The pain brought about by a toothache is so disturbing that it hinders people from performing their regular activities. Most people describe the pain as excruciating and intolerable. Indeed, toothache is one of the most painful things anyone can possibly experience. As such, practically no one wants to undergo the agony brought about by toothaches.
If this is so, how are toothaches prevented then? Moreover, how are these avoided?
Toothaches are generally caused by dental cavities or dental caries. Although toothaches are also caused by gum problems, emergence of wisdom tooth, and an infected dental pulp, the most common cause for such is cavity. Practically almost everybody experiences dental cavity. In fact, dental cavity is very common in approximately 90% of the population. Although not all dental cavities cause pain, like the small ones, unattended cavities usually become bigger and eventually cause pain.
Dental cavity develops in the outer two layers of the tooth. These two layers are very important because these protect the inner living tooth tissue and the pulp, with which the nerves and the blood vessels are located. Thus, when cavity penetrates these layers, the pulp becomes irritated by bacterial toxins. When this happens, pain will surely creep in, most especially if food is collected in the cavity.
So what causes dental cavity?
There are many factors that contribute to dental cavity including nutrition habits, dry mouth, and poor quality of oral hygiene. Basically the food that you eat manifests in your body. Without the proper nutrition, your body becomes deficient of the minerals that are needed in the formation of string bones and teeth, and the prevention of certain diseases. Thus, imbalanced nutrition and malnutrition contributes to the formation of cavity in the tooth. On the other hand, dry mouth also causes dental cavity because of the insufficiency of saliva in the mouth, which is needed for cleansing the mouth and digesting the food. Moreover, saliva is also important in controlling fungi and bacteria in the mouth. Thus, if saliva is insufficient, bacteria and fungi tend to thrive in the mouth which can cause tooth decay and cavity. A person’s oral hygiene definitely contributes to the status of his teeth. Improper brushing of the teeth is an oral hygiene malpractice. Furthermore, people who frequently eat sweets, and smoke also practice poor oral hygiene. As such, these people are of high risk to dental cavity.
However, dental cavity can be avoided and prevented. With the proper diet and the right food, tooth decay can definitely be avoided. By minimizing the intake of sugar and starches, the number of acid producing bacteria in the mouth is reduced. Proper oral hygiene is also very important. This includes frequent brushing of teeth, and regular use of floss for removing acid plaque between teeth. Finally, the application of sealants is also recommended for the prevention of cavity. These are plastic coatings that are painted on the pits and fissures of the chewing surfaces of the teeth. home insulation