What does it mean if your tooth is throbbing?

The short answer to this question is throbbing tooth pain means something is wrong. You should be scheduling an appointment with an emergency dentist instead of looking online for answers.

Throbbing tooth pain is most commonly associated with a dental infection or decay. Both require immediate treatment. In the case of a dental infection, you may need immediate treatment to prevent the infection from spreading into other parts of your body.

In the case of tooth decay, urgent treatment is required to prevent the decay from spreading to the point that total tooth extraction and tooth replacement are needed to restore your oral health.

When Does a Throbbing Toothache Require Treatment?

Even if you can control some severe tooth pain with over-the-counter (OTC) medication, the medication does not treat the underlying conditions of infection or tooth decay. While you may find temporary relief, you are doing nothing to prevent the potential of a spreading infection or tooth loss.

Most toothaches are treated during regular appointment times. If your pain is so severe, you are searching for an emergency dentist, and we invite you to call the office of Jeffrey L. Cohen, DDS, so we can triage your concern over the phone and prepare our office for your arrival.

Suppose another practice has diagnosed a tooth infection or tooth decay, but you want a second opinion before commencing treatment. Our emergency dentist near you is a trusted source for a second opinion. We know you can research almost any malady online, but there is no substitute for the personalized one-on-one care you’ll receive from Dr. Cohen and his team. We invite you to give us a call now to speak to a member of our dental care team about your severe tooth pain.

How Do I Know If It’s Tooth Decay or a Tooth Infection?

In almost all cases, patients will not be able to self-diagnose whether their pain is from tooth decay or a tooth infection. Each of these diagnoses requires testing from a dentist using professional technology and imaging equipment we use in our office.

In some cases, infection and tooth decay may be evident to patients by a bad taste or smell coming from the affected tooth area. There may be visually evident signs of a cavity or an infection other times based on a tooth’s color. Still, no diagnosis can compare to a professional one from our dentist.

Common Causes of Throbbing Tooth Pain Explained

Only a dentist can genuinely diagnose what is causing your tooth pain. Some causes are easier to diagnose than others, and a dentist can provide precise diagnosis and treatment.

Common causes of throbbing tooth pain include:

• Tooth decay (more commonly known as cavities)
• Tooth abscesses (can damage or kill the pulp inside the tooth)
• Tooth fracture
• Damaged filling
• Gum infection
• Tooth grinding or teeth clenching

As a multi-specialty dentist, Dr. Cohen can diagnose and treat all conditions. For example, damaged or dead pulp in a tooth can be treated with endodontic procedures, and tooth grinding or teeth clenching can be treated with oral appliance therapy.

Sometimes, Dr. Cohen prescribes antibiotics to treat the underlying infection. If necessary, we offer various methods of oral sedation to help you feel more comfortable and relaxed during your treatment.

Ready to Learn More?

We are here to help diagnose and treat your throbbing tooth pain. Please give us a call now to make arrangements to visit our dental office.