Nursing a toothache can be one of the painful experiences that anyone has to deal with. It can be a slight discomfort that builds up, a dull ache that last repeatedly for minutes or it can be a throbbing pain that continues for hours and even days on end. There are several causes of toothache including dental caries, presence of pus, inflamed gums and so on. They all feature the same thing – a result of injury or inflammation of the dental pulp. You may find swelling of the area and the pain may increase significantly once infection sets in or pus forms. A pus-filled root can become dangerous because infection can spread to the circulation and that can’t be good. Also, tooth decay is caused by poor or lack of oral hygiene and may be due to complications of some underlying disease.
In most cases, a mild toothache is relieved by rinsing the affected area with warm salt water, putting half a teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water. It may also help to practice dental hygiene after every meal, floss daily or as necessary and take some oral analgesic to control the pain. To prevent further break down, it’s recommended that you avoid carbonated drinks or anything acidic and eat raw fruits and vegetables for good measure. If the pain gradually increases and you can’t bear it any longer, it’s best to see your dentist as soon as you can. Although visiting your dentist isn’t cheap, you’ll be glad that you did. Your dentist shall most probably suggest to have the affected tooth or teeth checked and treated, assessing if the tooth can be saved even with nerve damage and abscess. Ultimately, it’s better to treat the ache early on than wait for it to worsen and cause further aggravation.
It’s alright to believe that there’s no perfect dentist out there. You can only wish to find someone who is not only good enough but can treat and mend your teeth the way you want them to do it. As for cases of tooth pain, it’s essential to get to know your options before visiting the dental office. Mild to moderate toothache can be as equally distressing as the severe ones and may result to loss of appetite, lack of sleep, irritability, headache, changes in work or study routines and altered lifestyle.