Why does it hurt when I bite something hard?

The health of our teeth is very important to us. When our teeth are healthy, we feel happy every day and everything we eat tastes delicious. When there are problems with our teeth, it will directly affect our eating, which will in turn affect our mood. If you feel pain when biting down on something hard, you may be suffering from periodontitis. It is best to go to the dentist for a check-up.

Why does it hurt when I bite something hard?

This condition may be caused by periodontitis or pain caused by inflammation of the tooth root apex. In this case, it is best to go to the hospital for a thorough check-up. If it is caused by periodontitis, you can have your teeth cleaned, apply periodontal medication, and finally have loose teeth ligated and fixed. If it is caused by apical periodontitis, you can have root canal treatment and take oral anti-inflammatory drugs.

Symptoms of periodontitis

1. Bleeding when brushing teeth

Bleeding while brushing your teeth is the earliest and easiest symptom of gum inflammation. Regardless of whether the bleeding is intermittent or continuous, heavy or light, spontaneous or irritating from brushing or eating, it means that your gums are in very poor condition, or at least you have gingivitis. As for whether the bones have been affected, you need a professional examination by a periodontist for early treatment and control.

Of course, some patients with periodontal disease do not bleed obviously when brushing their teeth. For example, long-term smokers have paler gums, a tougher texture, and less obvious bleeding tendency. There are also patients who do not brush their teeth seriously and only brush the teeth surface where they bite, which does not stimulate the gums at all. Long-term scientific research has shown that smoking is closely related to periodontitis and it promotes the development of inflammation, so regular periodontal examinations are the key to prevention and early treatment.

2. Swollen and painful gums

In some places, acute inflammation of the gums may lead to abscesses, which may cause symptoms of swollen and painful gums. When the patient comes to see the doctor, he describes that there is a "big lump" on the gums, which may have just appeared or may be a recurring swelling. This is the "periodontal abscess" caused by periodontal inflammation, which often represents rapid and massive destruction of the local bone below, so it must be treated early.

3. Persistent bad breath

Bad breath is a common oral disease. There are many reasons for bad breath, and periodontitis is an important one. Periodontitis can cause bleeding gums, tissue inflammation, and the metabolites produced by pathogenic bacteria can cause bad breath.

4. Swelling, itching or discomfort of gums

Periodontal disease can cause swollen gums, and generally this swelling and damage is painless, so we call it the "silent killer." However, some patients may feel swelling, itching or discomfort in a certain part of the gums, and may even feel comfortable when touching them with a toothpick or fingers. This means you need professional periodontal examination and treatment.

5. Loose teeth or even falling off

Loose teeth are a sign that inflammation has become severe to a certain extent. Some loose teeth can be relieved after treatment, while others may not be significantly effective. Such teeth will more or less affect your quality of life when chewing. If you find that some teeth have fallen out, you should come for a periodontal check-up immediately. The lifespan of other teeth in your mouth depends on your thoughts.

6. The gaps between teeth seem to be getting bigger

Periodontal disease can cause the gums and underlying alveolar bone to recede, exposing the space between teeth that should be occupied by the gums and alveolar bone, making patients feel that the gaps between teeth are getting bigger.

7. Displacement of teeth, especially upper and lower front teeth

Sometimes the loosening of teeth may not be very obvious, but many patients find that their upper or lower front teeth have gradually changed position over a period of time. For example, the middle gap between the front teeth becomes larger, one of the front teeth is twisted, the front teeth are sticking out, or there are scattered gaps between the lower front teeth. These are all symptoms of periodontitis.