“My tooth hurts. It must have a cavity.”
Well, maybe it does. However, other conditions can cause a tooth to be sensitive to hot or cold foods, to the pressure of chewing… or to just plain ache.
A few of these other toothache possibilities are:
- Shrinkage of the gum down below the top part of the tooth (crown) onto the tooth surface. This part of the tooth (cementum) is as sensitive to hot and cold as the part of the tooth (dentin) affected by a cavity.
- A new filling. When a tooth is treated to repair a cavity, it will sometimes be sensitive for a while afterwards. This reaction is normal and will usually soon correct itself.
- A tooth that has drifted into a position where it is now striking too hard against other teeth. This can sometime occur in anyone’s mouth, but most often happens when teeth have shifted because a lost tooth has not been replaced.
- A grinding or clenching habit. Sometimes people will grind or clench their teeth without being aware of it while awake. It my also happen during sleep. In either case, this habit can cause pain.
It is important to pay attention to the early warning signals our bodies send us. If you feel something unusual in your mouth, come into the office to find out the cause and learn the best way to deal with the condition.
Dr. Angela Burns moved to Austin 10 years ago and instantly fell in love with our beautiful city. Dr. Burns is originally from the Texarkana area. She attended Texas A&M for her undergraduate degree and The University of Tennessee Health Science Center for her degree in dental surgery (DDS). Dr. Burns is committed to providing her patients with gentle, technologically advanced dental treatment. She attends an average of 60 hours of continuing education every year. She is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the Texas Dental Association, and the Capital Area Dental Society. Dr. Burns and her husband, Gary, have an 11-year-old daughter, Sydney, who is a proud 6th grader at Hill Country Middle School. She is also very involved in the Eanes PTO, her church, and loves raising her family in the Westlake community. “Growing up, I was drawn to mediating and helping others feel more included and less anxious. I was a camp counselor, student government officer and being the oldest of five, I was the family mediator. I found that I had a calling to help alleviate stressful situations for others and realized that being a good listener was something that was key to this. These skills really helped guide me into becoming a dentist that has based my practice on relationships, empathy and a sense of comfort. I knew that I wanted to provide an atmosphere that felt like home when others walked in. Our practice is small, personal and state of the art and we hope you feel like you’re hanging out with friends when you are here!” When she is not practicing dentistry, Dr. Burns enjoys traveling, hiking the greenbelt, enjoying Austin’s music scene, and eating Amy’s Ice Cream.
