[Kok! Health] Various Causes of Toothache... "Communication Between Patients and Medical Staff is Important"

Toothache

The causes of toothache, which suddenly occurs and makes daily life difficult, are diverse. It often originates from the pulp, the soft tissue inside the tooth, but it can also be pain from surrounding tissues such as the gums or alveolar bone. Additionally, the pain may actually come from areas other than the teeth, such as the lips, cheekbones, or temporomandibular joint. On the 25th, Jinkyu Lee, Professor of Conservative Dentistry at Gangdong Kyung Hee University Dental Hospital, emphasized that “communication between patients and medical staff is crucial for differentiating the causes, which is the key to treating toothache.”

The symptom of tooth sensitivity is felt by nerves within the pulp tissue or nerves distributed inside the dentin. When the cervical area between the tooth and gum is severely worn down, it is called cervical abrasion, and exposure of dentin due to this cervical abrasion can also cause sensitivity. Excessive force applied to the teeth due to occlusion can also cause sensitivity. If there is pain when chewing, it is necessary to differentiate whether it is due to inflammation of the pulp tissue inside the tooth spreading around the root or due to occlusal problems. Cracks in the tooth or root can also cause similar symptoms.

It is often necessary to evaluate the possibility of non-dental pain, which refers to pain in the lips, cheekbones, or temporomandibular joint area. Even if it is judged to be dental pain, it is important to differentiate whether the pain originates from the pulp tissue inside the tooth or from the surrounding tissues of the tooth.

Because the causes of toothache are very diverse, Professor Jinkyu Lee advises, “(Patients) should carefully identify the cause together with the dentist. It is often difficult to determine the exact cause and diagnosis based solely on the patient’s expression of pain as ‘it hurts.’” Professor Jinkyu Lee also emphasized, “Patients who visit the dental clinic should carefully observe their discomfort and fully explain it during the diagnostic process, as this is very helpful.”

Jinkyu Lee, Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, Kangdong Kyung Hee University Dental Hospital

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