Why the tooth starts to hurt
Toothache is one of the first places in terms of intensity and strength of impact on a person, practically along with renal colic. The sensations can be so painful that they literally won’t let you sleep, eat, or work. Discomfort can be associated with both the development of the inflammatory process and the presence of deep carious cavities. Here are the most common causes of tooth pain:
- caries – destruction of hard tooth tissues,
- pulpitis – often a complication of caries: infection, in the absence of timely treatment, reaches the pulp of the tooth, where it is located neurovascular bundle, and causes inflammation,
- periodontitis – inflammation in the root of the tooth,
- injuries and fractures of the teeth,
- inflammation of the gums,
- cysts and granulomas – so they can grow and mature for quite a long time without any sensations, but at an advanced stage, pain is already felt.
And pain in the teeth can also appear in diseases of the ENT organs , inflammation of the facial nerves, or problems with the temporomandibular joint.
What is a toothache
Pain sensations may vary both in intensity (sharp and strong; weak and aching), and in frequency, for example, with pulpitis, pain can begin in the evening or even at night. The insidiousness of a toothache is that it can “deceive” – it seems to you that the sixth tooth is bothering you, and pulpitis or caries “lurked” in the fifth or seventh. A toothache can radiate to the temple, eye, ear, neck, sometimes even cause migraines.
Toothache can be:
- aching – dull and not too intense,
- shooting,
- sharp – both in the form of sharp impulses, and constant,
- increasing,
- harsh, unexpected, not depending on the time of day,
- long and bearable.
How to relieve a toothache at home?
Alas, no way. The only thing you can do is take a pain reliever pill and call your doctor. At night, while waiting for an appointment, try not to sleep on the side where it hurts. “Unfortunately, it is impossible to remove a toothache without the help of a dentist,” says Anastasia Arkhipova, dentist-surgeon, dentist-implantologist of the clinic “SM-Stomatology” . – There is always a cause for oral pain and it is important to diagnose it correctly. Otherwise, even the right combination of different drugs will not help: the pain will not go away and will bother you with a certain regularity. In general, taking any medications should be agreed with the attending physician. There are situations when a patient undergoes treatment in several stages or surgery is performed. In this case, the dentist selects the right combination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, prescribing the dosage and schedule of administration. All kinds of “folk methods” for relieving toothache are worthy of a separate word. You shouldn’t resort to them. Until you know what caused the pain, any attempts to relieve it on your own can only worsen the situation. ”
In the photo: Anastasia Arkhipova, dentist-surgeon, dentist-implantologist of the clinic “SM-Dentistry” .
A toothache should in no case be tolerated, because it triggers a pain syndrome, which subsequently cannot be removed by taking pills. If you start to bother a tooth, you need to urgently consult a doctor, without waiting for an increase in unpleasant sensations. In any case, you will need the help of a specialist, because the most important thing you need to know about a toothache is that it will not go away by itself, it cannot be cured by means of a home first-aid kit – this is not a bruise or an abrasion.
” By the way, some people mistakenly think that pulpitis pain goes away, says our expert. – This is not true. First, there is acute pulpitis, with all its painful delights. If you do not consult a doctor, then over time the pulpitis will turn into chronic, and then into periodontitis – when the tooth hurts when pressed, in contact with hot food, etc. ”
Why it is important to see a doctor
First, to diagnose and diagnose a problem. Secondly, the earlier treatment is started, the faster and easier it will be to get rid of the problem. And sometimes an integrated approach is required. “For example, during pregnancy, if you have a toothache, you should definitely consult with a gynecologist and only then select pain relievers,” says our expert. – In children, pain can be associated with teething. Then the pediatric dentist will select special tools that will help relieve discomfort. A child, like an adult, can have a tooth ache due to caries, pulpitis, and inflammatory processes in the gums. All this requires immediate treatment. children’s enamel is thinner and more susceptible to cariogenic bacteria. ”
Prevention of toothache
The only prevention of toothache is to see a dentist every six months for an examination. It will also be useful to visit a hygienist, who can see the inflammatory process or the presence of carious cavities when he removes plaque. “Once every six months, it is necessary to take control pictures of the teeth to check for inflammatory processes at the tops of the roots of the teeth, which are invisible to the naked eye,” says Anastasia Arkhipova. – Do not forget to brush your teeth twice a day, use care products – irrigators, rinses, dental floss, gels, etc. The fewer bad habits, the better your teeth: smoking, alcohol, sweets are the primary enemies of a smile: they destroy teeth and cause pain. ”