What is a toothache?

The discomfort pain in or around a tooth is known as a toothache. Minor toothaches can be caused by transitory gum irritation, which you can treat at home. More significant toothaches result from dental and mouth diseases that do not go away on their own and require treatment by a dentist.

Why is the toothache so painful?

The pulp of your tooth is a soft substance that contains nerves, tissues, and blood vessels. These pulp nerves are among your body’s most sensitive parts. They can produce significant pain if inflamed or infected with bacteria (abscess).

What are the causes of toothache?

Some of the probable causes of toothache or pain in your teeth are:

• Decay in the teeth.
• Abscessed tooth (a bacterial infection within the tooth’s pulp).
• Fractured teeth.
• Damaged dental filling.
• Repetitive actions, i.e., chewing gum or grinding or clenching teeth. Your teeth may be worn down as a result of these motions.
• Infection in the gums.
• Teeth eruption and tooth extraction (for example, wisdom teeth).

What are the symptoms of toothache?

Some of the symptoms of toothache have been mentioned in the pointers below:

• Sharp, throbbing, or continuous tooth pain is likely. Pain occurs solely when pressure is applied to the tooth in some instances.
• Inflammation around the teeth.
• Suffering from headache or fever.
• Foul-tasting discharge from the affected tooth.
• Facing the problem of halitosis

Call a dentist immediately if you’re having trouble breathing or swallowing in addition to your pain.

Does the toothache go away on its own?

Some toothaches that are caused by pain around (but not inside) your tooth can be treated at home without the need for a visit to the dentist. Pain from a minor gum irritation (redness) usually goes away in a few days. Try not to chew around the affected area at this time. If you have sensitive teeth, eat soft food items like eggs and yogurt and avoid sweets and foods that are particularly hot or cold.

How to treat a toothache at home?

To get brief relief from a toothache, try the following:

• Use warm salt water for rinsing – Saltwater can remove debris between your teeth, sterilize them, and relieve irritation. Fill a glass with warm water and 12 teaspoons of salt. Rinse your mouth well.
• Rinse with hydrogen peroxide – Inflammation and pain can be reduced with a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution. After diluting the hydrogen peroxide with equal parts of water, rinse thoroughly. Make sure not to swallow it.
• Use a cold compress – Hold a cold compress or ice wrapped in a towel to the sore area for 20 minutes to reduce swelling and pain. You can repeat this process after a few hours.
• Take pain medications – Pain and inflammation can be reduced by over-the-counter pain relievers. NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®), and naproxen (Aleve®) can be used, or acetaminophen (Tylenol®) if NSAIDs are not available. Instead of aspirin, give Tylenol to a child under the age of 16.

What happens when you visit a dental office for a toothache?

If your toothache worsens, temporary pain alleviation from home won’t be enough. Contact your dental professional if you notice that the problem in your mouth is worsening despite your best efforts.

Your dental team will go over your medical history with you at the dental office. You’ll be questioned on things like:

• Where is the pain?
• When did you start feeling the pain?
• How bad is the pain?
• What aggravates the discomfort, and what relieves it?

A physical examination will also be performed by the dental staff. Your mouth, teeth, gums, jaws, tongue, throat, sinuses, ears, nose, and neck will be examined. To diagnose the origins of your toothache, X-rays of your mouth will almost definitely be done.

How does the dentist treat your toothache?

Treatment by a dentist is based on the cause of your toothache.

• If the toothache is caused by a cavity, your dentist will treat the cavity or extract the tooth if necessary.
• If the toothache is caused by a nerve infection, a root canal (a treatment to remove the infected pulp and substitute it with sealing material) may be required. Bacteria that have made their way into the inner space of the tooth’s root cause infection.
• If there is a fever or inflammation of the jaw, an antibiotic may be recommended. A little piece of food (such as a popcorn hull) can get lodged between the teeth and cause an infection. A deep cleaning may be performed or recommended in this case, followed by additional periodontal (gum) therapy if required.

We hope that going through this blog has helped you get an answer to common questions about a toothache. If you suffer from toothache and are looking for the best dental office in San Diego, CA, and nearby, book an appointment with Aero Dentistry – San Diego. Give us a call today!

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