Your tooth feels perfectly fine until you chew. Then, the moment you bite into food, you feel a sharp pain or uncomfortable pressure in one particular tooth.
Pain when biting down isn't something you should ignore.
Sometimes the cause is relatively simple, such as food trapped between your teeth or a filling that's affecting your bite. Other times, pain with pressure can be a warning sign of a cracked tooth, cavity, infection, or damage to the nerve inside your tooth.
If the pain continues, getting the tooth checked can help determine the cause before the problem becomes more serious.
Why Does My Tooth Hurt Only When I Chew?
Biting places considerable pressure on your teeth. If a tooth or the tissue surrounding it is damaged or inflamed, that pressure can trigger pain.
Common causes include:
- A cracked tooth
- Tooth decay
- A loose or damaged filling
- A damaged dental crown
- An infected tooth
- Inflammation around the tooth root
- Teeth grinding or clenching
- Trauma to the tooth
- Gum problems
The type of pain you're experiencing can sometimes provide clues about what's happening.
Could I Have a Cracked Tooth?
A cracked tooth is one possible reason for sharp pain while chewing.
Some cracks are easy to see, but others can be extremely small. You may not even know the tooth is damaged until you bite into something.
A cracked tooth may cause:
- Sharp pain when biting
- Pain when releasing your bite
- Hot or cold sensitivity
- Pain that comes and goes
- Discomfort that's difficult to pinpoint
Teeth can crack from biting hard foods, grinding your teeth, an accident, or simply years of repeated chewing pressure.
If part of your tooth has visibly broken away, treatment for a chipped or broken tooth may be needed to protect the remaining tooth.
Can a Cavity Hurt When You Bite?
Yes.
A cavity may not hurt when it's small. But as decay progresses deeper into the tooth, you may begin experiencing discomfort when chewing.
You might also notice:
- Sensitivity to sweets
- Hot or cold sensitivity
- An occasional toothache
- A visible dark area or hole
- Food repeatedly getting stuck around the tooth
Waiting for a cavity to become extremely painful can allow decay to reach deeper portions of the tooth.
What could have initially required a filling may eventually need a crown or root canal if the decay reaches the nerve.
Pain When Biting Could Mean a Tooth Infection
An infected tooth can become extremely sensitive to pressure.
When bacteria reach the pulp inside a tooth, inflammation and infection can develop around the nerve and eventually around the root.
You may experience:
- Throbbing tooth pain
- Pain when chewing
- Lingering hot or cold sensitivity
- Gum swelling
- Facial swelling
- A bad taste in your mouth
- A bump on the gums
- Fever
If infection is responsible for your pain, it needs professional treatment.
A dental abscess can potentially spread beyond the affected tooth if it isn't treated.
Could a Filling or Crown Be Causing the Pain?
Existing dental work can sometimes be responsible for new pain when biting.
A filling can crack or become loose. A crown can become damaged or shift. Decay can also develop underneath or around an older restoration.
If you've recently had a filling or crown placed and the tooth feels like it "hits first" when you bite, your bite may also need to be adjusted.
If an existing restoration has fallen out completely, Portland Emergency Dentist provides treatment for a lost filling or dental crown.
Avoid chewing on the affected tooth until it can be evaluated.
Why Does My Tooth Hurt When I Release My Bite?
Pain that occurs when you release your bite can sometimes be associated with a cracked tooth.
As you bite down, the damaged portions of the tooth may move slightly. When you release pressure, that movement can irritate the sensitive structures inside the tooth.
Because tiny cracks aren't always obvious, your dentist may need to perform bite tests and take dental X-rays to help determine what's causing your symptoms.
Don't Ignore Pain When You Bite
our tooth shouldn't consistently hurt when you chew.
Whether the cause is a cavity, crack, damaged filling, infection, or another dental problem, finding the cause early may provide more treatment options and help prevent the problem from getting worse.
Portland Emergency Dentist provides emergency dental treatment for toothaches, broken teeth, infections, damaged restorations, and other urgent dental problems.
The practice also offers same-day appointments for urgent dental concerns. If your tooth hurts every time you bite down, have it examined instead of waiting for the pain to become constant.