TOOTH PAINS
Back in the time of our grandparents and greatgrandparents the cure for terrible tooth pain was a good old yank of the tooth by its roots Removing the offending tooth may be effective but is certainly the least desirable way to handle a problem tooth such as an abscess Nowadays we are fortunate to have a whole array of dental health plans and dental providers who help families and individuals safeguard their dental health and as a result their overall health.The best cure for tooth pain is to remove its cause through regular dental checkups This can best be achieved by putting yourself and your family on dental care insurance plans which can be obtained at a low cost if you do your homework and compare plans before making a choice Preventative care through fluoride treatment and cleaning can ensure that you and your dentist can get rid of potential problems before pain flares up or find a quick remedy when it does.Depending on the type of tooth pain you may be able to apply a home remedy as well before visiting the dentist In some cases you may have painful gums due to overbrushing or cold sores inside the mouth In these cases application of a numbing ointment may do the trick If you dont know what to do for a toothache give your dentist a call or consult a home remedy book You may find that a pain reliever and some heat applied to the painful area will help you.Nonetheless if tooth pain persists you will want to see your dentist to relieve the pain and receive treatment You may have a cavity or infection in your mouth which will necessitate a filling and or medication to treat and give relief from the pain The dentist should then give you a recommendation for caring for your teeth so you can avoid pain in the future
Tooth pain or toothache usually refers to the pain occurring around the teeth or jaws In most instances toothaches are caused by either tooth or jaw problems such as a cavity a cracked tooth an exposed tooth root gum disease disease of the jaw joint or spasms of the muscles used for chewing The severity of a toothache can range from mild to chronic and excruciating The pain may be aggravated by chewing or by extreme cold or heat A thorough oral examination including dental xrays can help determine the cause whether the toothache is coming from a tooth or a jaw problem.Sometimes pain around the teeth and jaws can be symptoms of diseases of the heart such as angina or heart attack or of the ears such as inner or external ear infections and sinuses like air passages of the cheek bones The pain of angina which is due to the inadequate supply of oxygenated blood to the heart muscle because of narrowing of the arteries usually occurs in the chest or arm However in some cases of angina a toothache or jaw pain are the only symptoms of heart problem.Infections and diseases of the ears and sinuses can also cause toothache Thus evaluations by both dentists and doctors are sometimes necessary to diagnose medical illnesses causing toothache Otherwise the common dental causes of toothache include dental cavities dental abscess and gum diseases irritation of the tooth root cracked tooth syndrome temporomandibular disease impaction and eruption.The most common cause of toothaches is however dental cavities Dental cavities are holes in the two outer layers of a tooth called the enamel and the dentin The enamel is the outermost white hard surface and the dentin is the yellow layer lying just beneath the enamel Both layers serve to protect the inner living tooth tissue called the pulp where the blood vessels and nerves reside Certain bacteria in the mouth convert simple sugars into acidic solutions The acid softens and along with saliva dissolves the enamel and dentin creating small holes or cavities Small shallow cavities are not that painful and may go unnoticed by the patient The larger deeper cavities tend to collect food particles The inner living pulp of the affected tooth thus gets irritated by bacterial toxins or by foods that are cold hot sour or sweet causing toothache Toothaches from these larger cavities are the most common reasons for visits to dentists.
Treatment of a small and shallow cavity usually involves a dental filling using amalgam composite resin or glass ionomer cement However in the case of a larger cavity an onlay or a crown is capped on the affected area Treatment of a cavity that has penetrated deep enough and injured the pulp requires either a root canal procedure or extraction of the affected tooth Injury to the pulp can lead to death of pulp tissue resulting in tooth infection or dental abscess The root canal procedure involves removing the dying pulp tissue thus avoiding or removing possible tooth infection and replacing it with an inert material This procedure is used in an attempt to save the dying tooth from extraction and is very painful.Bad BreathAnyone concerned with their oral health and freshness of their breath should be concerned with choosing the right toothpaste With so many choices on the market its easy to get overwhelmed with all the advertising claims of whitening breath freshening enamel strengthening gingivitis fighting and so on Really what should a person look for in a product and how can you go about choosing the right toothpaste There are a few things you can keep in mind
The first thing you need to remember is that there is rarely much of a difference between the name brand toothpastes and generic or store brands Choosing the right toothpaste should rely completely on cost fancy advertising or finding brands that you are familiar with just because of their commercials on television Most have exactly the same ingredients so the packaging shouldnt sway you too much.
You may find that if you have a tendency toward bad breath pastes that have peroxide or baking soda can help with this These added ingredients fight against mouth odor and clean your teeth a bit more than regular products But when choosing the right toothpaste remember that too much of an abrasive can also do damage to your teeth as well If you do opt for one with baking soda and notice that it helps with your breath you might want to have another tube of a product without baking soda and switch between the two Choosing the right toothpaste means finding a product thats not going to damage your teeth in the name of getting them clean
When choosing the right toothpaste for your children be very careful about products that advertise sweeter or special tastes as these usually have more sugar than whats necessary The regular toothpastes that are mintflavored should be just fine for your children and theyll get used to them easily if you dont offer those other childrens toothpastes at any time Stay away from the products that tie in with their favorite cartoon characters or television shows as these are usually the worse for actually cleaning their mouths and typically have a ton of sugar.Being mindful of your oral health is important and involves more than brushing of course When you are at the pharmacy choosing the right toothpaste be sure that you are also choosing the right floss toothbrushes mouth rinses and other such products as well.
It may surprise you to learn that not all bad breath problems originate in the mouth Some come from the stomach the digestive system or elsewhere But when it comes to the inside of your mouth health problems might include gum disease or periodontitis which is a weakening of the bones underneath the teeth This weakening comes from excessive bacteria in the mouth and may be the result of poor oral hygiene.So when considering just what are the health problems causing bad breath from inside the mouth keep in mind that many of them are related to poor oral hygiene One of the best things you can do to keep your mouth healthy is to maintain proper oral hygiene habits.Many digestive problems are connected with bad breath Having problems with your digestion sends acid and other elements up from the digestive tract and back through the throat causing you bad breath Eating foods that are hard to digest such as red meat and dairy can give you an unhealthy digestive system and halitosis These foods can also allow bacteria to build up in the digestive tract anything that gives you digestive problems such as constipation or excessive bloating and gas is likely to also give you bad breath.
When considering just what are the health problems causing bad breath keep in mind that diseases such as diabetes and kidney failure also affect the bodys chemical makeup and this can manifest itself as bad breath Anything that upsets the bodys hormones or chemicals can manifest itself with bad breath as a symptom.If you are very curious as to just what are the health problems causing bad breath in your particular case you should definitely speak to a doctor Some who have done so have been surprised to find out that they have a hormonal imbalance or other such problem that needs to be treated.
Target your tongue Tongue scraping isnt all that common in Western oral hygiene But Ayurvedic physicians have been recommending it for centuries Its very helpful but few people do it Dr Brauer says
Tongue scrapers are hard to come by If you dont have a tongue scraper Dr Brauer recommends using your toothbrush You have to brush the very back of your tongue which may cause gagging But with a little practice you can overcome your gag reflex he says
Disinfect dentures If you wear removable dentures or any other dental appliance clean it daily and soak it in a commercial denture cleanser overnight
For bad breath the most effective mouthwash is a prescription product called Peridex which contains the antibacterial antiseptic chlorhexidine In one study 6 months of regular rinsing with Peridex reduced oral bacteria by more than 50 percent Dr Replogle recommends rinsing for 30 seconds twice a day after brushing
Some people get stains on their teeth when using chlorhexidine but any stains can be removed by professional cleaning Also chlorhexidine may impair the sense of taste If this happens to you consult your dentist He may suggest that you use the mouthwash a few times a week rather than daily
If you suddenly develop persistent bad breath and it doesnt clear up after a few weeks of aggressive home treatment and professional teeth cleaning consult a physician A number of potentially serious conditions have bad breath as a symptom including diabetes kidney failure lupus liver and gallbladder disorders and certain cancers.Dental decay at any age is caused by bad bacteria in the mouth that cling to the enamel of the teeth When these bug make contact with the sugar in our food they form an acid that penetrates the enamel and makes it porous Although dental decay in childhood is not as common as it used to be tartar and plaque still are Heres how to keep the tartar and plaque under control
Brush your teeth with a soft or mediumbristle brush at least twice a day and preferably after every meal A soft brush is more effective than a hard one because it massages the guns as you brush and it also gets into the crevices more effectively Use toothpaste that contains fluoride Brush vertically in short strokes four or five times holding the toothbrush at a fortyfivedegree angle against your gums Brush all parts of your teeth outer inner and chewing surfaces The point of brushing is to clean your teeth not to wipe them so brush for at least three full minutes
Brushing the teeth at bedtime is an American ritual While that is better than not brushing at all it is not effective as doing so right after you eat The point of brushing is to get rid of the sugar that leads to plaque and tartar formation If you eat dinner then wait for several hours before cleaning your teeth sugar remains in contact with your teeth all that time Im not suggesting that you should excuse yourself when eating out in order to hunt for a washroom where you can brush your teeth But when you are dining at home brush right after dessert
Flossing Even if you brush meticulously for a full three minutes youll still remove only 80 percent of the fresh plaque off your teeth Thats why flossing is so necessary The right way to floss is to use about eighteen inches of floss either waxed or unwaxed Wind most of it around the middle finger of one hand and the rest around the same finger of the other hand Holding the floss tight between your thumb and forefinger move it between your teeth up around the gum then down along the tooth From time to time unwind some clean floss off one finger and take up the used floss with the other
Your dentist or periodontist should clean your teeth deepscale the plaques and tartar and plane the root surfaces of the teeth below the gum line at least twice a year If you are a plaque maker however you may need it done more often than that
Ask your dentist about mouth rinses that contain the antibacterial agent chlorhexidine Chlorhexidine reduces plaque by 55 percent but it discolors the teeth in some people especially when they use a fullstrength version that is not diluted I prefer Listerine antiseptic it is somewhat less effective it cuts plaque by 28 percent but it doesnt require a prescription and wont stain your teeth
Look for a toothpaste like Total that in addition to the usual chloride contains triclosan This is an antibacterial agent that adheres to the teeth after brushing reduces the accumulation of tartar and plaque and helps prevent infection of the gums
Saliva rinses away food particles and neutralizes harmful acids However as we get older our mouths are not as juicy so that the gums become more vulnerable to infection Whatever the cause chewing gum preferably the sugarless variety although it may not be the most elegant thing to do does increase the production of saliva And heres a tip for dealing with dry mouth Ill bet you never heard of Cheese especially cheddar neutralizes the acid produced by bacteria and increases the flow of saliva
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