Toothache – Causes, Treatments & Prevention

There is no pain quite like toothache, is there? When your teeth are hurting, the pain can be hard to manage and ignore. The first step to treating toothache is to discover exactly what is causing it. Our experts at Forestside Dental Practice have put together this complete guide to toothache and have highlighted the best prevention tips, helping you to keep your mouth healthy and pain free.

Causes of Toothache

There is not a one size fits all answer to the question, why do I have toothache? The truth is there are many possible causes of tooth pain and a dentist is the best person to get to the root of the problem.

Causes of toothache include:

• Decay
• Damaged filling
• Not enough space for wisdom teeth to break through
• Infections (such as periodontal disease or bacteria in the root canal)
• Cracked tooth
• Dental abscess
• Problems with braces
• Injury (trauma to the face/jaw)

Toothache often sticks around until its cause has been treated. If you are in pain, book a dental consultation and begin the right treatment as soon as possible.

How To Treat Toothache

Toothache is not one of those pains that can be easily ignored. Pain in your jaw can be all consuming, it can stop you from eating and talking comfortably and is also known to disrupt sleep in severe cases. When you have bad toothache, it is hard to think of anything else.

Fortunately, toothache can often be easily treated. A dentist will be able to look inside your mouth and accurately diagnose whatever issue is causing you to experience pain. Once the cause has been pinpointed, your dentist will then be able to put together the best treatment plan for your needs.

Dental Treatments for Toothache

Fillings - Tooth decay can lead to pain in the associated area. If this is the problem, your dentist may remove the decay and insert a filling into the gap. If the pain is coming from a damaged existing filling, this can be removed and replaced with a new one.

Root canal - When the pulp in the centre of the tooth becomes infected, this can lead to high levels of pain that can only be resolved by a root canal procedure. During this treatment, the dentist will remove all of the infected pulp and secure a specific type of filling in place. Root canal treatments can successfully reduce pain and protect the tooth from further infection.

Tooth removal - In serious cases of toothache, the tooth may need to be removed. For instance, if the wisdom tooth is having trouble coming through and causing issues, or previous root canal treatments have been unsuccessful.

Periodontal services - Pain in the jaw can also be associated with periodontal disease, a form of gum disease. This condition is also associated with other symptoms, such as bleeding gums and bad breath. If you do have periodontal disease, you may need to take antibiotics and have your teeth professionally cleaned and scaled.

How To Reduce Toothache At Home

If you are waiting for a dentist appointment, there are many steps you can take to reduce the severity of your toothache. Your pain is unlikely to go away until the cause has been correctly identified and treated, but it can be managed by:

• taking Ibuprofen to reduce inflammation
• taking Paracetamol for pain relief
• rinsing the area with salt and warm water (do not swallow the solution)
• chewing on the opposite side of the mouth if possible
• eating soft foods, such as soup and yoghurts
• applying a pain relieving gel

Preventing Toothache

There is no denying that toothache can be extremely painful and disruptive to your day to day life. Toothache isn't a normal occurrence and isn't something that you just have to put up with. While there are many ways to treat toothache, the best thing you can do is stop it from happening in the first place.

If you want to stop toothache in its tracks, follow our expert dental care tips:

• Reduce the amount of sugary food and drinks in your diet
• Quit smoking
• Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and a dentist recommended toothbrush
• Floss between your teeth daily
• Attend regular dental check ups

Keep Your Teeth Healthy With Forestside Dental Practice

Forestside Dental is a highly recommended, private practice based in Dibden Purlieu. We offer a wide range of dental care treatments to residents in the New Forest and across Hampshire. Book a consultation today and our experienced dentists can put together the best treatment plan for your needs. We are here to help you to love your smile and live without toothache.

Get in touch with the Forestside team by filling in our online contact form or calling 023 8087 9088. You can also use our online booking form to make an appointment or book a consultation today.