About Toothache : Cause, Relieves, Diagnosis and Treatment

Toothache is a condition when there is pain in or around the teeth and jaw. The severity of the pain may vary, from mild to severe. The pain of toothache can be felt continuously throughout the day or may appear and disappear repeatedly uncertainly.

Often the pain of toothache worsens when the patient eats or drinks (especially hot or cold food or drink) and when the patient lies down at night.

When toothache occurs, the jaw region adjacent to the infected tooth will also feel pain and palpable soft. Sometimes pain sources are difficult to distinguish. Examples are pain that comes from the ear in cases of lower molar infections and pain that come from the sinus tract (the air space behind the cheekbones and forehead) in cases of upper molar infections.

In addition to pain, other symptoms of toothache are:

• Swelling around the infected tooth.
• Dizzy.
• Flavor and odor of infected teeth.
• Fever.

Causes of Toothache

Inside the tooth is a dental pulp. The dental pulp is the deepest layer of tooth structure consisting of blood vessels and sensitive nerves. Toothache occurs when the pulp is inflamed. Causes of inflammation can vary, including:

• Tooth decay (this condition is often caused by the surface of cavities).
• The buildup of pus in the tooth base due to bacterial infection (periapical abscess).
• Depreciation of the gums.
• Cracked teeth.
• Poor filling (on teeth once patched).

In addition to dental pulp inflammation, there are a number of other conditions that can cause pain symptoms resembling toothache, including:

• Sinusitis.
• Periodontal abscess.
• Injury to the temporomandibular joint (the joint that connects the jaw with the skull).
• Swelling of the gums or gums ruptures as teeth grow.
• Tummy gums.
• Teething (usually experienced by infants and children).

Relieves Toothache at Home

Should see a doctor if you experience toothache to find out the cause and can be treated appropriately. But as long as you can not see a doctor, there are several ways you can do at home to relieve toothache, including:

• Cleaning between your teeth by using dental floss or dental floss to clean the plaque and food scraps that stuck in between teeth.
• Gargle with warm water.
• Apply clove oil on the teeth or gums that hurt.
• Apply an antiseptic drug containing benzocaine to a diseased tooth or gum.
• Compressing cheeks with cold compresses when toothache is caused by trauma to the teeth.
• Take over-the-counter painkillers at pharmacies (eg ibuprofen, paracetamol, or aspirin). As a reminder, these drugs should not be used in a way put directly in the gums because it can damage the gum tissue. In addition, aspirin should not be given to children under 16 years of age.

In case of toothache following, you are required to immediately see a doctor, that is:

• The pain lasts for more than two days.
• Toothache is accompanied by symptoms of infection (eg, odor, swelling, red gums, and chewing pain).
• Toothache makes you hard to swallow.
• Toothache makes you hard to breathe.
• Toothache with fever.
• You are in pain when you open your mouth.
• Toothache accompanied by ear pain.

Diagnosis of Toothache

Your doctor will inquire about the symptoms you are experiencing, for example:

• Where is the pain?
• How severe is the pain felt?
• When does the pain usually appear?
• What makes the pain worse?
• What makes the pain subside?

Physical examination is very important. In this case the doctor will check the condition of your teeth, gums, tongue, jaw, sinus, nose, throat, even your neck. If necessary, an X-ray check will be performed. In addition to asking about symptoms, doctors will also usually review your medical history.

Treatment of Toothache

The method of treating a toothache done by the doctor will be determined on the cause of the toothache itself. As an example:

• The doctor will do the root canal treatment if the pulp of the teeth Here the doctor will remove the infected pulp, then end with patching the teeth. The purpose of patching is to keep the infection from recurring.
• The doctor will do patch if the tooth decay and potholes. Before patched, the decaying part will be cleaned and sterilized from the bacteria first.
• The doctor will recharge if toothache is caused by damage to the previous patch. Remnants of the previous patch will be cleaned first.
• The doctor will do the tooth extraction if the ways of treatment above can not cure toothache.

There is a possibility that the doctor will do tooth extraction if toothache is caused by the growth of new teeth clamped between other teeth and jaw presses.

Action Can Prevent Toothache

Preventing is always better than curing. Therefore, even though your current tooth is still healthy, it is advisable to take precautions to anticipate toothache. Prevention efforts include:

• Check your teeth at the doctor at least twice a year.
• Limit consumption of sweet foods or beverages, such as chocolate, sweet cakes, and sweets.
• Brush your teeth twice a day using fluoride toothpaste.
• Clean between teeth with dental floss or dental floss.
• As a complementary action while ensuring the mouth is free of bacteria, end each brush your teeth with mouthwash using mouthwash, if necessary.
• Stop or reduce smoking. In addition to damaging the lungs, smoking habits also adversely affect the health of teeth and mouth.

Bagikan Artikel ini