Pain when biting down on a tooth is a common experience, ranging from mild annoyance to severe discomfort. This sensation often signals an underlying dental issue. Understanding the causes is the first step toward addressing discomfort and maintaining oral health.
Common Reasons for Biting Pain
Tooth decay, or a cavity, is a frequent cause of biting pain. As a cavity deepens, it exposes the sensitive dentin layer. If decay reaches the pulp, containing nerves, it causes sharp pain when pressure is applied during biting.
Cracked or chipped teeth commonly cause biting pain. Microscopic cracks can cause discomfort. When biting pressure is applied, the crack can open slightly, irritating the sensitive inner pulp. This results in sharp, sudden pain, often felt when releasing pressure, or lingering sensitivity to temperature changes.
Gum disease can contribute to biting pain. Inflammation and infection affect supporting tooth structures, causing looseness or tenderness. As gum disease progresses, gum recession exposes sensitive tooth roots. Contact with food or biting pressure on exposed roots causes sharp pain.
Tooth sensitivity, often from worn enamel or receding gums, exposes underlying dentin. Dentin contains microscopic channels leading to the tooth’s nerve center. Pressure from biting or contact with hot, cold, or acidic foods can trigger brief pain.
Dental fillings can be a source of biting pain. A newly placed filling might be “high,” interfering with the natural bite and causing uneven pressure. This can lead to pain when biting, often noticed shortly after anesthetic wears off.
Other Potential Causes
A dental abscess, a localized infection at the tooth root or in surrounding gum tissue, causes pain. This infection builds pus and pressure, leading to throbbing pain that intensifies with biting. Abscesses often stem from untreated tooth decay or severe gum disease.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, affecting the jaw joint and surrounding muscles, can cause biting pain. Dysfunction can lead to discomfort radiating to the teeth or jaw, particularly during chewing or wide mouth opening.
Impacted wisdom teeth, third molars that do not fully emerge, can cause pain in the back of the mouth, especially when biting. They may press against neighboring teeth or bone, leading to inflammation, infection, or discomfort worsening with chewing.
Bruxism, the habit of grinding or clenching teeth, puts excessive force on them. This pressure can wear down enamel, cause microfractures, and lead to tooth soreness or pain when biting.
Nerve damage within a tooth can cause persistent pain when biting. This damage may not always be visible but can lead to chronic discomfort.
Sinus issues can mimic tooth pain, particularly in the upper back teeth. Roots are often close to the maxillary sinuses. Inflammation or pressure from a sinus infection can cause referred pain that feels like a toothache, especially when bending over or moving the head. This pain typically affects multiple upper teeth.
When to See a Dentist
Persistent pain when biting warrants professional dental evaluation. If pain lasts more than a day or two or doesn’t subside with over-the-counter pain relievers, see a dentist. Prompt attention prevents escalation.
Urgent signs indicating a need for dental attention include:
Severe, throbbing pain, especially if continuous or radiating to the jaw, neck, or ear.
Swelling in the gums, face, or jaw, accompanied by fever or a bad taste in the mouth, indicating a serious infection like an abscess.
Difficulty opening the mouth or swallowing, or pain from recent mouth trauma.
Uneven bite or significant discomfort after a dental filling.
How Dental Professionals Address Biting Pain
Identifying the cause of biting pain begins with a comprehensive diagnostic process. This includes discussing symptoms like pain type, duration, and triggers. The dentist then performs a clinical examination of teeth, gums, and surrounding oral tissues, inspecting for decay, cracks, or gum inflammation.
Diagnostic tools often used include:
Dental X-rays to visualize hidden issues like deep cavities, fractures, bone loss, or abscesses.
Sensitivity tests using hot, cold, or sweet stimuli to gauge tooth response.
A percussion test, where the dentist gently taps teeth, to pinpoint an infected or inflamed tooth.
A bite test, using a special instrument, to identify specific pain points, useful for detecting cracked teeth.
Once the cause is determined, a treatment plan is recommended.
For tooth decay, treatment involves removing decayed material and placing a filling. Extensive decay reaching the pulp may require root canal therapy.
Cracked teeth may be treated with fillings, crowns, root canal therapy, or extraction, depending on the crack’s extent.
Gum disease treatments range from professional cleanings to advanced periodontal therapies.
An uneven dental filling can be reshaped and adjusted to restore proper bite.
Abscess treatment focuses on draining the infection and addressing its source, often through root canal treatment or extraction, with antibiotics as needed.
Other causes, like bruxism or TMJ disorders, may involve custom mouthguards or specialist referral.