Tooth pain is primarily caused by:

• Damage that has progressed to affect the tooth’s nerve.
• Inflammation of the pulp, which is the soft tissue inside the tooth.

Just a while ago, we talked about sensitivity. Now, pain is taking it up a notch. Sensitive—I’m drinking cold and I’m a little bit sensitive. That doesn’t alarm me. Any kind of time that you would use “my teeth are in pain,” then I say, “Wow, you need to see a dentist. It’s not normal for teeth to be in pain.”

And let me give you a good example. How many people go around saying, “My bones hurt”? Bones are really strong. They carry the entire body and they hold those muscles while you’re walking. And nobody says, “My bones hurt.” They say, “My muscles hurt. My feet hurt.” You know, that kind of thing. But your bones aren’t reported as hurting. And guess what? Your teeth are 10 times stronger than your bones.

Here’s a shocking stat: Tooth enamel earns a 5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, making it about as hard, or harder, than steel(Hardest Substance in the Human Body: All About Tooth Enamel). Wow!

Teeth don’t hurt unless there’s something wrong with them. And so when you say, “Is it okay?” or “Should I be concerned if my tooth hurts?” Yes, you should. Don’t wait till it hurts is what we say. And we even have a class in dental school that is strictly called “Don’t Wait Till It Hurts” because if you wait till your teeth start hurting, then yes, there is a need. You need to have something done, seen by a dentist so that you can repair that pain. That’s not normal for a tooth to hurt.

We don’t have people complain about their cavities. Even when I diagnose cavities, they say, “Well, it doesn’t hurt.” I know because we’re working with the hardest substance in the human body. We’re dealing with something that doesn’t show its pain until it’s really too late. So, let’s get it small. Let’s get it preventative. Let’s make it strong so it doesn’t hurt. But if your teeth are hurting, you need to see a dentist, flat out.

Think about it this way: your teeth are designed to be incredibly durable. They’re meant to last your entire lifetime, handling the constant pressure of chewing, the temperature changes from hot and cold foods, and the daily exposure to bacteria in your mouth. They’re built to withstand all of this without complaint. So when a tooth starts hurting, it’s a red flag—a warning sign that something has gone wrong.

Pain indicates that damage has progressed to affect the tooth’s nerve. By the time tooth sensitivity occurs, minor inflammation of the pulp has developed where the pulp meets the dentin(Tooth Whiteners: 5. Can tooth whitening products containing hydrogen peroxide harm teeth?). What could have been a simple filling might now require more extensive treatment.

This is why prevention is so important in dentistry. Regular dental visits allow us to catch problems early, when they’re small and don’t cause symptoms. We can see decay starting, we can identify areas of weakness, and we can intervene before you ever feel a thing. That’s the goal—to keep your teeth healthy and pain-free throughout your life.

So remember: teeth are stronger than bones, and they shouldn’t hurt. If they do, it’s your body telling you that professional dental care is needed right away.