Toothache

Excruciating pain is often encountered during the occurrence of the condition known as a toothache, though at times avoiding the dentist and being fearful of the dentist often enables the person to bear the pain quietly. However, pain in the gums or the teeth indicates some severe disorder and has to be immediately brought to the notice of a dentist for diagnosis and timely treatment, in fact any pain in the gums or the teeth must be taken as a signal to visit the dentist since permanent damage to the teeth or the gums can occur if a problem is left unresolved, leading to malformed dentition or deformed teeth. Tooth decay may be the underlying causative disorder if the ache or the pain come soon suddenly when the person is eating sweets or is being exposed to cold air, the pain rapidly disappears if the stimulus is gone. The infection or the cavity would have reached all the way into the canals and the gums if stimuli such as heat bring about persistent or sudden and momentary pangs of pain, in the gums of the affected person. Persistent and enduring pain in the teeth or gums results when the inflammation has affected the nerve underlying the teeth; all such cases cause severe and excruciating pain.

The formation of an abscess is indicative of a persistent and nagging toothache. The abscess that is formed will produce pus that either remains under the tooth or is exuded out into the oral cavity. A very serious or severe abscess is often the case whenever the gums of the affected individual are painfully swollen, around the affected tooth. The occurrence of dangerous infection and even the chances of blood poisoning are increased in the person if the abscess formed in the gums bursts for any reason. The development of an abscess is also indicated where the presence of a toothache comes along with the occurrence of fever in the patient. Some types of abscesses are painless and can only be identified using x-rays, such painless abscessed tooth are not rare and occur frequently in the population. A painless and hence undetected abscess may result in the infection leaking out to some other part of the body and affecting some other organ far away from the mouth. For example the whole cheek can become infected and painful in the case of trigeminal neuralgia, where the initial pain and discomfort often begins as a mere pain in a single tooth.

Persistent pain or discomfort encountered after filling a tooth is quite normal for the first few days, but this should be examined if the ache persists for a long time. A person affected with the cold or flu is also likely to experience pain and discomfort in the teeth as a side effect, and this is not necessarily a cause for concern. Painful aches and soreness in the mouth may also come when the wisdom teeth, the last pair of permanent teeth come out in the person, and this is considered a normal sign of development. Wisdom teeth may become a source for dental problems and infected teeth if the space in the gums is malformed or if the teeth develop in an improper way as they come out of the gum.

The major reasons toothaches occur are the formation of cavities in the teeth. Bad dental habits from childhood are the reason these cavities are very common in occurrence. As plaque deposits itself onto the surface of the tooth, the enamel which is the hard outer covering of the teeth is eroded progressively and a cavity begin in a small area of the enamel, due to this loss of minerals on the tooth. Often bacteria are included in the plaque which penetrate through the cavity in the enamel. Inevitably inflammation and toothache result as the pulp inside the teeth is damaged due to the loss of enamel. The destruction of the pulp is completed as the erosion of the enamel continues if the erosion continues, this causes an ion to appear in the root of the teeth, the formation of an abscess results, and the tooth dies, leading to its loss.

Plaque can be eliminated successfully through regular and careful dental hygiene, namely through flossing and brushing the teeth daily. Additionally the build up of plaque and the cavities in the teeth must also be examined by a dentist on a regular basis monthly dental check ups are a must in this regard. Proper techniques give the best overall protection to teeth and areas in the mouth, which are difficult to reach, are often missed if the brushing technique is improper or hurried in any way. Plaque deposition is the greatest in areas where the wisdom teeth are emerging and or where the teeth are crowded close together. The health of gums plays a huge role in the maintenance and health of teeth and therefore the gums need to be looked after as well. Tooth loss and infection by bacterial pathogens is increased through inflammation that often comes along with the erosion of the gums.

The health of the teeth is ensured through the proper and regular consumption of essential nutrients in the diet. The basis for healthy and efficient dentition is laid in the womb during development, and it is from here that the diet of the mother begins to play an important role in the development of teeth. The onset of tooth decay is often promoted by sugars found in colas and other beverages. Additionally the consumption of lemons and other citrus fruits, and the acidic content of liquid vitamin C, if taken in large quantities are often responsible for the erosion of the enamel covering the teeth.

Supplements and herbs

Dental decay is not eliminated by supplementation; these substances are to be taken as preventative as well as restorative agents and not therapeutic substances. The health of gums and teeth and its maintenance demands the presence of all essential nutrients in the daily diet in sufficient quantities. Among all these nutrients, vitamin C the most important substance in the diet, it is very important to healthy teeth and gums and is otherwise essential in many of the biochemical processes in the human body. The pace of healing and the restoration of the gums is increased by supplements of vitamin C, additionally the immune system is boosted and its functioning is heightened. The health of gums and their maintenance also requires the use of the vitamin A as a dietary supplement. The prevention of cavity formation, strong teeth and healthy gums is maintained by many minerals, in particular essential minerals like silica, calcium, and the trace mineral magnesium may be quoted.

The main role of supplement in the diet is to help fight against infection from pathogens, this becomes especially true where an abscess forms on the gums. The function of the immune system is bolstered by the actions of two important nutrients, which are the vitamin C and the essential mineral zinc. The diet must also contains supplements of the Lactobacillus acidophilus concurrent with any antibiotic usage in the fight against infection, the aim being to replace the microbial content of the stomach in the affected individual. After a period of antibiotic use, the consumption of the supplemental Lactobacillus acidophilus must be maintained for at least two to three weeks, to fully restore the intestinal healthy bacteria.

All the medicinal herbs given below can help in the alleviation of problems due to a toothache caused by the formation of cavities, a bacterial infection or the development of an abscess, these herbs will alleviate the pain and aid in recovery.

To eliminate oral bacteria, use the extract of the lemon balm to rinse the mouth on a daily basis. To alleviate pain from a toothache the essential oil of the bennet herb can be used with great effect. This can be done by mixing about 5 drops of the oil to your mouthwash or by topically applying the oil onto the painful and affected tooth. To relieve fevers and a heightened temperature that comes along with a toothache, induce perspiration by consuming a tea made from the elderflower herb. The enamel loss can be greatly reduced and it can be strengthened through the use of supplement of the horsetail herb, this has a lot of silica in it and will aid in preserving and protecting the teeth while preventing the formation of cavities in the teeth. The supplementation of horsetail can be carried out easily enough through the addition of the aqueous extract of the horsetail to the toothpaste you normally use daily. The tea made from the sage can be used as a gargling liquid to reduce the pain from an abscess, gargle several times a day for maximum relief. Using half a tsp. of the tincture made from the goldenseal along with a glass of pure water thrice a day, will effectively combat bacteria in the mouth and will lower the inflammation in the gums. Two tbsp. of dandelion juice taken thrice a day during a treatment period running for a couple of weeks, will prevent any recurrence of abscesses by cleansing the blood, use regularly to prevent aches. To gain complete freedom from the pain, one to two tsps. of the tincture made from the Echinacea can be used every hour till the symptoms subside completely.

Homeopathy

• Belladonna
  Belladonna is to be used in the early homeopathic treatment of abscesses that develop very fast; the treatment must be carried out during the early stages of the abscess formation in the gums for maximum relief. Some of the typical physical symptoms of this type of abscess formation are the reddening, swelling and hotness of the affected area in the gums, the tooth may throb violently and the oral cavity may be given to dryness. The appearance of these physical symptoms requires the use of the herb Belladonna as a homeopathic remedy in the patient.
• Hepar sulph
  Hepar sulph is to be used in the homeopathic treatment of patients with toot ache where the sensation of pain increases on exposure to cold air and is very sensitive to the touch, the skin feels as if it is splintered and the pain is often acute. The other symptoms may be the formation of foul smelling pus in the region of the abscess, the pus is thick and the region may be given to septicemia and is in general slow in healing. The patients often display psychological symptoms such as irritability and temper; they are also susceptible to the cold. The presence of any of these symptoms requires the immediate use of Hepar sulph as a homeopathic remedy in the treatment of the condition.
• Mercurius
  Mercurius is to be used in the homeopathic treatment of patients with gums often given to bleeding and which are sore and painful at the same time. The pus may be excessive and the pain in the gums is generally acute in the nighttime. The breath smells bad and salivation is often excessive in the patient, the individual may also acutely feel thirst. The presence of one or any of these symptoms requires the immediate use of Mercurius as a homeopathic remedy in the treatment of the condition.
• Silica
  Silica is to be used in the homeopathic treatment of individuals experiencing a slow healing and painful abscess in the gums. The development of such abscesses in the gums takes a lot of time and is not immediately apparent. Other physical manifestations may be the development of sepsis, dental caries, and the gradual discoloration of the teeth. The presence of one or any of these symptoms requires the use of Silica as a homeopathic remedy in the treatment of the condition.

Additional things you may do

Physical treatments and alternative methods like alternating hot and cold foot baths can be resorted to where the toothache is acute and extremely painful, these physical treatments draw away the circulating blood from the facial regions and dissipate the painful sensation. The painful area of the cheek can be alleviated by the application of hot cotton pouches containing 6 tbsp. of flax seeds, after they have been boiled in water. Place a compress made of freshly grated horseradish on the cheek for twenty minutes after rubbing propolis salve on the affected area for pain relief. Cotton balls can be soaked in two drops of clove oil and applied on the area of the cheeks. For quick pain relief use one of the cotton balls on the aching tooth and the other one on the ear along the same side of the face in which the pain is evident. The nerve in the tooth can be numbed and the resulting pain alleviated through the chewing of a whole clove, as a further pain relief measure.

Usual dosage

• Vitamin A, 25,000 IU. Avoid during pregnancy.
• Vitamin C, with bioflavonoids, 1 ,000 mg thrice a day
• Silica, 1,000 mg
• Magnesium, 600 mg
• Calcium, 1,200 mg

Other beneficial herbs

• Mulberry

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