Saturday, 30 April 2011

What Causes a Toothache

We all experience toothache in some point or the other. We all have gone through the process of teething in childhood and know how painful and annoying a toothache can be but what most of us do not know is what causes a toothache. This article tells you about some of the conditions that can cause toothaches and it would also tell you about few home remedies for toothache pain relief.

Causes of Toothache

Tooth Decay: It is one of the most prominent reason of toothaches in children. It occurs when the minerals of the tooth enamel get dissolved due to harmful acids in our mouth. Such acids are produced by bacteria that generally survive on the sugar and starch left in our mouth. As long as the enamel is intact a person may not feel the pain but once the decay penetrates through the enamel to the inner layer of the tooth, you experience painful bouts. Your tooth also becomes extra sensitive to cold and sweet foods items.

Tooth Abscess: It is again one of the most common causes of toothaches when you neglect oral hygiene and small dental cavities. It can also be caused by various gum diseases. When an entire tooth along with the root is attacked by the bacteria, the bone tissue of the tooth too gets infected and inflamed which leads to severe pain. Apart from sharp pain, tooth abscess is also accompanied with pus, which consists of dead tissues, white blood cells along with bacteria who live in this pus.

Gum Diseases: Gums are made from soft tissues which can be easily attacked by the bacteria. Some of the gum diseases are silent and hence, you may not feel the pain in the initial days but as the infection spreads further you may feel severe pain. Due to infection the soft tissues of he gum can swell and this swelling can reach the bone tissue of the tooth causing sharp toothache. Gum abscess is also a possibility when the infection is intense. In many cases, gum diseases cause toothaches along with bleeding gum and gums releasing pus.

Cracked Tooth: In case the piece of tooth is broken it can lead to severe toothaches. Injuries, accidents, and trauma are some of the most common reasons for broken teeth. When your tooth is broken, it is easier for bacteria to enter the inner layer of the tooth and damage the soft tissues inside spreading infection. A crack in an artificial tooth filling can pave the way for bacteria to enter in the inner layer of the tooth and gums. In many cases, the accident could lead to breaking of the tooth nerve which too can lead to toothaches.

Jaw Disorders: There are various jaw disorders, such as, temporomandibular joint disorder and malocclusion which are characterized by the misaligned teeth. When the teeth are misaligned they are frequently brushed against each other which results in the removal of the enamel from the teeth. Teeth without enamel are susceptible for bacterial infection which can lead to sharp toothache. Apart from this, in misaligned teeth, the pressure is not evenly exerted on all the teeth and so the nerve of the overly pressurized tooth can be damaged resulting in toothaches.

Apart from this, eruption of teeth, sinus infection, cold infection, damaged filling, repetitive motions of teeth such as chewing gums, along with some rare disorders, such as, angina, heart diseases, and myocardial infarction, etc. can also lead to toothaches.

Well, whatever is the cause you must seek a medical treatment to get relief from the tooth pain. But till you consult your doctor you can try some of the easy and safe home remedies for toothache. They are as following:

    * Using an icepack on the swollen gum or tooth can help alleviate the swelling and pain.
    * Holding freshly cut cucumber pieces around the aching tooth can help you feel better.
    * In case of tooth abscess, holding, cotton or oats can help in drawing out the pus from the tooth, lessening the pain.
    * A small cotton swab dabbed with real vanilla extract and placed on the swollen area can help in reducing the inflammation and pain.
    * Applying a clove oil on the infected and painful tooth or gum can help you reduce the soreness as clove is analgesic in nature.
    * Similarly a topical application of oregano oil or iodine or a mixture of garlic paste and rock salt, etc., too can help in reliving the toothache.

The above home remedies for toothache are sure to reduce the pain and some other symptoms associated with toothaches, such as, fever, difficulty in swallowing, swelling around the area, foul tasting discharge from the gums, and foul odor from the mouth, etc. One of the best way to deal with dental problems is by maintaining good oral hygiene and visiting your dentists at least once in six months. So brush your teeth daily and prevent it from bacterial attack.

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