Toothache Remedies

In life, some things are okay to ignore—like calls from telemarketers and the calorie count on that chocolate bar-- but toothaches are DEFINITELY not one of them, especially when they last longer than a day or two. The NUMBER ONE cause of mouth pain is tooth decay. This is when the enamel, and in some cases, the layers of tooth underneath, called dentin -- are eroded away by plaque and bacteria making your teeth ULTRA-sensitive -- particularly to foods and drinks that are cold, hot, sweet or sour. Sensitivity is USUALLY a sign of a well-established cavity. So, if your teeth hurt, HOLD OFF on the hot drinks and iced treats, and visit your dentist as soon as possible.  If it’s not cavity, it’s probably an infected tooth that needs root canal treatment. Now if you’re feeling pain in an area where you ALREADY have a filling that could be a sign that the filling is damaged or has fallen out. Very often, when a tooth with a filling becomes painful to biting, chewing and to cold; it’s usually a sign of a broken or fractured tooth.  If left untreated, fractured teeth usually have to be taken out and replaced. In fact, the “cracked tooth syndrome” is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. Another common cause of toothache is GUM DISEASE such as gingivitis or periodontis. The same bad habits that cause cavities, like skipping flossing and not brushing properly or at all, lead to plaque and acid build up that can irritate your gums and eat away at the bone that supports the teeth. If left untreated, this rotting of the bone can actually cause teeth to FALL OUT.  Your dentist can fix this, if it is caught early enough, by cleaning the infected area and applying or prescribing an antibiotic to control the bacteria growth that causes gum disease. One more reason your mouth might be sore is that you could UNKNOWINGLY be grinding or clenching your teeth. This condition, also known as a type of Temporomandibular joint disorder, means you’re more likely to feel pain where the jaw connects to the skull—about right under each ear.  Your dentist might recommend wearing a mouth guard at night or a more permanent splint to protect your teeth and lessen the pressure on your jaw.   Other easy treatments for this might include physical therapy specifically for the jaws and even Botox injections -- that’s right, the stuff they use for wrinkles -- to relieve the tension in the affected muscles. So, what happens if your dentist can’t squeeze you in right away? Alleviate SOME of the pain by rinsing your mouth with warm salt water if you feel swelling or get a bad taste from the area, take a pain-reliever such as aspirin or ibuprofen, and apply an antiseptic with benzocain directly to the tooth and gum. Then, GET TO YOUR DENTIST as soon as you can. For more ways to keep your smile healthy, check out the rest of the videos in this series.