Just as with a pain in any other part of the body a toothache is the body’s way of telling you there is something wrong.

The ache of a tooth is caused by something having broken through the natural defenses of the teeth and gums such as the hard enamel on the outside of the teeth.

A usual cause of a toothache is the cavity. Here bacteria has broken through the enamel and caused a small hole. This exposes, to a greater or lesser degree, the underlying nerve causing pain.

If the gums are infected – perhaps from not flossing on a regular basis – the infection can spread and causing swelling and inflammation around the nerve of the tooth – which will, in turn, cause a bad toothache.

Whatever the reason, if you get any sort of pain in your gums or teeth, see you dentist right away. Taking care of the problem quickly will save time, money and most importantly, pain.