What to Know About Tooth Pain

Causes of Tooth Pain

Tooth Decay

The most common problem which causes tooth pain is decay. Decay creates a hole in the tooth which extends down to the root. Often this is a called a “cavity.” A simple cavity can cause your teeth to be sensitive to hot and cold temperatures. When the cavity extends to the middle of the tooth, the root is then exposed to foreign elements which can cause severe irritation. A cavity is often filled or capped in order to fill the hole and protect the roots inside.

Mouth Injury

Another cause of tooth pain is direct oral injury. This can be caused a number of ways including sporting accidents, biting onto something too hard, or other freak accidents. If a tooth is damaged or partially dislodged, the roots can be strained or pinched, causing severe pain. Depending on the severity of the damage, sometimes that tooth can be saved by a dentist, and sometimes the tooth may need to be pulled out and a replacement put in its place. If your teeth are damaged, getting to the dentist quickly is imperative. The quicker a person can get into the dentist office, the more chance a dentist has of saving your teeth.

Tooth Knocked Out or Removed

The other way tooth pain occurs is if the tooth actually falls out. When teeth are knocked out or pulled out, many times some of the root is left in the gum, which causes substantial pain. Even if the root is completely removed, if it is knocked out there is typically damage done to the gum, tissue, and jaw. This damage can add additional pain to the area.

Similar to Tooth Pain

There are also sources of pain which are not caused directly by the tooth itself, but can be disguised as tooth pain. If there is damage to the jaw or gums, a person may experience severe discomfort, even though your teeth are perfectly fine. In an instance like this, the teeth are not technically causing the discomfort, but the pain can be just as severe and can radiate through the mouth, just like a toothache.

In the end, if a person is experiencing a problem with their oral health, they need to get into a dental office as soon as possible. Using x-rays, a dentist can pinpoint the cause of a toothache and quickly get the problem fixed. If you are reading this while experiencing tooth pain, go to a local dentist office as soon as possible to get the problem taken care of.

How to Get Help for Tooth Pain

Oral Care

A toothache can really affect your everyday life. Prevention is always the first effort to truly help your oral health. The best way to prevent needing help with a toothache is to keep your teeth clean. This means brushing your teeth and flossing. Most Americans forget to floss, but some dentists recommend flossing over brushing if you have to choose between one or the other. Flossing removes the food and bacteria between teeth that quickly cause cavities. Dentists generally encourage one to brush two to three times a day and floss after every meal. One thing people often forget is to be sure to brush the tongue as well where bacteria may have the opportunity to build up. Many kinds of mouthwashes are available to supplement brushing and flossing. All these steps will prevent and help with a toothache. However, if you have weak enamel, you may need to take additional steps to help prevent a toothache.

Limit Sugar Intake

Limiting your intake of sugar will also lower your risk of developing or needing help with a toothache. When sugar and food particles are left on your teeth it is digested by bacteria in the mouth and mixed with saliva to form an acidic plaque that coats and eats away the outer coating of your teeth. Resulting in dental cavities.

Dental Procedures

Dental cavities can be fixed in a number of different ways depending on the severity. If it is a minor cavity the dentist will clean out the decayed portion of the cavity with a tiny drill and fill it with metal or composite resin. It is best to catch these minor cavities early to avoid serious problems and toothaches. It is recommended to get your teeth checked by a dentist every 6 months to make sure you have no new cavities and prevent major damage to your teeth.

Home Remedies

These steps will help prevent pain, but what do you do if you already have pain? Home remedies are an option for that may help your toothache as well as taking time to see a dentist. If you only need help with a toothache that is minor it may be possible to prevent further pain and damage through the use of natural remedies. If you are not afraid of bad breath and body odor, powerful foods such and garlic and onions will kill bacteria in the mouth when chewed raw. Clove Oil, wheat grass, and lime are among the other solutions recommended. Vitamin C is always helpful in improving overall health including dental health.

You can help your toothache the best by taking certain measures to prevent having a problem. Preventative measures are the best. If you follow the advice to keep your teeth clean and go to the dentist for regular check ups you should be able to avoid the need of resorting to various home remedies or losing the tooth.