Unlike most dental health days, Toothache Day is much more about awareness than celebration!
With our range of general and emergency treatments, we aim to reduce the time that you spend in discomfort or pain, but there are many ways that you yourself can prevent toothache. This February 9th, we want to show you how important preventative care is, so join us as we explore the painful issues that might be causing you discomfort and all the ways you can take care of your teeth, gums, and oral health to keep them at bay.
What Causes Toothache?
We’ve all had it before - the continuous throbbing in your gums that keeps you up at night, or that startling stab of sharp pain whenever you bite into something. Pain in the teeth, gums, and even jaw in severe cases can disrupt your daily life and leave you worrying about what’s happened, so let’s take a look at the common causes of toothaches.
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Tooth Decay: This painful damage causes sensitive teeth and sharp pain, particularly if it has developed into a cavity or become infected, so look out for brown spots on the surface of your teeth.
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Dental Abscess: If you have one of these, you will likely already know about it! An abscess is caused by a buildup of pus in the teeth or gums as a result of infection and it will not go away without treatment, causing intense pain, sensitivity, swelling and redness.
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Impacted Teeth: Wisdom teeth can come through in young adults, but if they do not have enough room or don’t grow out of your gums properly then they become sore and swollen.
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Gum Disease: The number of UK residents currently living with gum disease is estimated to be around 42% of the entire UK population, meaning that just under half of us are living with swollen and sore gums that bleed when we brush our teeth and can lead to tooth loss.
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Injury: From a small chip or crack to a badly broken tooth that has exposed nerves, any damage to your teeth causes varying degrees of pain and leaves them at risk of infection.
How Can I Prevent Toothache?
Whilst there are some issues, like wisdom teeth eruptions, that we don’t have much control over and can only deal with as they arise, there are a range of preventative measures you can take to protect your teeth and gums that will also make it easier to catch any symptoms early on.
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Brush Your Teeth: There’s a reason we are always reminding our patients of the importance of brushing their teeth, and it’s because it really works! Keeping your teeth and gums as healthy as possible gives you the best chance of preventing issues, so don’t forget to brush twice a day at least and replace your toothbrush every 1 to 3 months.
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Floss Regularly: At-home dental care doesn’t end when those two minutes are up - use dental floss every day to clean between your teeth and keep your gums free from any plaque or buildup.
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Avoid Sugar: Sugar coats the teeth and breaks down the protective enamel, leading to a range of painful issues, so avoid sugary foods and drinks as a general rule.
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Don’t Grind Your Teeth: We all grind our teeth a little in times of stress, but doing this repeatedly can wear down your teeth and cause jaw pain, so avoid doing this by chewing gum instead and wearing a mouth guard at night.
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Attend Dental Appointments: Issues like cavities and early-stage decay are hard to catch and often don’t have many noticeable symptoms until they start causing you intense pain, so visit our dental spa regularly for cleanings and checkups.
Specialist Private Dental Care in London
It’s always much easier (and less painful) to prevent dental issues than to treat them once they become too much. Our Dental Plans start at only £35 per month for priority appointments, treatment discounts, and Emergency Care when needed, so avoid toothache and save on the care you need with Riverside Dental Spa.
