Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesTreatmentWhen To See a DentistFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Treatment
When To See a Dentist
Frequently Asked Questions
There are many reasons that you can feel pain in your tooth when you bite down. A range of conditions causes this kind oftoothache, includingcavitiesand damage to the teeth,sinus infection, andgum disease.
In addition to causing sharp stabs of pain when chewing or putting pressure on the tooth, these issues can lead to tooth loss and other problems.
This article looks at the conditions that lead to a painful bite, when to get help, and treatment options.
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Why Does My Tooth Hurt When I Bite Down?
Cavity
Cavities can affect any part of the tooth; in cases of gum recession due to gum disease, the roots of the teeth can also be affected.It’s essential to treat cavities as they can progress to more serious issues, including infection and tooth loss.
Cracked Tooth or Other Injury
Tooth pain when you bite down can also arise from physical damage. Loosened or cracked teeth have many causes, including:
Periodontitis
Periodontitis, or periodontal disease, is an advanced form of gingivitis in which the infection causes the gums to pull away from the teeth, and the underlying bone starts to lose mass and weaken.The toothache occurs from loosening teeth and decay that commonly results from this condition.
Periodontitis is very common, affecting nearly half of American adults over 30.It’s a progressive condition and a significant driver of tooth loss.
Malocclusion
When properly aligned, the upper teeth should hang over the lower set, and the molars should interlock. If they aren’t lined up, a condition known asmalocclusion, they can become worn down and damaged, and their stability can be affected. This can lead to loosened teeth, cracking, tooth decay, and an increased risk of gingivitis and periodontitis, all of which are associated with tooth pain.
Loose Filling or Crown
Dental fillingsto repair cavities ordental crowns—specialized caps placed over damaged teeth—can also be at the root of tooth pain.
If these are loose, poorly fitting, or broken, the underlying structures can be impacted, causing discomfort when biting. This arises due to natural wear and tear, poor fit, dental infection, tooth decay under a crown, or teeth grinding.
How Long Do Fillings Last Before Needing Another?
Abscessed Tooth
Tooth decay, periodontitis, and damage to the teeth can cause the tooth’s pulp to become inflamed and die.
This can lead to the formation of anabscess—a pocket of thicker fluid or pus—where the teeth meet the bone.This painful, serious condition can spread the infection to the bone, teeth, and surrounding tissues if untreated.
Pulp Necrosis
A common result of tooth decay is pulpitis, an infection of the pulp, which is the nerve and blood vessel-filled tissue surrounding the tooth root. This can lead to the death of these tissues, a condition called pulp necrosis.
Pulp necrosis can cause pain upon biting and lead to tooth abscess, among other serious dental issues.
Treatment For a Tooth That Hurts With Pressure
As with other dental issues, the specific treatment for tooth pain depends on the underlying cause. Dentists, dental specialists, and healthcare providers employ a range of treatments to take care of this issue.
The specific treatment for a cavity depends on the scope of the damage and tooth decay. Several treatments may help, including the following:
Dental procedures can be highly successful in repairing cracked or chipped teeth, which can treat toothache and other symptoms. Among the procedures considered are the following:
If the alignment of teeth is causing pain or otherwise affecting the health of the teeth, orthodontic treatments can help. The most common approaches include the following:
More advanced gum disease, periodontitis, is progressive and irreversible. This condition is linked totartar—a hardened, calcified plaque on the teeth—which can only be removed through dental procedures.
Chief among these is scaling and root planing, also known as deep cleaning. Scaling involves physically removing tartar from above and below the gum line, while root planing works to remove pockets of plaque near the tooth root.
Generally, loose fillings or crowns can be easily repaired. If a filling becomes loose or falls out, the dentist can often cement it back into place or replace it. However, additional treatments, such as a root canal, may be needed if tooth decay is beneath the filling.
Combatting the infection at the cause of the abscessed tooth is the primary goal of treating this condition. Specific approaches depend on the cause of the issue and can include:
Endodontists—dentists that specialize in treating pulp—can treat pulp necrosis in several ways, including:
If you’re experiencing pain when biting down on food, you should have your teeth checked out. Signs that prompt a call to a provider include:
Summary
Dentists employ a range of treatments, including dental fillings, root canals, crowns, and pulpectomy, to ease pain and treat underlying conditions.
A Word From Verywell
Pain from biting or putting pressure on your tooth is more than an annoyance. It can be a sign of serious dental issues, which can affect your teeth' health and appearance.
If you’re experiencing this type of toothache, it’s essential to seek out dental care and treatment. As with many aspects of health, the sooner you get help, the better off you—and your smile—will be.
Learn MoreCauses of Tooth Pain and Treatment Options
Learn MoreTooth Pulp Function and Inflammation
If the tooth pain you experience has a pulsating or throbbing quality, this can be a sign of infection. This is associated with significant dental issues, especially abscessed teeth (in which the infection causes a build-up of fluid at the tooth’s roots or the earlier stages of pulp necrosis (the infection and death of the nerves in teeth).These issues call for prompt medical attention.Learn MoreWhat Is an Abscessed Tooth?
If the tooth pain you experience has a pulsating or throbbing quality, this can be a sign of infection. This is associated with significant dental issues, especially abscessed teeth (in which the infection causes a build-up of fluid at the tooth’s roots or the earlier stages of pulp necrosis (the infection and death of the nerves in teeth).These issues call for prompt medical attention.
Learn MoreWhat Is an Abscessed Tooth?
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ferguson M.Rhinosinusitis in oral medicine and dentistry.Aust Dent J. 2014;59(3):289-295. doi:10.1111/adj.12193Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Cavity facts.MouthHealthy.Cavities.Oral Health Foundation.Cracked teeth.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Periodontal (gum) disease.MedlinePlus.Malocclusion of teeth.MouthHealthy.Abscess (toothache).American Association of Endodontists.Endodontic diagnosis.MedlinePlus.Tooth decay.American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.Pulp therapy for primary and immature permanent teeth.The Reference Manual of Pediatric Dentistry; 2021:399-407.American Dental Association.Oral analgesics for acute dental pain.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ferguson M.Rhinosinusitis in oral medicine and dentistry.Aust Dent J. 2014;59(3):289-295. doi:10.1111/adj.12193Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Cavity facts.MouthHealthy.Cavities.Oral Health Foundation.Cracked teeth.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Periodontal (gum) disease.MedlinePlus.Malocclusion of teeth.MouthHealthy.Abscess (toothache).American Association of Endodontists.Endodontic diagnosis.MedlinePlus.Tooth decay.American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.Pulp therapy for primary and immature permanent teeth.The Reference Manual of Pediatric Dentistry; 2021:399-407.American Dental Association.Oral analgesics for acute dental pain.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Ferguson M.Rhinosinusitis in oral medicine and dentistry.Aust Dent J. 2014;59(3):289-295. doi:10.1111/adj.12193Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Cavity facts.MouthHealthy.Cavities.Oral Health Foundation.Cracked teeth.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Periodontal (gum) disease.MedlinePlus.Malocclusion of teeth.MouthHealthy.Abscess (toothache).American Association of Endodontists.Endodontic diagnosis.MedlinePlus.Tooth decay.American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.Pulp therapy for primary and immature permanent teeth.The Reference Manual of Pediatric Dentistry; 2021:399-407.American Dental Association.Oral analgesics for acute dental pain.
Ferguson M.Rhinosinusitis in oral medicine and dentistry.Aust Dent J. 2014;59(3):289-295. doi:10.1111/adj.12193
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Cavity facts.
MouthHealthy.Cavities.
Oral Health Foundation.Cracked teeth.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Periodontal (gum) disease.
MedlinePlus.Malocclusion of teeth.
MouthHealthy.Abscess (toothache).
American Association of Endodontists.Endodontic diagnosis.
MedlinePlus.Tooth decay.
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.Pulp therapy for primary and immature permanent teeth.The Reference Manual of Pediatric Dentistry; 2021:399-407.
American Dental Association.Oral analgesics for acute dental pain.
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