If I can remember one vivid memory of my childhood, it is toothache. I am someone who experienced unbearable pain of having toothache early in his life. Despite seeing dentists, I always had the swelling in my gums, headache, fever and bad taste in mouth.It was a really nightmare.Cracked teeth, cavities, an abscess in the gum line or loose filling may often lead to unbearable tooth pain.Toothache is often described as pain in your teeth or jaw occurring mainly due to decaying of your tooth. It normally occurs when there is an inflammation in the dental pulp 1.The causes of toothache can be different but if you like sweets, sugary drinks, do not brush or floss, chances are that you will face toothache at one point in time in your life.
The best way to deal with any tooth pain is to head to the dentist if your toothache is not subsided within 2 days. Depending upon the severity of the issue, your dentist can suggest various solutions such as medication and she may also advise you root canal therapy 2 , when the situation worsens.
But what do you do with the unbearable pain before you can make it to the dentist?
6 Accessible methods to spare you the pain for the moment
Here are a few easy ways to get some relief
Swishing salt water
Prepare a ‘painkiller’ mouthwash by mixing a teaspoon of salt with boiling water taken in a cup. Swish it around your mouth for about half a minute and then throw it out.It not only brings down the intensity of the pain but also reduces swelling and washes away debris accumulating around the teeth. Repeat this frequently and you are bound to get good results.
Icing the affected area
Take a plastic bag, put some small ice cubes in it and then wrap it with a thin cloth. Apply the bag to the area affected by toothache for around 10 to 15 minutes at a stress.This will numb the nerves and hence will make you much less sensitive to the pain.It has also been seen that by simply messaging an ice cube in the area connecting the forefinger and thumb, you can relive a toothache.
Rinsing with hydrogen peroxide
Buy a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and keep it handy. It goes a long way in killing bacteria and bringing relief from discomfort.Simply rinse your mouth with hydrogen peroxide and once you spit it out, rinse a number of times with water.If you have foul smell in the mouth and fever along with toothache, hydrogen peroxide can provide a good temporary solution, but you need to visit your dentist to eliminate the infection completely.
Applying clove oil
Cloves perform wonderfully when it comes to numbing nerves, because they contain the compound eugenol, which has anesthetic properties.But you need to be extremely careful while using clove oil, since pouring the oil over any sensitive gum tissue can do more harm than good by worsening the pain, which might require a root canal therapy from the dentist.So, you need to take just two drops of the oil in a cotton ball and apply it directly to the tooth till the intensity of the pain comes down. You may also use a whole clove instead of clove oil.
Calming with tea
Peppermint tea is very useful in reducing swelling and toothache. Take a cup of boiling water, put a spoonful of dried peppermint leaves and let it settle for around 15 minutes.Then swish the cooled tea in your mouth, followed by throwing out or swallowing. You may also try placing a wet peppermint tea bag over the aching tooth to relieve pain.
Treating with brown paper and vinegar
It is not exactly the remedy for a paining tooth, but this common country cure may be successful in distracting you to a certain extent.Take a small piece of brown paper and soak it in vinegar. Then sprinkle black pepper on one side and hold that particular side to the cheek on the side of the aching tooth.There will be a kind of warm sensation, which can distract you from the pain.Once your toothache is relieved by going for one or more of these remedies do consult a dentist for further treatment.As per the condition of your teeth, the dentist will prescribe medication and might also advise root canal therapy, which is one of the best treatments for troubled teeth and gums.
How to ensure long term prevention
Long term prevention is easy and can be done. For this, you need to do following 5 things on consistent basis:
- Avoid eating sugary foods on regular basis. Occasional eating may be allowed but avoid eating on regular basis.
- See your dentist on regular basis. With age, there occurs natural tooth decay so always make sure you see your doctor once a year at least.
- Regularly brush your teeth and also change the brush after every three months. Rinsing your mouth with mouth wash can also help to strengthen your cavities and general tooth health.
- Avoid drinking too cold or too hot drinks including water specially if you frequently face the toothache.
- Avoid yawning or taking large bites of food specially when in pain.
Above are some simple yet effective methods to deal with the toothache and can easily help you to avoid the same without spending too much on the dental care.
REFERENCES
Featured photo credit: The Natural Penguin via thenaturalpenguin.com
[1]NHS Choices: Toothache
[2]Mapleridge Dentistry: Do you Need a Root Canal?