Why Do You Feel Pain Between Your Teeth? Causes & Fixes

A sharp pain between two of your teeth could be causing you pain, aching or throbbing. This is due to two of your teeth being closely adjacent to each other. This makes it difficult to know exactly what is causing your pain. Any dental pain should be treated with care as tooth infections can quickly spread into surrounding jawbone tissue.

Your dentist will examine your teeth to see what is causing you pain between two teeth. Understanding why you are feeling pain between your teeth can help you get expert treatment as soon as possible to help keep your teeth healthy in the long run.

What Are the Causes of Pain Between Your Teeth?

Can Cavities Between Your Teeth Cause Pain?

One of the most common reasons for pain between two of your teeth is due to a cavity. These are known as inter proximal cavities. Food and sticky plaque can build up in these tight gaps between your teeth. If you don’t floss your teeth everyday then bacteria will feed on the sugar in your food. This produces acidic chemicals which erode your teeth.

Enamel erosion – The acid causes your enamel to erode leaving tiny holes between your teeth.
Tooth decay – This causes the enamel to wear through and expose the dentine. This contains thousands of tiny tubes which lead to the nerve in your tooth.
Sensitivity – The dentine is very sensitive to cold, hot and sweet foods.
Food is forced into the cavity causing sharp nerve pain between your teeth.

Your dentist can take digital x-rays to look for inter proximal cavities between your teeth as they can’t be seen with the naked eye.

Can Food Impaction Cause Pain Between Your Teeth?

Thick meat fibers, popcorn husks and fibrous vegetables can become wedged between your teeth. This is known as food impaction. Although having a piece of food stuck can seem like a small problem, constant food impaction causes extreme pressure and irritation.

Gap in teeth – Your teeth can start to move away from each other creating a gap between them.
Pressure – This causes pressure on the teeth forcing them apart. This puts strain on the sensitive ligaments that hold your teeth in place.
Inflammation – Food will quickly start to rot causing bacteria to grow. This causes your gums to become inflamed between your teeth.
Bleeding – This causes your gums to bleed easily when you try to clean them.

You can easily remove the wedged food with wax floss or inter dental brush to create more space between your teeth.

Can Gum Inflammation Between Teeth Cause Pain?

The area between two teeth is protected by a triangular shaped piece of tissue known as the inter dental papilla. Bacteria will cause inflammation in this area due to plaque build up.

Redness – Plaque build up will cause your gums to become bright red and swollen.
Gum pockets – Bacterial infection will cause your gums to pull away from your teeth causing deep pockets.
Bone loss – If periodontitis is left untreated then the bone between your teeth will start to break down. This causes aching between your teeth.
Swelling – The inflammation will cause your gums to swell between your teeth causing pain when you chew.

A deep clean, scaling and root planning will remove any stubborn plaque and calculus from your teeth allowing your inflamed gums to heal.

Can Tooth Cracks Cause Pain Between Two Teeth?

A tiny crack down the side of your teeth where they meet each other will cause sharp unpredictable pain. These cracks often develop due to grinding your teeth at night, chewing on hard ice cubes or old silver fillings.

Movement – As you chew your teeth the cracked areas will move causing irritation to your nerve.
Painful – You will feel a sharp stabbing pain when you let go of the hard food you’re biting.
Saliva, bacteria and acids will pass into your tooth.
Root cracks – If there is a vertical crack along the root of your tooth below the gum line then this will cause inflammation in the bone between your teeth.

Your dentist will use high intensity lights and special dyes to find any cracks between your teeth. They will then advise you to have crowns to protect your teeth.

Can Broken Restorations Cause Pain Between Your Teeth?

Old restorations will eventually start to break down due to the constant movement from chewing and moisture. This will often cause severe pain between your teeth.

Tiny gaps – Over time the edges of your old filling will start to develop tiny gaps. Bacteria will start to pass underneath.
Overhang – If the edge of your filling is sticking out slightly this will cause your floss to catch. This will cause plaque build up and tear your gums.
Tooth decay – If there is decay underneath your filling this will reach your nerve causing severe throbbing pain between your teeth.
Cracked fillings – If your filling has cracked then food will press against your teeth.

Replacing old leaking or broken restorations will stop bacteria passing through. This will help keep your nerve healthy and stop any constant pain between your teeth.

Can Impacted Wisdom Teeth Cause Pain Between Your Teeth?

Wisdom teeth can often come through at an awkward angle due to lack of space in your jaw. If your third molar is pressing against your second molar then this will cause severe pressure pain between your teeth.

Pressure – The wisdom tooth will press against the root of your neighboring tooth.
Pericoronitis – If your wisdom tooth isn’t fully emerged then this can cause a flap of gum tissue. This will cause food to get trapped causing painful infections behind your second molar.
Root resorption – Constant pressure from an impacted wisdom tooth can cause the outside of the root on your healthy neighboring tooth to start to dissolve.
Severe pain – Often you will feel pain radiating up to your ear, temple or jaw.

An x-ray can show your oral surgeon how your wisdom teeth are coming through. This will enable them to advise you to have them removed as soon as possible to keep your neighboring healthy molars safe.

Can a Dental Abscess Cause Pain Between Your Teeth?

If bacteria enter deep into your tooth due to severe decay or cracks then the pulp inside your tooth will die. This will cause a localized infection which will come out from the tip of your root. This will cause bacterial pus to spread between your teeth.

Constant throbbing – This will cause a constant severe throbbing pain which will stop you sleeping.
Very sensitive – Light tapping on either of your neighboring teeth will cause severe pain.
Swollen gums – A lump will appear on your gums between your teeth. This will be sensitive and pus will come out of a pimple (fistula).
Swelling – Severe bacterial infections will quickly spread into your soft facial tissues causing your cheeks to swell.

Your dentist will carry out an emergency root canal or extraction to drain the infection. This will remove the dead tissue and stop the infection spreading.

What Should You Do If You Have Pain Between Your Teeth?

Floss daily using wax floss or an inter dental brush to gently remove any food stuck between your teeth. Be careful not to damage your sensitive gums.
Rinse your mouth with warm salt water to help reduce inflammation and reduce bacterial growth between your swollen gums.
Visit your dentist for a full examination. They will take digital bite wings.
Don’t eat any hard foods, ice or sticky sweets on the side of your mouth which is causing pain.
Visit your dentist for an emergency appointment if you experience any swelling in your face, high temperature or see any pus coming from between your teeth.
Visit your dentist every 6 months for a professional clean to remove any calculus.

What Are the Frequently Asked Questions About Pain Between Your Teeth?

Why Do My Teeth Hurt When I’m Eating?

Pain when you’re eating usually means you have food impaction, cracks or a deep cavity. When you bite down on your food it will force it into the cavity or cause your cracked tooth to move irritating your nerve.

Will Flossing Too Hard Cause Pain Between Your Teeth?

Yes! Snapping the floss into your gums will cause damage to the sensitive inter dental papilla. This will cause some pain, inflammation and bleeding. Always gently slide the floss between the gap using a sawing movement.

How Do Dentists Find Cavities Between Your Teeth?

Dentists will take bite-wing x-rays to look through your enamel to see if there is any hidden inter proximal decay. They will also use special probes, loupes and bright lights during your clinical examination.

Will the Pain Between My Teeth Go Away?

If your pain is due to a small piece of food stuck then it will go quickly once you floss. However if it’s due to cavities, gum disease, cracks or nerve infections then it won’t go away and will need treatment.

Pain between your teeth means there is an issue with your teeth. Whether it’s a hidden cavity, food impaction, gum inflammation or cracks it is best to get it looked at by a professional as soon as possible. Getting expert treatment early will mean small problems don’t turn into complicated emergencies. Visit your dentist for a full examination so they can find out the cause of your pain and keep your teeth healthy in the long run.