A toothache can feel like dull throbbing pain or sharp, sensitive pain directly in or on your one of your teeth. Either way, they are painful and never fun. As miserable as a toothache may be, there is national holiday for them. Although there is no exact origin of why toothache day was started, it is thought to be a way for dentists to remind people about the importance of good oral health. National Toothache Day is held on February 9th every year. To help you get a head start on the celebrations, here are few tips on how to prevent and relieve toothaches:

Causes of a Toothache

Tooth decay is typically the primary cause of a toothache, but to completely alleviate the pain, you need to visit the dentist to determine what the exact cause is. Some reasons for a toothache may include:

• Gum disease
• Abscessed tooth
• Tooth fracture
• An abnormal bite
• Infected gums
• A damaged filling
• Grinding teeth or repetitive motions (such as chewing gum)
• Tooth eruption (in babies and children)

A toothache can come and go, while the type and severity of pain can vary. However, if you have a toothache even occasionally, you may have a cavity or gum disease that has advanced. Typically the first sign of tooth decay may be the pain you feel when eating something cold, hot or sweet.

How to Relieve a Toothache

It is important to visit your dentist as soon as possible after you begin having a toothache; the sooner the problem causing the toothache is addressed, the quicker your pain will be relieved. Depending on the cause of a toothache, your dentist may need to fill a cavity, do a root canal or possibly a tooth extraction to repair the cause of the toothache. In the meantime, a few things you can do at home to relieve the pain of a toothache may include:

• Rinse your mouth thoroughly with warm salt water.
• Gently floss your teeth to dislodge food particles that may be causing the pain between teeth.
• Take a pain reliever, such as Ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
• Massaging clove oil on your gums or placing a cotton ball that has been dipped in clove oil directly on the tooth may help to relieve the pain.
• If a toothache is due to an abscessed tooth, to help alleviate the pain mix equal parts of salt and baking soda, dip a cotton ball in water, then dip it in the salt and baking soda mixture. Place the cotton ball between your teeth and cheek (not directly inside the tooth).

In most situations, a toothache is the result of tooth decay, so to minimize the risk of suffering from a toothache, the best and most effective thing you can do is to practice good oral health care. It is important to brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, gently floss at least once daily and rinse once or twice a day with an antiseptic mouthwash. In addition to brushing and flossing, you should eat foods that are low in sugar and most importantly visit your dentist for regular checkups.

Whether your little one is experiencing a toothache or simply needs a dental checkup and routine cleaning to prevent the risk of tooth decay, contact Wright Smiles Pediatric Dentistry to schedule an appointment.