Why do teeth hurt at night, but not at day? This question is quite common. Often people complain that unpleasant pain sensations become stronger at night, do not give normal rest and sleep. Specialists identify a group of diseases that can lead to such a malaise. Toothache occurs due to the fact that there are a large number of nerve endings in the oral cavity, which, when exposed to certain factors, can become inflamed.
Common Causes of Pain
Why does a tooth hurt more at night? Specialists distinguish a group of diseases that can trigger toothache:
- Caries. In the presence of caries, the patient is severely damaged by enamel and dentin, and pathogenic bacteria accumulate and actively spread in the carious cavity. If caries has reached a complicated stage, then harmful microorganisms reach almost the pulp, which contains nerve endings. The pain syndrome appears when irritating factors are applied and disappears after eliminating the source of the lesion.
- The presence of pulpitis. Why does a tooth hurt at night with pulpitis? With a deep damage to the tooth cavity, the pulp itself is damaged, in which an active inflammatory process begins, spreading to all nerve endings. Pain sensations most often appear without characteristic external signs of the disease.
- Flux is a complication that occurs with untimely treatment of pulpitis and is particularly dangerous. If it is present in the patient's oral cavity, the inflammatory process begins, it affects the jaw and periosteum.
- Non-carious lesions of enamel and hard layers of teeth. As a result of external influences, shock, dislocations, bruxism, the tooth is also severely damaged, while its enamel is destroyed. The main cause of pain in this case are the same processes that occur with diseases.
- Periodontitis. The inflammatory process in tissues located near the tip of the tooth.
Filling and tooth extraction
Why do teeth hurt at night, but not at day?
After filling. During incorrect fillings, when the dentist does not perform the procedure correctly or does not follow the established procedure, the person also develops unpleasant pain, which becomes stronger mainly at night.
After tooth extraction. An unpleasant pain syndrome, which only intensifies at night, can also appear as a result of tooth extraction or some part of it that is located under the gum (a fragment of the root).
Causes of increased pain at night
Why does a tooth hurt at night? Some believe that increased pain at night is not true. But such a process exists in reality and arises under the influence of certain factors, which can be both physical and psychological.
All the factors leading to the appearance of pain equally intensify the pain syndrome, they are thoroughly studied by doctors, dentists, as well as psychologists.
Physiological processes
The most common factors that provoke pain at night are physiological. Typically, this process leads to a horizontal position, which a person takes during sleep. In this position, blood rushes intensely to the brain, head and jaws, which provokes increased pressure on already inflamed tissues and nerve endings of the teeth.
It must be remembered that such a process is not characteristic of all diseases of the oral cavity. In most cases, pulpitis leads to acute and severe pain at night. At this time, in the inflamed pulp due to increased blood flow, excessive pressure occurs. This leads to the fact that the nerve bundles begin to deliver enhanced signals to the central nervous system.
In addition to the acute and chronic form of pulpitis (in the acute stage), for which severe pain mainly at night is a normal condition, chronic diseases of periodontitis and periodontitis can be included in the same group of lesions.
Physiological factors
Why does the tooth begin to hurt at night? In a separate group of reasons why a patient has toothache at night, physiological factors can be attributed:
- The time interval is from 12 hours to 5 in the morning. Such a period of time is considered the most difficult and stressful for the whole human body. It was at this time that unpleasant pain intensified at times, the body's sensitivity to any diseases and lesions, including dental problems, increased.
- Physiologists say that the vagus reigns at night. Vagus is the name of the vagus nerve, which has a large number of branches in the structure, some of the branches extend to the area of the head. Vagus directly affects the mood of a person, his general condition. At night, the tone of the vagus nerve changes, which provokes an aggravation of sensitivity and the appearance of unpleasant pain.
- Also, if you take into account the peculiarities of human biorhythm, then at night, blood pressure rises significantly even in a completely healthy person. High blood pressure leads to increased toothache. In this case, an unpleasant syndrome occurs even when a person has not yet had time to go to bed and take a horizontal position.
Other lesions
Why does a wisdom tooth hurt at night? In some cases, taking for a toothache pain can occur when exposed to various diseases. These include:
- Inflammatory processes in the tertiary nerve. They can cause severe pain in the jaw at night. Under the influence of various factors, the nerve can be very irritated or infringed, which leads to sensations that can very easily be confused with toothache.
- If acute pain spreads not only in the area of one tooth, but passes to the entire jaw, then this condition can report the presence of inflammation of the periosteum of the tooth and even some ENT diseases. The most common are sinusitis, sinusitis and otitis. It is important to remember that it is in a horizontal position that the outflow of fluid from the sinuses is difficult, which only enhances the unpleasant sensations and spreads them throughout the jaw.
It is most difficult to identify the source of the pain syndrome in the child, as he may complain of pain in the teeth, while in reality he will have an ear ache. It is important to remember that in some cases, almost the same toothache at night can occur for reasons that are completely unrelated to dentistry.
These include severe depletion of the nervous system, lack of sleep, regular smoking, or the ingestion of large amounts of coffee.
Psychological factors
Why does a tooth ache at night, but passes during the day? Every day, every person gets tired, burdening himself with daily chores and worries - he works, travels to various places, takes care of his home, family and close people. This prevents him from being left alone with toothache and unpleasant sensations, which are so disturbing at night.
The body reacts to it in its own way - it stops the pain, does not allow it to draw attention to itself. This gives a person the opportunity to do their own business and cares without being distracted by anything.
In addition, in the daytime a person is very stressed, he has no time to think about unpleasant pain. In the evening, a person begins to relax, wants to fully relax.
It was at this time that an acute pain syndrome appeared, which a relaxed body simply cannot but notice.
Visit to the dentist
When visiting dentistry, the attending physician will carefully examine the oral cavity, and if necessary, assign the patient an additional examination. Radiography will help determine the degree of tissue damage, the presence of inflammation in the pulp cavity and periodontitis.
Treatment of a deep form of caries and pulpitis is carried out according to the same methods. When treating a doctor:
- conducts anesthesia with an anesthetic;
- eliminates diseased tissue;
- devitalizing pulp in the treatment of a multi-root tooth;
- carries out the expansion, processing and cleaning of channels;
- sealing gutta-percha cavities and filling paste;
- control picture of the oral cavity;
- restoration of the damaged crown using a composite, which is carried out a few days after filling the canals.
At the end of treatment for pulpitis and deep caries, the patient may feel unpleasant pain in the jaw for the next 5-10 days. Over time, the pain syndrome begins to become less pronounced, and then passes completely.
With periodontitis and periostitis, the main goal of the dentist is to eliminate the infection itself. To do this, you need to clean the root canals and process them well. Treatment of flux and periodontitis is most often characterized by its duration. To eliminate inflammation, a person should regularly rinse his mouth. After eliminating the main focus of infection, the canals are filled and the crown is restored.
In special cases, surgical treatment is used to treat flux. If a person for a long time ignores the problem and does not go to the dentist, then the chance to save the tooth begins to greatly decrease.
If an acute toothache appears due to the eruption of the figure eight, it is very important to consult a dentist in a timely manner. After examining the appearance of the oral cavity and conducting an x-ray, the doctor will tell you exactly which treatment method will be most effective.
The dentist begins therapeutic measures only after the introduction of local anesthesia. Modern painkillers are highly effective, are not absorbed into the blood and are normally tolerated by the patient.
What to do, toothache at night?
First aid
What to do if a tooth hurts at night? To normalize the condition and reduce pain, you should try to act independently. It is important to remember that all procedures will have a symptomatic rather than therapeutic effect. They will help eliminate discomfort and discomfort, but they will not be able to completely eliminate the disease.
The most common treatments:
- Painkillers Such tools are distinguished by their reliability and effectiveness. "Analgin", "Tempalgin", "Ketanov" - medicines that help eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of damage and alleviate the general condition of a person. It is important to remember that the drugs are used according to the instructions and dosage. If after taking the drug, the condition does not get better, then the patient should not independently fight the disease or increase the dosage of the drug used. An overdose of medication can lead to problems with liver, kidneys, and the brain, which is dangerous with complications. If a toothache occurs in a pregnant woman or in a child, then Ibuprofen or Paracetamol can be used.
- The use of tinctures of medicinal herbs and flowers to rinse the oral cavity. Experts recommend using the following herbs: calamus root, calendula, oak bark, plantain, chamomile and sage. They differ in medicinal properties, have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects. Infusions and decoctions are prepared in a water bath, as well as a thermos. Do not rinse your mouth if the patient is not sure of the absence of an allergic reaction to the herbs used.
- Rinse with salt and water. This method of eliminating unpleasant pain is reliable and effective. Rinsing with water and salt does not cause unpleasant complications and allergies. To prepare the product you need to take 200 ml of warm hot water, add 1 teaspoon of salt, soda, mix thoroughly. Rinsing is carried out 5-6 times a day. The treatment solution helps to eliminate discomfort and facilitate overall well-being.
If the patient suddenly has a sharp rise in temperature, swelling has occurred, then this indicates the spread of the inflammatory process. In this case, it is important to see a dentist as soon as possible.
Oral care
After treatment and pain relief, you must begin to follow the mandatory rules of care - to conduct regular hygienic cleaning of the mouth with a paste and brush. Rinsers, irrigators - an important addition to hygiene procedures.
It is also very important to eat right. The amount of confectionery, sweets, and carbonated drinks should be reduced. It is important to introduce as many fresh vegetables, fruits and greens as possible into the diet.
You should also stop drinking alcohol and smoking. Nicotine has a bad effect on the human body as a whole. Smokers have pigmented plaque on their teeth, which provokes gingivitis and periodontitis. Alcohol reduces the human immunity, provokes the development of mucosal degeneration. It is also important to start leading an active lifestyle - often doing sports and hardening.