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A certain amount of pain is, sadly, a part of orthodontic treatment, and you can expect tooth sensitivity, pain in the gums and the jaws, and possibly even a bit of residual bleeding while you are in braces. But toothache is definitely not one of the parts of orthodontic treatment that you need to put up with. Usually, one of two things can be the cause of toothache while wearing braces: either the braces are a bit too tight and are making the teeth very sensitive, or there is some kind of dental problem affecting the teeth regardless of treatment. How do you know which one is the case, and what can you do to stop the pain? Let us explain and make everything clear.
When the braces are causing toothache
The braces themselves can be the cause of toothache. They can be too tight, meaning that at the activation session, the braces were adjusted too tight, and are now hurting the gums, jaws or teeth. This can manifest as toothache, as the dental nerve can only send so many kinds of pain signals. A tell-tale sign is that there is no damage to the tooth in question, and on decay in or around it, but the pain is still there, and very frequently this kind of pain occurs right after an activation session. If the tooth starts to be sensitive or even downright painful after an activation session, try and apply some numbing agents, like clove oil, anise seed extract, or baby teething gel to the area, and see if it doesn’t get better. The pain should subside, and be less and less painful as your teeth are shifted by the braces.
When tooth decay is causing toothache
If the tooth itself is affected, then the situation is a bit more complicated. Sometimes dental fillings, and even root canal treatments can be done with the braces still on, but there is quite some chance that the treatment will need to be suspended for a few days. In these cases, the braces sometimes need to come off, and the problem taken care of before it is safe to continue orthodontic treatment. This kind of toothache is usually constant and does not get better if numbing agents are applied, and although can flare up or intensify with the introduction of environmental factors, like pressure, spicy food, heat, cold, or a sudden change in temperature, it usually isn’t caused by these, but is a constant pain.
If you have a pain in your tooth that is constant or that shows up well after activation, then you should probably book an appointment to see your dentist. Although it could be nothing special, they might be able to use orthodontic wax or apply some kind of pain relief in order to treat the symptoms.
