How to Prevent Toothaches and How to Stop Tooth Decay

What is Toothache?
It is the most common dental problem suffered by every individual. It refers to the pain one experiences around their jaws, tooth or teeth. It can be severe or mild depending upon one’s condition. Toothaches need not necessarily be caused by the tooth problem; it can be the sign of a heart attack, sinuses and infections around the ear. It is called as “DANTSHOOL” in the Ayurveda.

Causes of toothache

It may be caused due to the following reasons:

• Dental caries or cavity is the most common cause of the toothache
• Gum related diseases also results in toothache
• A fracture in the tooth causes damage or injury to the jaws which in turn results in toothache
• Cracked tooth also leads to the toothache, moreover they are difficult to diagnose because they are invisible
• If filling of material is not done properly it may lead to the toothache
• Excess chewing of gums also results in the toothache
• Splitting of tooth or interruptions in the growth of the tooth can affect the adjacent tooth which results in the toothache
• Brushing vigorously may also leads to toothache
• Grinding of the teeth also results in toothache which is popularly known as “BRUXISM”

What are the symptoms of toothache?

The signs of the toothache may be one of the following:

• You experience pain while eating
• Constant pain and swelling in your mouth also indicates toothache
• Sensitivity in the teeth when coming in contact with heat or cold after undergoing the treatment also indicates toothache
• Intolerable pain after eating hot food or drinking cold beverages is also a sign of toothache
• Bleeding from the mouth or corners of the tooth

How to prevent toothache?

Teeth have a very crucial role to play in our body. Hence, they are to be properly taken care as they are the medium of supplying nutrients to our body. The following preventive measures may help you to avoid toothaches:

• Eat healthy food
• Brush properly and regularly
• Avoid excess intake of sugar, as bacteria attacks it and cause damage to the teeth
• At the end of the meal, always eat salad or a fruit
• Floss regularly after each meal
• It is better to use fluoride toothpaste
• Make sure you remove food particles from the mouth after eating
• Make sure that you get your teeth clean once in two years from a dentist
• Never take tobacco and avoid smoking
• Wear a tooth guard while playing sports to avoid injuries and the pain caused due to it

Don’t hesitate from visiting the dentist if you suffer from toothache and never be careless for it as it can cause severe dental problems. Never go for self- medication thinking that it is a minor problem. It is always better to consult the dentist.

How to stop tooth decay

Tooth decay is one of the oral diseases which are popularly known as Cavities or Caries. It is a severe condition where there is either partial or complete breakdown of tooth. It is a common dental problem which may affect an individual at any time or age. But it is found that young people are more likely to suffer from the tooth decay when compared to the other age people.

In case of infants, sometimes it happens that while drinking milk he/she may sleep with some amount of milk which has not been gulped by him/her. This results in the tooth decay which is popularly known as “Nursing Caries” or “Baby Bottle Tooth Decay”.

What causes tooth decay?

Tooth decay is a most common dental problem all over the world. It is caused due to the following reasons:

• Ignorance to oral health care increases the chances of tooth decay
• Excess consumption of sweets also contributes to tooth decay because bacteria named “plaque” which is always present on your gums and tooth, attacks the sugar you eat to make acid
• The acids so formed cause damage to tooth enamel which results in tooth decay
• Drinking soft drinks also increases the risk of the tooth decay because they also contain sugar which promotes the formation of plaque on the toot

How to stop tooth decay?

Tooth decay is not a severe dental problem. It can be prevented if properly taken care. The following preventive measures may help you to avoid tooth decay in future.

• Brush your teeth at least twice a da
• Make sure that you brush properly covering all the areas of the mouth so that bacteria plaque is removed from your toot
• Always use a soft brush and change it at regular interval
• You can also use an electronic tooth brush as it cleans the mouth completely
• It is always better to use fluoride toothpaste to avoid tooth decay
• Put the brush at 45 degree angle and move it in circular motions so that it cleans the gums completely. But be gentle while doing it or else it will result in bleeding.Regular and proper brushing of the tongue with some mouthwash helps in hindering the growth of plaque which in turn prevents tooth deca
• Flossing regularly after every meal also helps in preventing the tooth deca
• Maintain a good diet routine which contains less sugar and carbohydrate
• Pregnant woman and children between 2-3 years should avoid X-Ray
• Make sure that your child doesn’t sleep with the milk bottle in the mouth to avoid “Nursing Caries
• Make frequent visits to the dentist

It is very important to take preventive measures to avoid tooth decay, because there is no indication of it until it reaches the severe stage. Hence, prevent it before it is too late.