Toothache: If it appears suddenly, it is useful to know what to do to reduce the discomfort and not make the injury worse while making an appointment with the dentist.
A toothache can be very intense due to multiple causes that are not easy to diagnose, and even in some cases, lead to a severe condition, which requires an urgent visit to the dentist.
When it arises suddenly, and it is impossible to go to the dentist right away, it is advisable to know some necessary measures about what is convenient and what not to do in these cases.
They will not solve the problem until the specialist takes action on the matter, but they will help mitigate the discomfort until it is time for the visit.
1. Solutions That May Be Helpful
The most common cause is usually a dental infection, but there are other reasons: breakage of the piece, excess pressure on it due to grinding of teeth (bruxism)
There are some “homemade” steps you can take:
Applying cold to the affected area of the face acts as a local anaesthetic. You can put ice wrapped in gauze (never place it directly on the skin) on the sore cheek or apply cold compresses to it.
The mouthwashes with salt and warm water several times a day also relieve pain (not to the scam, you have to rinse off and discard the mixture).
Cleaning possible food debris on the affected tooth with dental floss decreases the pressure, which can also relieve a little.
There are antiseptics and anaesthetic sprays that temporarily moderate discomfort, although they neither cure nor can be used for many days. They are specific remedies until the medical evaluation arrives.
Alleviating the discomfort is the main thing, so if after trying the recommendations that we have mentioned above, the pain does not improve, and you decide to take an analgesic type paracetamol.
Anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen or diclofenac do so as long as there is no contraindication and consult with the pharmacist.
2. 9 Home Remedies That Don’t Work
Even if you’ve heard it works, try to avoid the following pain relief “tricks”:
- Avoid taking acetylsalicylic acid. If the gums are tender and bleeding, the bleeding will increase.
- Another widespread practice is to put a piece of a pill of this drug on the tooth to relieve pain, which can cause a chemical burn in the soft parts of the mouth.
- Also, don’t take antibiotics. Although an oral infection may be present, it is not always the reason for the pain, and you could make the situation worse rather than better. The dentist will recommend them to you if necessary.
- Very hot or cold foods should not be eaten, nor should the hardest ones so that the tooth does not suffer more. The diet should be based on warm products and of a soft consistency.
- Sugar makes pain worse, which means that sweets are not recommended for a toothache.
- Putting ice directly on the grinding wheel will only aggravate the picture. Act like you’re chewing on something cold, giving more pain.
- Do not smoke. It increases inflammation and, when sucking, causes more discomfort.
- The mouthwashes with alcohol should not be done. They relieve instantly, but in the long run, they can damage the gums.
- Lying on the painful side increases the pressure on it and, consequently, the picture increases.
3. Avoids Oral-dental Problems
Just because you feel free does not mean that the problem has been solved. It will surely come back, and it will likely come back at a higher intensity, which means you have to visit the dentist anyway.
Maintaining a clean and healthy mouth is essential to prevent problems of this type.
Extreme daily hygiene through proper brushing, the use of dental floss, interdental brushes to remove the food that remains between the teeth, and specific oral-dental mouthwashes after meals.
In addition to visiting the dentist periodically, at least once a year, to detect possible problems that may take time to come forward and that must be solved as soon as possible.
