Explainer | On World Toothache Day, experts outline why your teeth hurt and how to stop the pain, from saltwater rinses to which foods to avoid
- February 9 is toothache awareness day. Hong Kong dentists describe the three main causes of toothache – cavities, gum disease, and grinding your teeth
- Avoiding foods and drinks that make the pain worse, and taking home remedies, help in the short term, but see a dentist to get to the root of the pain
Ever had a toothache? A throbbing pain so close to your brain you can’t think straight?
Toothache can range from the mild pain of teething in children to an excruciating one that some women report is worse than that of childbirth, says Dr Raymond Lee Kwong-wah of Pacific Dental Care in Hong Kong.
“Once the cavity reaches the inner layer of the tooth (the dentine) the tooth becomes very sensitive. This type of pain is usually a nagging ache that comes and goes,” he says.
Left untreated, the bacteria can travel to the tooth pulp and cause infection around the tissue and even the bone surrounding the tooth, sometimes leading to swelling – an abscess. This type of pain is agonising and pulsating.
Toothache can also be the result of tooth fractures, Lee says.