What Could Your Toothache Mean?
Toothaches are not fun! It can make it difficult to eat, sleep or focus on anything besides the discomfort, so the first target is often to treat the symptoms. But symptoms happen to let us know that something is amiss, so it’s even more important to find and treat the cause than the ache. What could your toothache mean and what should you do about it? Let’s dig into some of the most common reasons behind tooth discomfort. Is it a Tooth Decay or a Cavity? When searching for the answer to the question, “What could your toothache mean?” one of the most common first questions is, “Is it a cavity?” What is a cavity? A cavity is a small hole that forms in the outer surface or enamel of your tooth. Cavities may be caused by naturally occurring bacteria in the mouth or sugars that interact with the bacteria to produce acid. How do you know if it’s a cavity or not? Cavities can look like small holes or dark spots, but stains can also look identical to the untrained eye. Some cavities also occu...