The teeth are equally important as any other body organ. Apart from chewing the food, teeth help you speak distinctly and boost your confidence. With time the teeth lose their natural color, shape, and vitality. Modern dentistry provides various restorative and cosmetic dentistry methods to improve the aesthetic value of teeth.
Toothaches
Toothaches can be caused by various factors, from the hull of popcorn stuck between the teeth to bacterial infections. Even temporary gum irritations can contribute to tooth pains. Pain in and around the teeth is classified as toothaches. The pain is temporary and reduces with time or medicines in most cases.
It would help if you rushed to an emergency dentist near you to treat intolerable dental pain. Such toothaches can be classified as a dental emergency and need immediate attention of an emergency dentist. Dental trauma and persistent toothaches need treatment from an emergency dentist.
The inside of the pulp is filled with a soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp houses a minute network of nerves and blood capillaries. The pulp is one of the most sensitive parts of the human body, and bacterial infections can affect the pulp causing persistent tooth pain.
Possible Causes of Toothaches
The possible causes of persistent toothaches are:
- A damaged tooth filling
- An abscessed tooth which a periodontal infection has caused
- A fractured or chipped tooth
- An improper tooth extraction
- Dental decay
- Cavities
- Repetitive dental motion as chewing of gums, clenching, and teeth grinding
What to Do for Toothache?
The pain in the teeth can be constant, sharp, or throbbing. Some experience immense pain in the teeth on biting some food. The common symptoms of tooth pain can be swelling around the base of the teeth. Some experience fever and headaches along with toothaches. A bad odor can also accompany tooth pain.
It would help if you visited a dentist for excruciating tooth pain relief. You may rinse with warm salt water to loosen the debris and reduce inflammation as it acts as a disinfectant. You can mix half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and rinse thoroughly. Alternatively, rinsing with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution by diluting in equal parts of water can temporarily reduce inflammation and pain.
Cold compress works wonder in reducing the pain and swelling of the gums. You can wrap ice cubes in a towel and apply them to the painful area for 20 minutes. Repeating the process after a few hours can help.
Over-the-counter medication can reduce pain and inflammation.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and naproxen work wonder in relieving the pain. You can also try some of the home remedies to relieve toothaches.
How to Stop Tooth Pain Fast?
It may not be feasible to rush to an emergency dentist immediately. Alternatively, you can try teledentistry- a new trend of online consultation with the dentist. Toothaches can be painful during the day, but the condition worsens at night. Home remedies can temporarily relieve the pain, but you need to consult the dentist if the pain progresses.
You can make garlic paste and apply it to the painful teeth to relieve the pain. Garlic contains allicin-an antimicrobial that kills bacteria and relieves pain. Peppermint tea bags has numbing properties and, on application, can relieve oral pains. You can also try clove oil to reduce inflammation and pain. Guava leaves have anti-inflammatory properties to reduce toothaches.
What to Expect at the Emergency Dentist?
Once you visit an emergency dentist, he thoroughly examines the oral cavity. The dentist might probe into the oral cavity to better look at the teeth. X-rays can be performed to get a clear view of the underlying conditions.
Once the reason for the pain is identified, the dentist aims to reduce the pain. The dentist looks for damage to the crown or the gum, administering medicine accordingly. If in-office pain treatment does not help, you may be advised to take prescribed painkillers and antibiotics.
Montgomery Dental Associates & Implantology Center can be your dental clinic in Rockville, MD. You may book an appointment here and avail of our multi-benefits. We accept most dental insurances and provide personalized dental care.