Tooth Pain When Biting: What Could Be Causing It?

Toothache doesn’t always behave the way you might expect. A tooth can feel completely normal while you’re going about your day, only to give you a sharp reminder that something isn’t right when you sit down to eat.

Perhaps it happens when you bite into something firm, or only when you chew on one particular side. You might find yourself automatically moving food to the other side of your mouth and hoping the problem settles on its own.

When pain repeatedly appears under pressure, however, it is worth finding out what is behind it.

A Small Crack Can Cause a Big Reaction

A cracked tooth isn’t necessarily a visibly broken tooth.

Very fine cracks can be difficult to see yourself and may cause few symptoms when the tooth is at rest. When you bite down, however, pressure is placed on the tooth and the affected area may move very slightly, triggering a sudden sensation.

Cracks can develop for several reasons. You might remember biting unexpectedly onto something hard, but there isn't always an obvious moment when the damage occurred. Teeth experience considerable force over a lifetime, and teeth with existing fillings may have less natural tooth structure remaining.

Because cracks vary considerably, an assessment is important to understand how much of the tooth is affected and what, if anything, needs to be done. 

When the Problem Is Inside the Tooth

Not every painful bite is caused by a crack. Sometimes the source of the problem lies deeper within the tooth.

Decay begins by affecting the outer layers of a tooth and may cause no discomfort at all in its early stages. As it progresses, you may begin to notice sensitivity or pain.

The pulp at the centre of each tooth contains nerves and blood vessels. If this becomes irritated or inflamed, symptoms can become more noticeable. You may find that discomfort lingers after eating or drinking, or that a tooth which initially only hurt when chewing begins to ache at other times too.

This change in the pattern of pain is useful information to share with your dentist.

An Old Filling Can Change Over Time

A tooth that has already been treated isn't immune from future problems.

Fillings are exposed to the same everyday biting and chewing forces as your natural teeth. Over time, both the restoration and the tooth around it can change.

If a previously comfortable filled tooth suddenly becomes painful when you chew, your dentist can check the condition of the filling as well as the tooth supporting it. The solution will depend on what they find rather than simply on how old the filling is.

It May Not Be the Tooth You Think

One of the more frustrating things about dental pain is locating it.

You might be convinced that one tooth is causing the problem, only to struggle to identify it when you try to recreate the sensation. Pain can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint, particularly when several teeth in the same area feel similar.

Rather than relying on where you think the pain originates, your dentist can examine the area and use your symptoms alongside their clinical findings to investigate the source.

That is also why descriptions such as “it only hurts with hard food”, “cold drinks make it ache afterwards” or “it started after I bit something hard” can be more useful than you might imagine.

The Danger of Chewing Around the Problem

If avoiding one tooth makes the pain disappear, it can feel as though you have solved the immediate problem.

But changing the way you eat doesn't address whatever caused the tooth to become painful in the first place.

A symptom may remain relatively mild for some time or it may change. Waiting until you have constant toothache isn't a reliable way to judge whether something needs attention.

Experiencing Tooth Pain in Tadcaster?

If you’ve started favouring one side of your mouth or avoiding certain foods because a tooth hurts when you bite, it’s worth having it checked.

At Bridge Street Dental Surgery, we can examine your teeth, listen to how your symptoms have developed and investigate what may be causing your discomfort. We can then explain our findings and any treatment that may be appropriate.

Contact our Tadcaster team to arrange an appointment and get to the bottom of your tooth pain.