Sharp toothache can be a real torture, or the best thing you can do is to see a dentist immediately. But what if there is no emergency clinic nearby or you have to wait at least several hours for an appointment? Let's figure out how to help yourself at home and harm yourself. /uploads/2023/06/f87eee12d5c4d7134e9a9695cabed6cf.jpg» />
What makes the tooth «ache» and «bursting»?
Toothache occurs due to damage to the nerve passing in the tooth or surrounding its tissue and often signals that the pathological process has gone far enough and complications have arisen. Most often, the pain overtakes unexpectedly, aggravated by heat and pressure on something hard.
In most cases, the causes of pain can only be diagnosed by a doctor, but sometimes they are quite obvious:
- Tooth trauma, including due to night grinding. Acute pain can also be caused by a sudden fracture of a tooth or its root;
- Eruption of wisdom teeth that do not have enough space in the gum for normal passage;
- In most cases, excruciating pain is caused by caries with the penetration of infection into the tooth cavity. In this case, the person may feel pain, but only when the irritant is directly exposed to it, for example, from cold or hot water;
- Incorrectly filled tooth;
- Pulpitis — inflammation of the pulp of the tooth, where the tooth is located. Pulpitis pain occurs spontaneously and not only under the influence of irritants, it can radiate to the ear or temple. It is almost impossible to endure such pain for a long time;
- Periodontitis is an inflammation of the tissues located around the top of the tooth. The disease is manifested by constant and sharp pain localized in the area of one tooth. The pain is often throbbing, aggravated by touching the tooth. This can swell the gums and loosen the tooth.
How do you survive to see the dentist?
Take a pain reliever such as ibuprofen or paracetamol. It would seem that this is the most obvious recommendation, but there are important nuances. Even if the pain is unbearable, in no case do not abuse medicines. The daily dose of paracetamol should not exceed 4000 mg (4 g) per day. In case of an overdose — and for this it is enough to drink one or two tablets more — the medicine can cause severe liver failure, up to complete liver failure and death.
Never try to put a tablet directly on your gums, as this can burn your gums and make your suffering worse. Doctors also advise caution when using local anesthetics, especially those containing benzocaine — in rare cases, it can cause methemoglobinemia, a dangerous condition that reduces blood oxygen levels.
Apply a cold compress to your cheek
strong>. This method is especially effective for trauma to the tooth. It is best to use a bag of frozen peas or vegetables, which will keep you cold longer than a towel soaked in cold water.
Rinse your mouth with warm salt water.This is an easy way to quickly disinfect your mouth and remove food particles that may be stuck between your teeth. In addition, a small amount of salt reduces inflammation. To prepare the solution, mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt with a glass of warm water.
Rinse with hydrogen peroxide solution will also help. It is known that hydrogen peroxide can reduce pain, relieve inflammation and reduce bleeding gums. To prepare the solution, you need to mix a three percent peroxide liquid with warm water 50 to 50. Be sure to spit it out after rinsing, do not swallow.
Chew a clove of garlic or a clove. These methods of reducing pain are recommended, for example, by the authors of the Healthline website, but like all “folk” remedies, they do not have evidence-based effectiveness. Garlic and a common spice are natural anesthetics that have been used for centuries to relieve toothache due to their germicidal properties. However, some dentists do not recommend chewing garlic for pulpitis and, moreover, coating a diseased tooth or gum with garlic gruel — this can increase irritation.
IMPORTANT!
Even if the pain itself is decreased or stopped, this does not mean at all that the disease has passed and you can relax. This may mean that the process has moved from an acute stage to a chronic one. The nerves die off, and the disease process continues, which is fraught with the development of such serious complications as abscess, phlegmon and osteomyelitis. In no case do not put off a visit to the dentist.