Does it Hurt to Bite Down? If So, Call Your Dentist

Biting down shouldn't hurt, but if it does, that signals a problem. It could be any number of problems, but all of them need to be addressed by you seeing your dentist. Chewing should not be a painful experience, but that is not always possible.

If you bite down and wind up in pain, call your dentist. You need to have the problem identified and corrected as soon as possible, as leaving it alone will likely only make it worse.

Reasons It Can Hurt to Bite Down

Having a cavity, once it gets large enough, can leave you in pain when you bite down. Most cavities don't hurt when they are small. They typically only hurt when they get big enough to affect the root or nerve of the tooth. These need to be taken care of quickly so that they do not spread or cause additional problems with your teeth.

A fractured tooth can also cause a significant amount of pain when you bite down. This is when your tooth cracks, but doesn't crack apart. When you bite down, that crack widens, allowing you to feel it, and sometimes exposing the root of your tooth. This needs to also be addressed quickly, as if any bacteria were to enter that crack, it could cause your tooth to break or rot
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It is not supposed to hurt when you bite down. It should simply feel like your teeth are coming together to chew or to rest. When you have pain, it is a symptom of a larger issue.

Contact our office and let them know what is going on. They are going to want you to come in so they can take a look. Once they know what the problem is, a treatment plan can be devised to help get rid of your pain.