One of the most common complaints encountered in our practice involves patients reporting a painful tooth that lacks a diagnosable cause. It’s a sharp pain that makes you flinch when you bite down or chew on its side of your mouth—what is it that’s hurting your teeth?

Believe it or not, you probably have a cracked tooth. The mandible second molar is the most commonly cracked tooth due to its principal action during mastication, or chewing. When a tooth cracks, the pulp inside is exposed and may become irritated, leading to sharp pain.

What Cracks My Tooth?

The short answer? Popcorn and ice. The long answer? Hard to chew and extremely hot or cold food items. The hard kernels in the bottom of a bucket of popcorn fractures the teeth more often than the habitual chewing of ice. Tea drinkers in warmer climates are particularly vulnerable to this fault.

People who grind or clench their teeth when anxious or during sleep are also particularly prone to cracked teeth. The constant forces put on their teeth may cause certain molar cusps to exert so much pressure on the opposing tooth that it cracks.

What Could be the Other Causes?

However, it could not just be a crack that’s causing the pain when you bite down or chew on food. Tooth cavity, pulp inflammation and dental abscess could also be the reason behind your difficulty with eating and extreme aching.

You could test if you have a cracked teeth and try to bite upon wet cotton cloths or chew on a piece of burlew wheel. Should you feel the need to ask for professional diagnosis, schedule an appointment with us and we can help you figure out why your tooth hurts.

David Madruga is the premier aesthetic dentist in Marylebone dedicated in providing patients a wonderful dental experience during each visit. Our dental practice focuses on solving your dental problems, no matter how big or small. Contact us today for a better oral health.