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ToothacheIntroduction Toothache is pain in the area of your jaw and face. It is usually caused when a nerve in the root of a tooth becomes irritated. However, other problems such as infection, decay, or the loss of a tooth, can also cause toothache. In the middle of every tooth, there is space containing dental pulp. Dental pulp is a soft, spongy tissue containing lots of sensitive nerves and blood vessels. The pulp cavity is surrounded with layers of hard tissue to protect it. The outermost layer is called enamel, and is harder than bone. Toothache occurs when the pulp inside your tooth gets inflamed. This is known as pulpitis and is often caused by dental decay (carries). Dental decay is when bacteria in your mouth break down the enamel of a tooth. Holes (cavities) in the tooth develop, exposing the nerves underneath. If left untreated, the pulp inside your tooth will die and become infected. This will lead to an abscess forming, causing a severe and continuous throbbing pain. Eating or drinking something that is very hot or cold may also give you toothache because it touches the nerves in the pulp. Symptoms Toothache often starts suddenly and the pain can vary from mild discomfort to being very severe. You may have a throbbing pain in your head, jaw, and ear that is constant, or that comes and goes. The pain can be worse when you are eating or drinking, particularly if the food or drink is hot or cold. The jaw in the area of the tooth may be sore and tender to the touch. The pain can also get worse when you lie down because more pressure is put on the tooth. Typical symptoms of toothache include: pain when chewing, sensitivity to hot or cold food, bleeding around the tooth or gums, swelling around the tooth, and swelling of the jaw. Causes You get toothache when the pulp in the middle of your tooth becomes inflamed (pulpitis). This can be caused by a number of different things including: dental decay (carries), cavities (holes) in the hard surface of the tooth, a fracture (crack) in the tooth. This is often so small that it cannot be seen with the naked eye, pain after some types of dental treatment, such as a filling. This sometimes happens if the tooth pulp is irritated, an exposed tooth root, which can occur if the gums recede (move back) or are damaged by brushing the teeth too hard, or sensitive teeth, caused by the gums receding from the teeth, leaving softer, more sensitive parts of the teeth exposed. Some other conditions can cause symptoms that are similar to toothache, even though the teeth are not affected. For example: an abscess in the gum (lateral periodontal abscess), ulcers on the gums (acute ulcerative gingivitis), sore or swollen gums around a tooth that is breaking through, such as when your wisdom teeth start to come through, inflammation of the sinuses (sinusitis), which sometimes causes pain around the upper jaw, or an injury to the joint that attaches the jaw to the skull, known as the temporomandibular joint. Teething in babies and young children can often cause toothache. This starts at around 6 months and can continue as the adult teeth start to come through. Diagnosis If you have toothache, you should go to see your dentist as soon as possible. Toothache is usually treatable but first your dentist needs to find out what the problem is. You may think you know which tooth is affected, but the nerves in the teeth sometimes give the brain the wrong message. This means that the problem could actually be in another tooth, or even the other jaw. Your dentist will examine your teeth and gums to look for signs of swelling, redness and tooth damage. S/he may rinse the area with warm water to dislodge any food particles and to test whether you are sensitive to heat. Your dentist may carry out an X-ray to identify tooth decay, cracks in your teeth, or problems with your jaw bone. If the pain from your toothache is prolonged or severe, painkillers, such as ibuprofen, can be prescribed. Try putting a little oil of Cloves into the cavity of the tooth. Clove acts as a local anaesthetic and also can help prevent infection of the root until proper dental treatment is possible. Put a drop of Clove essential oil onto a cotton bud and apply to the tooth. Another method which can bring some relief is to make a hot compress with Chamomile essential oil and place this over the cheek. Renew it as soon as it cools. |
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