Toothaches are a pain within a tooth that can range from mild to severe. They can be caused by many things, including tooth decay, a fracture, damaged filling, chewing gum, grinding teeth, and the buildup of food debris between teeth. Injuries and other conditions can also cause tooth pain.
Beyond pain, symptoms of toothache include swelling, fever or headache, and foul-tasting drainage from the afflicted tooth.
There are many different ways to treat tooth pain. The best option will depend on the root of the tooth pain. In most instances, a dentist will do an x-ray on the patient to identify the problem behind the tooth pain. The following are the most common treatment practices for the most common tooth problems.
In the cases of tooth decay, the decayed area is removed. The dentist will then replace the removed section with filling.
If a filling becomes loose or breaks entirely, the dentist will remove the damaged filling, clean out any resulting decay, and then replace the filling.
In some cases, a tooth will need to be removed completely, to ensure that the problem, such as an infection, does not spread.
For gum swelling, antibiotics might be used to reduce the swelling in the gums and any subsequent fever.
In many of these instances, and especially in the case of a general toothache, the pain that is caused can be treated with the use of ibuprofen, such as Advil.
Ibuprofen is classed as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Ibuprofen is often used to manage pain that ranges from being mild to moderate. It is also used to treat inflammation that occurs in both children and adults.
Ibuprofen helps to block an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX), which helps to produce prostaglandins or the chemicals that cause inflammation, pain, and fever. Ibuprofen’s ability to block COX is what allows it to help alleviate the pain many patients experience as a result of toothache.
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