If you've ever had a toothache, you probably still remember the pain which often begins with mild discomfort in the mouth but can build until it feels as though it is affecting your entire body. The basic reason for a toothache is simple-the nerve in your tooth has become irritated. Often tooth decay is the reason for the pain because when the enamel of your tooth begins to "decay," the nerves that reside within the teeth become exposed and vulnerable. When this happens, your tooth will usually send out a warning sign before the pain begins to let you know that something is not right. Some of those warning signs are:

• Your tooth starts to react with sensitivity to hot or cold beverages or foods.
• You may notice a discharge or bleeding around your tooth.
• The gum tissue around your tooth may become swollen or you may experience swelling in your jaw or cheek area.
• You experience pain when you chew or bite down in the area of the affected tooth.

If tooth decay is the culprit, the solution is simple-fix the cavity so that the nerve is no longer exposed and vulnerable. However, while cavities can be the culprit behind a toothache, there are a variety of other causes that can aggravate the nerves within your teeth.

• A fractured tooth.
• A dying nerve that is situated beneath a crown or a filling.
• Food has become impacted around a molar.
• A dental or periodontal abscess.
• Gum Disease.
• A wisdom tooth that is pushing through the gum tissue.
• A bridge, crown or filling that is "leaking."
• Tooth or gum sensitivity to temperature extremes from foods or beverages.
• A sinus infection.
• Consistent grinding of the teeth (also known as bruxism).
• An infected root canal.
• Inflammation in the nerve of the tooth.
• A tooth that has experienced trauma.
• Inadequate blood supply to a nerve which can cause it to begin to die.

When any of these issues manifest in your mouth, the symptoms that you experience may vary, and over time can intensify to unbearable until the issue is taken care of. When you experience a toothache, over-the-counter medications can often help alleviate the pain while you make arrangements to visit your dentist. With a thorough examination, your dentist will determine the cause behind the pain and develop a plan to correct the issue. At one time tooth extraction was often the next step for a person who had a toothache, but with the knowledge and technology behind dentistry today, the possible solutions are wide and varied. Depending on the reason behind your toothache, the solutions will vary from a dental procedure such as a filling, crown or root canal to getting a customized mouth guard for preventing bruxism to repairing a cracked tooth or leaking filling to dealing with a sinus infection or infected root canal.

The good news is that for every problem that causes a toothache, there is a solution and by visiting a dentist regularly and taking care of your teeth, most toothaches can be prevented.