Toothache And Pain Relief: Causes, Symptoms, And Remedies

Practicing healthy oral hygiene habits, regular dental checkups, examination, and cleanings are ways of caring for your teeth and protecting your dental health. If you ignore these measures, your teeth are prone to dental damage, which may destroy the appearance of your teeth, prevent them from carrying out their functions effectively, and cause you severe pain and discomfort in teeth, commonly known as a toothache.

A toothache is a pain or discomfort in or around a tooth due to injury, accidents, and dental infections and diseases. Toothaches might result from minor causes like an object stuck in the tooth or might be an indication of something much worse, such as a failed dental treatment or dental infection. While toothaches might cause so much discomfort that may hinder your eating, speaking, and even sleeping to the extent that all you think about is how to relieve tooth pain fast, it is essential to consider the potential cause to determine the treatment approach.

Causes Of Toothache

The following are the causes of a toothache:

• Fractured Tooth (Broken Tooth): If the appropriate safety measures are not implemented while working or during sports, it might lead to a direct blow or trauma to the teeth. This might lead to a part of the tooth breaking off, causing severe pain and discomfort.
• Tooth Decay: Tooth decay is a dental condition caused by the infestation of the mouth with dental plaques. Dental plaques are slimy films of bacteria that stick to the surface of the teeth. They form from an interaction of bacteria with saliva and starchy/sugary food particles in the mouth. With the aid of the sugary/starchy food particles, dental plaques produce acids that break down the tooth enamel and cause rot. Tooth decay leads to dental cavities (tiny holes in the tooth), which cause toothache.
• Repetitive motions with the teeth: Nonstop gum chewing or grinding/clenching the teeth wears down the teeth. That makes the teeth sore and leads to pain and discomfort in the teeth.
• Abscessed Tooth: This occurs when a pocket of pus forms below the teeth on the gums due to bacterial infection inside the center of the tooth. Dental plaques also cause this. When a tooth has decayed severely, the acids produced by dental plaques seep in and infect the tooth pulp. The tooth pulp is a part of the tooth that is responsible for the moisture and nourishment of the teeth. Infection of the tooth pulp leads to acute pain and discomfort.
• Eruption of the teeth above the gumline: The teeth might ache when erupting above the gum line.
• Damaged dental fillings: Dental fillings fill dental cavities (tiny holes in the teeth). If the filling becomes damaged, it exposes the cavity and might lead to toothache.
• Infection of the gums: Bacteria from dental plaques also infect the gums and cause gum disease. When this occurs, the gum might recede from the teeth, exposing the tooth root. Since the gums which protect the teeth have decreased, the teeth are prone to toothache, sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, etc.

Symptoms Of Toothache

The following symptoms might accompany a toothache:

• Fever or headache.
• Sharp, throbbing, or constant tooth pain.
• Pain when pressure is applied to the teeth.
• Halitosis (bad odor from the mouth).
• Foul taste in the mouth.

Home Remedies For Treating Toothache

The following are proven ways to treat a toothache at home:

• Apply a cold compress to the painful area for 20 minutes at intervals.
• Pour a small amount of clove oil on a cotton ball and apply to the painful area.
• Rinse your mouth with warm saltwater. Saltwater loosens debris between the teeth and reduces inflammation.
• Apply a paste of a crushed garlic clove to the affected area to kill bacteria and relieve pain.
• Use anti-inflammatory and pain medications.

If you follow these toothache tips and your toothache persists after two or three days, see a dentist at Fox Creek Dental by Espire Broomfield because you might need to fill dental cavities or undergo an extraction.