Getting a toothache can be a real pain. It can be hard to eat, work, or get a good night’s sleep when you have a toothache. When your child is in pain from a tooth, it can be hard on you as a parent. It can make it hard for them to pay attention at school or join their favorite club or sport.
Tooth pain is a common problem for both kids and adults. It can be caused by sugary holiday treats, not taking care of your teeth, clenching your jaw, or other things. But sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between a tooth emergency and other important but less serious dental problems.
Here are 5 common tooth problems, what you can do to treat and avoid them, and when you should see a dentist.
Cavities
Plaque, which is a sticky buildup of bacteria, can damage the top layer of your teeth and cause tiny holes to form. There are many things that can lead to a hole. Some of the most popular reasons are:
- Snacking on sugary foods and drinking drinks that are easy to stick to your teeth
- Not brushing your teeth for at least two minutes, twice a day
- Not having enough water gives you a dry mouth
What to Do?
- If you don’t fix a cavity, germs can hurt the nerves and blood vessels inside your tooth.
- This damage can hurt, so you should make an appointment with your doctor right away.
How to Prevent It?
- Make sure to visit your doctor every six months to a year for a checkup and cleaning.
- At least twice a day (and best after meals), you should brush and floss your teeth.
- Drink more water to get rid of germs that cause cavities and dry mouth.
Chipped or Cracked Teeth
When you chew on hard things like nuts, hard candies, and ice, your teeth can chip or break. Teeth can also break if they have a filling that is too big or if you clench your mouth or grind your teeth.
Under the hard layer on the outside of a tooth is a soft, sensitive layer of tissue. When a chip or crack exposes this part of your tooth, things like brushing and eating can make it hurt. As a crack gets bigger, it can hurt more. There is also a higher chance of getting a bacterial illness that can spread to your bone and gums.
What to Do?
- Make an appointment with your dentist right away if you see a chip or crack in a tooth, especially if it hurts a lot when you eat or when hot or cold things touch it.
How to Prevent It?
- You can’t always keep your teeth from chipping or breaking, but there are some things you can do to try to protect them.
- Try to stay away from hard things like ice, popcorn, and even pens. Instead, choose gum or softer foods.
- Make sure to tell your dentist if you grind your teeth while you sleep or during the day, and ask for treatment suggestions.
Gum Disease and Gingivitis
When bacteria from plaque buildup infects the gums around and under your teeth, this is called gum disease. Gingivitis can happen when gum disease isn’t taken care of. This can make your gums swell and make them more likely to bleed.
Periodontitis is the last stage of gum disease. At this point, you are more likely to lose bone and other tissues, as well as teeth.
What to Do?
- Gum disease can be caused by genetics, but it can also be caused by not taking care of your teeth, smoking or eating tobacco, or having a disease like diabetes.
- Gum disease can also be caused by being pregnant or taking medicine for high blood pressure or cancer.
- By making sure you see your dentist once a year for a checkup and cleaning, he or she can find gum disease before it gets worse.
- Other warning signs are gums that are red and swollen, bad breath that doesn’t go away, or loosening permanent teeth.
How to Prevent It?
- Early gum disease can be fixed, and the signs can get better if you get a deep cleaning and do things like brush and floss your teeth twice a day.
- Germs in your mouth are what cause gum disease. The best way to avoid big problems is to take care of your teeth.
- Invest in things like an electric toothbrush or water flosser that are better at getting rid of plaque that can get stuck near your gums.
Sinus Infections
Sinus infections happen when bacteria from your nose gets into your sinuses. This makes your upper teeth, eyes, and cheeks hurt and feel pressured. People with allergies, whether they are seasonal or caused by cat and dog hair, get sinus illnesses more often.
Most of the time, lungs that are healthy are full of air. When they get swollen, they can block the flow of air and let germs and bacteria build up. You can also get a stuffy nose, which makes you breathe through your mouth and makes your mouth dry. The bacteria that builds up on your teeth gets washed away by saliva. So, having a dry mouth can lead to a buildup of plaque, which can cause cavities.
What to Do?
- Sinus infections are more common than you might think, and most people get better in just a few weeks.
- If your gums and teeth start hurting and hurting a lot, you might need to make an appointment with your primary care doctor or a dentist.
- Your dentist might tell you to start taking antibiotics right away to help fight the problem.
How to Prevent It?
- It’s important to stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water if you want to treat or even stop sinus problems.
- Help can come from taking a 10-minute hot bath or shower or using a humidifier to keep your nose passages moist.
- Use a nose decongestant or saline solution to rinse out any irritating particles and relieve pain and stuffiness.
Teeth Grinding and Jaw Clenching
Both kids and adults often grind their teeth at night. Stress and worry, a bad bite or crooked teeth, or sleep disorders like sleep apnea are common reasons why you or your child might grind their teeth.
When you grind your teeth all the time, they wear down and can break or fall out. This means you may need caps, root canals, or implants, which can add up over time.
What to Do?
- It can be hard to tell if you grind your teeth at night because it usually happens while you sleep.
- There are a few signs that you may be grinding your teeth:
- Waking up with a sore jaw a lot
- Headaches and toothaches that happen often
- If you grind your teeth at night, massaging your jaw muscles or putting a warm towel on them before bed can help ease the pain.
- If the pain gets worse, you may need to see your dentist or orthodontist to get a mouth guard, retainer, or orthodontic care for an abnormal bite or crowded teeth.
How to Prevent It?
- You can stop grinding your teeth by getting counseling or learning mindfulness through meditation.
- Also, it’s important to limit how much soda, chocolate, and coffee you eat and drink, especially right before bed.
- Caffeine stays in your body for about 6 hours. It can make your muscles move while you sleep, which can make you clench your mouth.
It’s Never Too Soon for a Checkup
Preventive dental care can help keep you from getting any of these painful or expensive problems with your teeth. Setting up regular checkups and cleanings is a surefire way to fix bad mouth health.
Dr. Motiwala Dental Clinic & Implant Centre can help you put a high focus on your dental care. Today, set up a cleaning and meeting.
Dr. Motiwala in International Press
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