Common Causes For Gum Pain And Discomfort
Posted on: 26 August 2019
When you are experiencing gum pain, it is important to appreciate the potential causes for this problem. Otherwise, you may not be able to effectively address this problem. While there can be an almost endless number of possible problems that can cause gum problems, there are some conditions that are especially common and account for a majority of the instances of gum pain.
Tooth Infections
Dental patients will often assume that cavities and other problems with their teeth will always result in them experiencing considerable pain in the tooth. However, it can be possible for the nerve in a tooth to be damaged enough to be unable to send pain signals. As a result, the problem with the tooth may severely worsen without the patient noticing. Eventually, this can result in an infection that spreads to the gums. Once it hits the gums, the nerves in the gums will be able to transmit pain signals.
Gum Disease
When patients fail to practice good dental hygiene, they can develop a severe case of gum disease. This disease can be immensely painful and damaging to the patient's mouth. It occurs due to bacteria on the exterior of the teeth being able to get below the gum line. When this occurs, it can be extremely difficult to remove the bacteria without undergoing a dental cleaning. Over time, this bacteria can cause the gum tissue to become diseased. Unfortunately, gum disease that is left untreated can result in the teeth shifting positions and loosening due to the gum disease eroding the jaw bone. While gum disease is a fairly common problem for patients to have, failing to treat it can lead to long-lasting and significant issues with the patient's teeth.
Clenching Your Jaw
Some people will have the habit of clenching their jaw. While this is often in response to stress or other types of emotional distress, it is important to resist unnecessarily clenching your jaws. When a person clenches their jaw with a lot of force, it can put tremendous pressure on the teeth and the gums that support them. While it may be difficult for some people to notice that they are clenching their jaws, an unexplained and shifting soreness of the teeth and gums will often indicate that this is occurring. For those that do this while they are asleep, a dentist can provide a special mouthguard that will prevent the patient from clenching while they are asleep.
Contact a clinic, like Wallington Dental, to learn more.
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