I have dental pain, what is it?

Generally speaking, dental pain can originate from three places: A) inside a tooth, B) the gums, C) soft tissue and/or the muscles that open and close the jaw. Dental x-rays and a clinical exam are often needed to rule out dental decay and or a dying (dead) tooth, (pulpitis, necrosis). It’s important to alert your dentist immediately if you are experiencing any type of dental pain to avoid serious infection, worsened pain and even more costly dental procedures.

Keep in mind the following: Dental decay in healthy individuals with good hygiene and eating habits, usually takes months, if not, years to progress into something even worse. With that said, neglecting your oral health isn’t something anyone should do. If you are feeling pain or irritation, call your dentist and book an appointment immediately- like our parents always say, better safe than sorry!

While acute dental pain can sometimes be overlooked and disregarded as something you don’t need to worry about… pain is still pain. There are a few at-home remedies you can consider before calling your dentist:

• Salt Water Rinse: for many people suffering from acute dental pain, a salt water rinse can be very effective. The salt water acts as a natural disinfectant and can wiggle out food debris that may be stuck in between teeth. Treating a toothache with salt water can help reduce inflammation and heal wounds inside the mouth.
• Hydrogen Peroxide Rinse: unlike a salt water rinse, a hydrogen peroxide rinse helps kill bacteria and heal bleeding and irritated gums along with reducing inflammation and relieving pain. Make sure to properly dilute hydrogen peroxide before you rinse with it. First, mix 3% hydrogen peroxide with equal parts water and stir it together. Reminder, DON’T SWALLOW the hydrogen peroxide rinse. Treat this rinse as a mouthwash, swish, swish, swish than spit. 
• Ice and Cold Compress: if you are suffering from pain, you can try and apply either ice or a cold compress onsite the pain to try and reduce swelling and inflammation. If you are still dealing with pain, please call your dentist and get in straight away! The last thing you want is to let the pain go and get worse over time.

If you are having trouble understanding your treatment plan, would like a second opinion or want to see a different dentist, NoBull Dental has your back. We take your personal needs and individual values into consideration when pairing you with your ideal dentist to fix those pesky dental issues. Feel empowered to take control of your oral health! NoBull s**t here, just honest dentistry.