Our bodies are designed to respond to pain in order to help alert us of things we may be doing that are harmful. If you were to place a hand on a hot pan, you would instantly pull it away because the resulting burn would cause pain you’d want to avoid. Our teeth also react the same way to alert us of harm they may be experiencing.
Normally, tooth pain will start gradually, only affecting us during certain times such as cold/hot foods or biting on something hard. Many of these are signs of tooth decay or a cracked tooth that may need dental care. Because the pain is not extreme yet, many people choose to ignore them; however, when ignored the problem can lead to excruciating pain and in the worst cases, even prevent the local anesthetic from functioning properly during treatment. These scenarios normally end in root canal treatment. Here is a list of symptoms to help you know if you should see your endodontist:
- Sensitivity to Hot/Cold- Any unusual pain to hot or cold can signify problems and the longer the pain lingers, the more serious it is.
- Sensitivity to Sugary foods- This could signify cavities that can lead to greater problems down the road.
- Sharp Pain When Biting- This should be looked at soon and potentially points to a cracked tooth as a source of the pain.
If you have these symptoms, feel free to contact Cascade Endodontics with any questions you may have. Dr. Jon Jenson is highly trained to diagnose dental problems and help you prevent dental emergencies. If dental work has always caused you a great amount of anxiety, Cascade Endodontics is a great place to receive your work using sedation dentistry.