Toothache - tips on how to help yourself at home

In order to provide support to our patients, and to all those who have problems with toothache - we decided to share with you the advice of our experts on how you can relieve pain at home and in which case you should call a dentist.

Oral hygiene - the best protection against toothache

By maintaining proper oral hygiene, you can avoid most of the problems that cause toothache. With regular and proper hygiene we protect our teeth from caries, tartar, bleeding gums, bad breath and other inconveniences.

Oral hygiene - how to carry it out correctly?

Here are the steps to follow to maintain the health of your teeth and avoid toothache:

• brush your teeth with a soft brush so as not to irritate the gums
• Brush your teeth at least 2 times a day
• each brushing should last at least 2 minutes - so you are sure that you have cleaned all your teeth well
• after brushing your teeth, floss between all teeth
• Change the brush regularly, every 3 months
• use mouthwash to keep your gums healthy
• avoid smoking
• eat healthy
• visit your dentist 2 times a year
• Vrste boli zuba - kako detektirati vrstu boli?

Kako bi mogli znati što vas točno boli, važno je prije svega detektirati vrstu boli:

• Pulsating pain - a feeling like when the heart beats. It is more pronounced at night due to the horizontal position of the body. In case you feel throbbing pain, it means that your tooth itself hurts (strong and constant pain). In this case, contact the dentist.
• Dull pain - it can be due to pain in the tooth or due to a periodontal pocket, and the periodontal pocket occurs due to the accumulation of bacteria that cause inflammation and pain of the gums. With dull pain, it is necessary to clean the painful area well with floss, brush and antiseptics. In the event that the pain passes after all that is done means that the pain was caused by a dental (periodontal) pocket. If the pain does not go away after cleaning, contact your dentist.
• Bite pain after completing prosthetic work - in case you have recently completed prosthetic work (crowns, bridges or dentures), and you feel pain when biting, this may indicate that the area may be more elevated in the bite, so it is necessary to chew more gently and avoid chewing on the painful side until you reach your dentist.
• Pain in hot/cold - two possible causes are pulpitis and bare tooth neck.
• Pain in hot/cold - pulpitis as a cause. It is possible that the dental nerve has become inflamed and the tooth needs to be treated at the dentist. Until you can get to your dentist, you can help yourself by putting cold compresses (keep the compress on your face for 20 minutes in breaks of 20-30 minutes) over your face in the area where you are in pain or analgesics.
• Pain in hot/cold - bare dental neck as a cause. This most often happens in patients who have bruxism (teeth grinding) or who have regression of gums (periodontitis) and those who have broken tooth enamel due to improper brushing of teeth. How to help yourself? Properly brush your teeth with a soft toothbrush and use toothpastes for sensitive teeth (for desensitization) like Paradontax. If you feel pain on the sweet, it is also possible that you have a bare tooth neck.
• Pain on sweet. If you feel severe pain on the sweet, you most likely have caries that need to be treated or bare your dental neck. Until you arrive at the dentist, try not to chew on the side that hurts you.
• Swelling of part of the face. If your face swells due to pain in your teeth, it means in most situations that the inflammation from the periodontal pocket has spread or the root canals have become infected. This condition requires you to call your dentist immediately before trying home treatment.
• Pain while wearing braces. Mild pain and tightening immediately after placing braces is normal and it will pass. In case of other problems with braces, you can read the advice of our orthodontist Dr. Katarina Krajačić in the blog: Braces - tips from the orthodontist.

Tips on how to relieve tooth pain at home

If you feel pain in your tooth, it is very important to find out exactly where it hurts. When you detect the type and location of pain, you will know how to get rid of tooth pain, swelling or some other symptom. Be sure to consult a dentist before using some of these tips if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have any diagnosis and are already taking medication.

• Salt water - salt water is a natural disinfectant and can help solve the pain caused by the rest of the food between the teeth. Mix half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, rinse your mouth with it and spit it out.
• Hydrogen peroxide (3%) - hydrogen peroxide reduces infection and discomfort. Hydrogen peroxide can reduce dental plaque and calm gum bleeding. Be sure to dilute it enough. Mix 3% hydrogen peroxide with the same amount of water and rinse your mouth with this liquid and spit it out. Do not swallow this mixture. Instead of hydrogen peroxide, you can also use any oral antiseptic (mouthwash) such as. Listerine with alcohol. If you certainly have gum inflammation, you can use products such as Curasept or Corsodyl solution.
• Cold compresses - to relieve tooth pain, especially if the cause of pain is tooth trauma - use cold compresses. Wrap the ice bag in a towel and press it against the sore part for 20 minutes. You can put a compress on your face every 20-30 minutes. Instead of hydrogen peroxide, you can also use any oral antiseptic (mouthwash) such as. Listerine with alcohol If you have certain inflammation of the gums, you can use products such as Curasept or Corsodyl solution.

If the pain is unbearable and you are healthy, you can take a painkiller - ketonal or voltaren until you manage to reach your dentist.

We advise you to take these medicines only if you are healthy and have consulted with your doctor before handling it.

These are temporary measures that you can help yourself for a few days, and after that, if the pain does not pass, it is necessary to contact the dentist.

What if my gums are bleeding?

If your gums are bleeding, you need:

• Daily, at least 2 times a day, brush your teeth thoroughly for 3 minutes and make sure you clean each surface of your teeth (with a soft brush)
• after you have brushed your teeth well and carefully, it is necessary to clean your teeth interdentally. Interdental cleaning involves the use of floss or dental shower to pass between all teeth.

If the bleeding is severe, use an oral antiseptic based on chlorhexidine 2 times a day by shaking your mouth, spitting and NOT rinsing with water. Also, after shaking your mouth with a chlorhexidine-based liquid - you should not eat or drink anything for half an hour after that.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact us via e-mail or Facebook page. We will write the latest questions and answers in this text.

And don't forget, for all Dentum patients we are available for emergencies!

E-mail: smile@dentum.com

Tel: +385 1 5802 333