Getting Rid Of Toothaches

Getting Rid Of Toothaches

Signs And Symptoms

Toothaches present with plenty of symptoms other than tooth pain. The primary sign is pain while chewing, while clenching your teeth, or while drinking cold water. The pain is often sharp and throbbing; sometimes it is constant, and sometimes it ebbs and flows. There may be an accompanying headache and/or jaw pain. Swelling is also possible, especially when there is an abscess or when the root of a tooth becomes exposed. Dry mouth, loss of appetite, fatigue, and irritability may result from a toothache. (2)

Potential Causes

Toothaches are the result of inflammation; they can be caused by many things. People with braces are more prone to tooth pain because of the force being exerted on their teeth. People with jaw injuries and people with TMJ (a disorder characterized by tightness in the jaw and grinding of the teeth) are also more prone to tooth pain. People who drink a lot of soda and people who don’t brush their teeth daily experience tooth pain more often. 

Teeth can also be injured directly, such as by getting hit in the mouth with a hockey puck or biting down too hard on a metal spoon. The most well-known cause of tooth pain is cavities. If your toothache is caused by a cavity, it’s important that you see a dentist as soon as possible. Cavities slowly get worse over time, and the pain can become severe. Using toothpaste made for people with sensitive teeth can help slightly. (5)

How Tooth Pain Works

Teeth are a lot more complex than they look. They have several layers that are tangled up in nerves and blood vessels. The inside of the tooth is largely pulp, which is somewhat soft. The pulp contains lots of extremely sensitive nerves; these are some of the most sensitive nerves in the entire body. Dental pain largely comes from inflammation.

This can happen inside or outside the tooth, but some of the most severe dental pain happens when the pulp of the tooth itself becomes inflamed. Because teeth are so rigid, the pulp inside cannot swell up. The inflammation being trapped within the tooth puts a lot of pressure on the tiny nerves within the pulp. (8)

Risks Of Delaying Dental Treatment

If your toothache ends up being due to a cavity, exposed root, or tooth infection, there are serious consequences for delaying professional dental treatment. Eventually, the tooth will get to the point where a crown, root canal, or extraction becomes unavoidable. Crowns and root canals are expensive, but can usually be prevented by seeing a dentist regularly for plaque removal, X-rays, and an exam. 

Depending on the cause of your toothache, swelling may be involved. For infections, swelling gets worse as time goes on. If you let an infection go for too long, the bacteria can spread to the surrounding bone, skin, and fat. If the bacteria gets into your bloodstream, it can trigger sepsis (a severe systemic infection that is often fatal). (6)

About Painkillers And Inflammation

In many cases, ibuprofen is the best over-the-counter medication for toothaches. This is because ibuprofen treats inflammation; tooth pain is almost always a product of inflammation. Pain relief can be obtained from paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen. Ibuprofen will relieve pain and help prevent more pain from happening by reducing inflammation. Aspirin also reduces inflammation in addition to treating pain. 

Paracetamol alone isn’t ideal here simply because it doesn’t reduce inflammation. While it would help with the pain, it shouldn’t be taken alone – unless you have stomach ulcers or are otherwise unable to take NSAIDs (ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen). You can combine paracetamol with any of the three NSAIDs for optimal pain relief. To do this, take a full dose of both medications at the same time. 

Never mix two NSAIDs as it can cause major stomach issues, including ulcers. In the U.K., you can buy either ibuprofen or aspirin mixed with a low dose of codeine. Don’t use this as a first line of defense, but if you have persistent or severe pain, it is a good option. Do not use any medication with codeine in it for more than a few days without consulting a healthcare professional. (3)

Treatments

Rinsing the mouth with warm salt water for several minutes can ease inflammation of the gums as well as remove some of the bacteria around the painful area. Repeat as often as you wish. A cold compress will help with jaw pain. If you feel pain around the gums, you can buy oral numbing cream at the pharmacy. It is made for dental pain and works very fast. If your toothache is due to an infection, you will be put on antibiotics. Make sure you take every last pill so that the infection fully goes away. If you stop taking antibiotics early, the infection can resurge. 

Sometimes tooth infections involve an abscess. In that case, a dentist will need to drain it and clean it out. Occasionally there will be an abscess underneath the tooth near the root. This is a more severe infection that involves removing the entire tooth and any infected root. Most of the time, dental infections can be treated without removal of the tooth. Additionally, supplements like turmeric curcumin have been shown to reduce inflammation. (2) (4)

Take-Home Message

Toothaches are horribly painful and can occur for many different reasons. The key to treating tooth pain is to reduce inflammation. Ibuprofen is known for reducing tooth pain, and aspirin is also a good option. Much of the time, toothaches are due to a cavity or dental infection. If that is the case, it’s important to make a dentist appointment as soon as possible. Cavities and infections both get worse over time; this can lead to severe consequences if left untreated. Anyone can get a toothache, but overall, the best way to prevent toothaches is brushing and flossing regularly.