Why Are Toothaches Worse At Night?

Toothaches are one of the worst kinds of pains to deal with. Not only do you experience problems in eating and speaking, but you cannot focus on other work because of the excruciating pain. You may have noticed that toothaches are much worse at night than they are during the day. This is true for many people, and there may be multiple reasons for it.

If you or your loved one suffers from a toothache, there might be a serious underlying cause. Do not hesitate to seek treatment at expert dental care in Gulf Breeze. The longer you wait to discover the problem, the more extensive and expensive the treatment plan may be. Meanwhile, here are a few reasons why toothaches are more felt at night.

Why toothaches are worse at night

You lie down.

When you lie down, your head is dropped to the level of your heart, lungs, and liver; thus, the blood flow stream in your face, mouth, and brain increases. The increased blood pressure can make your sensitive areas hurt more than usual. You may feel a completely different throbbing sensation at night that does not occur during the day.

Your brain has fewer distractions.

During the day, you may be engaged in several activities and complete your chores. The pain you experience may only be half the actual amount because you tend to pay less attention to things when you are busy. At night, when you lie on your bed, there are fewer distractions, and you are not engaged in work. You are more aware of your body and the sensations it experiences. The ache is not worse; you just feel it better at night.

You have bruxism.

Bruxism is the habit of unconsciously grinding your teeth when you sleep. Some people with bruxism have no idea that they suffer from this problem and wake up with unexplained dental pain. Some obvious signs of teeth grinding are damaged enamel and unexplained dental pain. Your toothache might be worse at night because of your bruxism.

Late-night food or snacks.

If you eat late-night snacks or food, some of them may remain stuck in your teeth and cause pain. That is why you should not go to bed without brushing and flossing. Bacteria thrive on sugar. If you do not brush, the food particles and bacteria will give rise to plaque, tartar, and infections, causing tooth pain. People who eat late at night and do not brush will likely suffer toothache.