What Does "Zinging" Pain Mean?

tooth pain

Dental language, like any technical language, gets confusing quickly. So often we have patients come in creating their own words to describe what’s happening. It’s a bit like that AAMCO commercial from a few years ago when people show up and mimic the sound their car is making to the mechanic.

One word we get quite often to describe discomfort is ‘zinging’ pain. Whether you call it zinging pain or liken it to an electric shock, this kind of pain is fast and sharp.

More correctly, this is known as neuralgia or nerve pain. Essentially what is happening is that your nerve is unprotected and as such it’s very vulnerable and sensitive. While this pain usually appears and disappears quite quickly, it’s important to get it taken care of because the root cause can worsen and result in more pain and even damage to your teeth or bone structure.

Causes of dental nerve pain

Nerve pain is typically caused by a nerve that is over-exposed. This can happen from a variety of ways, including:

  • Aggressive brushing eroding enamel

  • Cracks in the tooth

  • Cavities

  • Gum disease

  • Bruxism (or tooth grinding)

Short-term solutions to tooth pain

The long-term solution to nerve pain in your mouth is to see a dentist. They will be able to properly assess the problem and fix it for good, whether it’s a cracked tooth or a cavity.

However, if you are dealing with zinging pain and your dentist can’t book you in for a week or so, try some of the solutions below to get you through.

  • Use a toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth. If the pain is particularly bad, apply the toothpaste directly to the tooth, then let sit for a few minutes before spitting and rinsing your mouth out.

  • Avoid sweet, sugary foods and any food this is too hot or cold

  • Don’t chew on hard objects, like ice or candies.

If left too long, tooth pain is more likely to worsen than it is to get better. By booking an appointment with your dentist right after you feel zinging pain, you can not only avoid more discomfort, but you can also catch the problem earlier while it’s still easier (and less expensive) to fix.

Joel Harding