Fortunately for those of us who have experienced a lingering toothache, relief typically follows a visit to the dentist. Whether a filling, a crown (cap) or root canal therapy was necessary, pain reduction is common within 24-48 hours. But when a toothache won’t go away in spite of the fact that the tooth pulp is healthy based on examination and x- ray investigation, believe it or not, it may be due to a sprained ligament.
To understand how a toothache can be the result of a sprained ligament, a quick review off the anatomy of a tooth is essential:
Every tooth in the mouth is anchored to the bone in which it sits by a structure called the periodontal ligament or PDL. This ligament is no different than any other ligament in the body, and when healthy, is responsible for maintaining the tooth in a stable position. This ligament, which is mainly composed of water, also acts as a shock absorber. The PDL is teeming with nerve endings, which gives it a great capacity to guide our chewing movements and tell the brain how much force to exert based upon the consistency of food in the mouth.
In addition, the PDL is the “GPS system” of the oral cavity and is so fine-tuned in its functioning that it can find a small fish bone in the midst of a mouthful of food. This capability helps protect the teeth and the surrounding soft tissues from injury that could otherwise occur during normal function.
- Tooth pain is typically the first symptom of a PDL sprain. Common ways that sprains happen are:
- Biting on food that is harder than anticipated
- Impact from an expanding airbag
- Chin trauma that forced the teeth together
- An accidental collision with a baby’s head
- Dental or oral surgery
- Daytime overuse such as nail biting or pencil chewing
- Nighttime clenching or tooth grinding (bruxism)
Once sprained, these ligaments may take some time to heal simply because it is difficult, if not impossible, to avoid using the tooth or teeth involved during chewing, speaking, and even at times, swallowing. Over time if the PDL is continually insulted, the tiny nerve endings in the ligament will become sensitized (similar to being sunburned) and as a result pain levels will increase and often spread to the surrounding gum tissue and neighboring teeth. And, if daytime overuse behaviors continue and/or sleep bruxism persists, the pain will likely continue.
Because this problem is not in the tooth pulp, or due to compromise of hard tooth structure, any dental efforts to fix the problem will likely lead to even more exacerbation of the pain. Like all ligaments if a sprain occurs, rest and support are often needed in order for healing to occur.
The key therefore is to identify why the sprain occurred before treatment is planned. If due to a single and identifiable event, time is the best therapy as healing will usually occur. Taking an anti-inflammatory medication like Advil or Aleve for five to seven days can also help along with avoidance of chewing on the painful tooth. If you suspect that night clenching or grinding of the teeth is the cause, then the use of an oral appliance while sleeping may be the best remedy.
At times trauma to a tooth may cause ligament pain that lingers and becomes chronic due to nerve endings that begin to fire spontaneously even when provoked by normal daily activities like speaking, swallowing and eating even soft foods. These situations may require medications that work to quiet irritable nerve endings. The most important thing to remember is that these problems are not solved by root canal therapy and this direction of care should be avoided.
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