2 Mistakes To Avoid When You Have A Toothache
by Harold Coleman
If you are suffering from a toothache, you may try to treat it yourself or dismiss the problem as a temporary issue. However, while caring for your bad tooth, avoid the following mistakes that could make your pain and discomfort worse.
1. Neglecting to Brush Your Teeth
When you have a toothache, even the slightest pressure can cause an increase in pain. Because of this, you may be reluctant to brush your teeth while you are hurting so that you do not cause yourself more discomfort.
However, neglecting to brush your teeth as thoroughly as usual could make your toothache worse, especially if it is caused by a cavity or broken tooth. If food and bacteria are allowed to build up on the bad tooth, you may wind up with an infection that would not only increase your pain, but it could potentially make you sick.
Even if you do not feel like brushing your teeth, try to apply light pressure with your toothbrush while spending a little extra time on the bad tooth. If the pain is too great, at least use an antiseptic mouthwash, paying particular attention to the area in your mouth where your tooth is hurting.
2. Trying to Create a Temporary Filling
If you suspect that your toothache is caused by a cavity or break in the enamel, you may be tempted to create a temporary filling using dental wax. While this may temporarily relieve some of your pain, this temporary filling could potentially cause more problems that would lead to increased pain.
If you cover the hole or crack in your tooth while a cyst, or abscess, is trying to drain, the drainage will have no place to go. As a result, the pus will start to build up behind the temporary filling, causing increased pressure and intense pain.
Also, if the abscess is not allowed to drain, you risk having the infection spread to your gums or jaw. Eventually, if the abscess grows too large and bursts, the infectious drainage could enter your bloodstream and cause a serious infection throughout your body.
If you have a toothache, the pain is a symptom of something that is wrong with your tooth that needs professional attention as soon as possible. Make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible so that they can find the underlying issue and treat the cause, which will help you find relief from your discomfort.
For more information, reach out to dentists like those as Naas Family Dentistry.
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About Me
I have never liked my teeth. I had a lot of dental problems, including deep staining and oddly shaped teeth. Every tooth did not have the same shape, and some were rounded while others were more square. Not surprisingly, I never smiled in pictures and not even much in real life. This left people thinking I was mean before they even met me. My dentist told me my best bet to improve the look of my smile was a set of porcelain dental veneers. He said they could make all my teeth white and the same shape. I said I wanted them without any hesitation, and we scheduled my procedures. I love my new teeth, and they really did change my life. I created this blog to help other people living with teeth they don't like realize that they do have options that can improve their smiles and their lives.