General Description
What is Toothache?
Toothache is the name given to pain that develops in or around the tooth. Smaller toothaches can be caused by a temporary gum irritation that the individual can do at home. But more serious and severe toothaches are caused by dental and oral problems that will not heal on their own and need to be treated by a dentist.
The pulp in the tooth has a soft structure filled with nerves, tissues and blood vessels. These pulpal nerves are among the most sensitive nerves in the human body. When these nerves become irritated or infected with bacteria, they can cause abscesses and severe pain.
A toothache itself is not directly fatal. However, an untreated infection in your tooth or any other part of your body can always spread to the rest of the body.
It is possible to become ill with the spread of this infection, and it can become a serious, even life-threatening condition. If the toothache does not improve, it is necessary to consult your dentist.
Reasons
What Are the Possible Causes of Toothache?
Common causes of toothache include:
Tooth decay.
Tooth abscess caused by a bacterial infection in the center of the tooth,
Tooth cracked or broken tooth,
Damage to the dental filling
Tooth wear caused by repetitive movements such as chewing gum, clenching or rubbing teeth,
gum infection,
Tooth eruption from the gums, that is, tooth eruption,
Tooth extraction occurs due to reasons such as wisdom teeth.
Symptoms
What Are the Symptoms of Toothache?
The most common symptom of a toothache is, as the name suggests, sharp, throbbing, recurrent or persistent toothache. In some cases, pain only occurs when pressure is applied to the tooth, such as when biting something.
Swelling may occur around the tooth. The individual may experience fever or headache. A foul-tasting discharge from the infected tooth and a foul odor may emanate from the mouth.
However, if there is a problem in breathing and swallowing with toothache, it is recommended to consult a dentist immediately.
Treatment Methods
How Toothache Passes?
In some cases, pain that originates from around the tooth, not from inside, may resolve spontaneously before consulting a dentist. Pain from temporary irritation and redness of the gums may resolve within a few days.
During this time, care should be taken not to use the affected area for chewing. Soft foods such as eggs and yogurt should be consumed. If the teeth are sensitive, especially sweets and very hot or very cold foods should be avoided.
How To Treat Toothache Correctly?
Doctors who deal with various dental problems are dentists. If the toothache is getting worse, temporary, homemade pain relief solutions are not enough.
For this reason, if the pain does not subside in a short time after these solutions are applied, if there is a toothache that lasts longer than a day or two, if there is a very severe toothache, if there is fever, earache or pain increase when the mouth is fully opened, if there is swelling in the mouth or face, It is recommended to consult a dentist at the same time.
The dentist to whom the individual will apply will first ask where the pain is, when it started, how severe it is, and whether there are items that aggravate or alleviate the pain.
After these questions, the dentist will also perform a physical examination and check the individual's mouth, teeth, gums, jaw, tongue, throat, sinuses, ears, nose, and neck. An X-ray may also be taken to help determine the cause of the toothache.
Proper diagnosis and treatment of dental infections is important to prevent their spread to other parts of the face and skull, and possibly to the bloodstream. Toothache can be extremely uncomfortable, but the pain is not permanent as long as it is treated. The dentist can relieve pain and prevent infections in the mouth from spreading throughout the body.
Treatment of toothache depends on what is causing the pain. If a cavity is causing a toothache, the dentist will clean the cavity and fill it or, if necessary, extract the tooth.
If the cause of the toothache is an infection of the dental nerve, root canal treatment, i.e. removing the infected pupa and replacing a sealed material, may be needed. This infection is caused by bacteria that infiltrate the cavity where the dental pulp is located.
If there is a fever or swelling in the jaw, the dentist may prescribe an antibiotic. A small piece of food can get stuck under the gums and cause an infection. In this case, the dentist may recommend a deep cleaning or then apply another periodontal treatment if necessary.
How To Prevent Toothache?
Since many cases of toothache are the result of tooth decay, careful attention to oral hygiene can prevent toothache caused by:
Brushing teeth regularly with fluoride toothpaste
flossing at least once a day,
Consulting a dentist twice a year for professional cleaning is considered good oral hygiene practice.
However, choosing foods low in sugar can help keep teeth healthy for longer.
Is Home Treatment Possible for Toothache?
It is possible to use several methods for temporary relief of a toothache:
Rinsing the tooth with warm salt water can relieve toothache as the salt water loosens the debris between the teeth, acts as a disinfectant and reduces inflammation. It may be sufficient to mix a teaspoon of salt with a glass of warm water and clean the mouth thoroughly with this salty mixture.
Cleaning the mouth with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution can help reduce inflammation and pain. For this, hydrogen peroxide must be diluted with an equal amount of water. The mouth should be rinsed thoroughly after use, and the solution should never be swallowed.
Keeping a cold ice pack wrapped in a towel on the painful area for 20 minutes every few hours can help relieve swelling and pain.
Over-the-counter pain medications can reduce pain and inflammation.
Natural or Herbal Remedies for Toothache
As always, there is no scientific evidence that herbal medicine or supplements that are not directly recommended by a doctor can solve any medical problem. However, such herbal remedies and supplements can interact with medications taken for other medical conditions, causing different side effects.
For this reason, before trying any natural treatment method, it is recommended that the individual consult a doctor to find out if it is suitable for him.
However, clove oil, a natural antiseptic that numbs pain and reduces inflammation, can work to relieve toothache. A small amount of clove oil can be applied to a cotton ball and applied to the painful area, or you can gargle inside the mouth after pouring a drop of clove oil into a small glass of water.