the mouth. The bacteria forms plaque that then sticks to the surface of the teeth. Certain kinds of bacteria can produce acids that can lead to erosion, holes or cavities on the teeth. Tooth decay usually looks like small black, brown or even white spots on the surface of the teeth.

Tooth abscess – An abscess forms when the pulp inside the tooth (partly or all of it) gets infected and dies. The dead tissue then forms a pocket of bacteria near the root of the tooth called an abscess. A tooth inflammation or infection can cause an abscess to form. A damaged tooth also can lead to the formation of a tooth abscess if the damage is not treated in time. This is as a result of the hole or crack in the tooth letting bacteria into the tooth.

Tooth fracture – A split or crack in the tooth can result in a tooth fracture. A tooth crack can occur if you bite down on something hard like say ice or a bottle cap. You could also develop a tooth fracture if you fall or get hit in the face or jaw with something that’s hard. In some instances, a fracture to the tooth can develop over time, instead of immediately. A fracture to the tooth may lead to throbbing pain in your tooth and jaw. The tooth fracture can allow things (such as bacteria, water, food particles, air etc.) to invade or get into the tooth, infecting or irritating the nerves and pulp inside; this in turn triggers tooth pain.

Broken or damaged filling – A tooth filling can be damaged in a number of ways – they can include biting on something hard, clenching or grinding your jaw and in some instances even normal chewing and biting. A filling might chip, crack, crumble, wear out or simple pop out of the tooth. The exposed inside of the tooth can have food trapping inside, leading to potential infection and also pain.