What to do for a toothache

A toothache is a throbbing pain in or around the tooth and it is usually followed by redness, swelling, and irritation in the area around the tooth in question.

What usually causes a toothache?

A toothache is generally caused by some kind of tooth disease which results from an irregular tooth hygiene. While many people know what it takes to maintain proper tooth hygiene, many people tend to disregard it to an extent. For example, everyone is aware that it’s required to brush the teeth for at least three minutes, as well as that the brushing movements should not be just up and down across both the upper and the lower teeth, but brushing the upper teeth from top to bottom only and brushing the lower teeth from bottom to top. Aside from brushing, flossing is also an important part of teeth hygiene. However, many people tend to ignore these rules most of the time, although they don’t require much of an effort at all, and this often results in tooth decay and other diseases that attack the teeth.

On the other hand, there are times when the ache in the tooth is actually a symptom of a condition that’s not tooth related at all. For example, toothache is one of the side effects of conditions such as ear ache, inflammation of sinus, spasms in the muscles or some kind of a jaw disorder.

The course of treatment depends on the cause of the pain; therefore, it is necessary to contact a dentist straight away. But should the pain be too unbearable, one must take a course of action in order to get some immediate relief.

How to treat an intense toothache?

When experiencing a strong toothache, the first impulse may be to take some painkillers, and that is an acceptable solution. However, one must note that the painkillers are in no way recommended to women who are expecting a child. Aside from taking painkillers, there are some natural ways that can help get rid of a toothache, or at least some of the pain.

One of the simplest ways to reduce the pain in the tooth, that is also very effective, is to add a teaspoon of salt to warm water and thoroughly rinse the mouth with it up to five times a day.

Another solution involves holding an icepack on the area where the tooth in question is, so that the cold ice would numb that entire area, thereby numbing the pain.

Finally, one can try soaking a cotton ball in brandy and placing it on the tooth directly.