Medizines

A toothache, also known as odontalgia or, less frequently, as odontalgy, is an aching pain in or around a tooth. In most cases toothaches are caused by problems in the tooth or jaw, such as cavities, gum disease, the emergence of wisdom teeth, a cracked tooth, infected dental pulp, jaw disease, or exposed tooth root. Causes of a toothache may also be a symptom of diseases of the heart, such as angina or a myocardial infarction, due to referred pain. After having one or more teeth extracted a condition known as dry socket can develop, leading to extreme pain.

Toothache or tooth pain is caused when the nerve root of a tooth is irritated. Dental (tooth) infection, decay, injury, or loss of a tooth are the most common causes of dental pain. Pain may also occur after an extraction (tooth is pulled out). Pain sometimes originates from other areas and radiates to the jaw, thus appearing to be tooth pain. The most common areas include the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint or TMJ), ear pain, and even occasional heart problems.

Toothache Causes

Toothache or any other tooth-related problem is really painful and disturbing. It affects our life and our daily activities completely. The main causes of tooth decay are germs in tooth, cavity in tooth, excess consumption of junk foods and sweets and chocolates. Improper brushing, poor quality of toothpaste and toothbrush is also responsible for toothache. Some study shows that stress and mental tension and anxiety worsen the toothache and other problems.

Common dental causes of toothache include dental cavities, dental abscess, gum disease, irritation of the tooth root, cracked tooth syndrome, temporomandibular disease, impaction, and eruption.

Toothache Symptoms

Toothache and jaw pain are common complaints. There may be severe pain to pressure, or to hot or cold stimuli. The pain may persist for longer than 15 seconds after the stimulus is removed. As the area of inflammation increases, the pain becomes more severe. It may radiate to the cheek, the ear, or the jaw.

Toothache Treatment

Be it a child or an adult everybody has experienced toothache at some point of their life. It is a temporary, scathing pain occurring in and around the teeth and in the jaws. The pain can either be minimal, sharp, searing or burning. It can come and go at intervals or can be continuous. The throbbing increases in contact with cold, sweet or hot sensation. A fever can follow a toothache.

In most cases, dental or jaw pain can be cared for with pain medications and antibiotics. A referral to a dentist for follow-up will usually be arranged. In some cases, the doctor may try an injection around the tooth for pain control. If there is swelling in the gums or face, or you have fever, antibiotics may be prescribed.

Treatment will depend on the underlying cause of the toothache. If the pain is due to tooth decay, the dentist will remove the decayed area and restore the tooth with a filling of silver amalgam or composite resin. Loose or broken fillings are removed, new decay cleaned out, and a new filling is placed. If the pulp of the tooth is damaged, root canal therapy is needed. The dentist or a specialist called an endodontist removes the decayed pulp, fills the space left behind with a soothing paste, and covers the tooth with a crown to protect and seal it.

Author: peterhutch

Are Your Teeth Really Stained?
First, you need to figure out what is causing your yellow teeth. In some cases, your teeth might have a yellow tint to them as your natural color. Not all teeth start off as bright white, and some people's natural tooth color tends to be more yellow than white. You can usually determine if this is the case for you because your teeth will all be the same color. If your teeth vary in color or shades of yellow, then they are probably stained.
What Causes Stained Teeth?
Tetracycline, an antibiotic, can cause discoloration of teeth in children, making them appear blotchy. This is more and more uncommon now, as doctors realized that prescribing the medication to children could cause this reaction. Most drinking water has fluoride added to it, which is a good thing, because it helps to prevent cavities. However, if there is too much fluoride in the water, this could cause your teeth to turn yellow too. There are also some medical conditions which will make your teeth change color.
In most cases, however, yellow teeth are caused by food, drinks, or tobacco staining the surface enamel of the tooth. Smokers almost always have yellow stained teeth, as well as people who drink large amounts of coffee. Soda and tea are also responsible. Although these are the main culprits, any type of food can stain your teeth if they are not properly brushed. Underneath your tooth enamel is a material called dentin. Dentin is naturally yellow, and as you age your tooth enamel becomes worn down, exposing the dentin. This is why some people notice a color change in their teeth as they grow older.
How to Prevent Stained, Yellow Teeth
Proper dental hygiene is one of the most important things you can do to prevent stained teeth. You should be brushing at least two or three times a day. Remember, the longer that a food or beverage remains in contacts with your teeth, the better chance you have of them turning yellow. Ideally, you would want to brush your teeth within an hour of eating or drinking anything that may stain them. You also need to remember to have dental cleanings at least once a year. Avoiding beverages that might stain your teeth is your best bet, but if you must have your soda, consider drinking it out of a straw and chasing it with a glass of water.
Getting Rid of Yellow Teeth
If you have yellow teeth, you've probably realized that there is a wide selection of products available for you to try. They include:
# Whitening Mouthwash
This is perhaps the easiest method. All you need to do is swish it around your mouth for about a minute. However, these are usually only effective if your teeth are only very mildly stained because the whitening agents are only on your teeth for a short amount of time.
# Whitening Toothpaste
There are many brands out there on the market. Again, for mildly stained teeth you might see an effect. These are best used as stain prevention, rather than stain removal.
# Paint On BleachThese over-the-counter bleaching products look almost like nail polish. You simply "paint" your teeth with the bleach and let it sit. These have been shown to work on teeth that are not very badly stained. They can be somewhat messy, and you need to be sure not to miss parts of your teeth or they will be bleached unevenly. Also, some tooth sensitivity and gum discomfort is a common side effect.
# Whitening Strips
Working under the same principles as the paint-on bleach, these strips have the whitening agent included right on them. You simply place the strips on your teeth, usually once or twice a day. These can work quite well. They typically cost anywhere from $20 to $50 dollars and your color change should last about a year. Again, you might experience some tooth pain or sensitivity or some pain in your gums from the solution. You should also be careful not to use the strips too often, as overbleaching of your teeth can cause them to look blue. If you have uneven or crooked teeth, strips probably won't work for you because it will be hard to make sure the strip is evenly covering your teeth. This could cause the color change to appear uneven.
# Bleaching Trays
Bleaching trays are given to you by a dentist. They are typically molded to fit your mouth which allows the bleaching agent to more effectively coat each tooth. They also contain a higher concentration of the bleaching agent, so you get a brighter smile quicker. However, you might notice more side effects and you will be required to make at least one trip to the dentist. This is an effective option though, and can be a good option if your teeth are more than mildly stained.
# Blue-Light Technology
You can find many of these teeth-whitening salons in malls and office parks around the country. One popular company is Brite-Smile. These procedures use a combination of a hydrogen peroxide bleaching agent and blue-light technology. It takes about an hour, but many claim the effects are dramatic. There are also supposed to be fewer side effects than other methods, and the color change should last a few years. It costs between $400 and $600 dollars in most locations.
# Dental Veneers
Veneers are typically made from porcelain and are applied in thin layers on top of the tooth surface. This can be one of the most effective ways to get rid of your yellow teeth. First used to improve the look of movie star's teeth, veneers have been around for many years. Now anyone can get veneers, but there are some disadvantages. First, a dentist must do them for you, and they typically cost around a thousand dollars per tooth. They also only last around ten to fifteen years, and after that you will need to replace them. This can be quite an expensive option. Most insurance plans will not cover veneers which are done strictly to improve the look of yellow teeth. There are few side effects with veneers, but care must be taken by the dentist to make sure that the veneers fit properly in the mouth and that the bite is adjusted so that they do not become easily chipped.
# Home Remedies for Yellow Teeth
There are tons of home remedies that you can use to try to whiten your teeth, although none have yet proven to be successful. Here's a few:
* Rub the white part of an orange peel along your teeth.
* Brush your teeth with baking soda.
* Using a Q-Tip, dab hydrogen peroxide onto the surface of your teeth, being careful to avoid your gums or you might have irritation.
* Strawberry pulp is supposed to have a natural bleaching effect, and it tastes better than baking soda.
* Salt can be used to brush your teeth. You can also try mixing salt, baking soda and water together. But be careful, because the salt is very abrasive and could cause mouth pain and weakened enamel.
* Rinse your mouth with a vinegar/water solution.
You should consult a dentist before trying and of the above remedies. Your tooth enamel is rather fragile, and you don't want to do too much to your teeth because it can really wear down the enamel, causing you even more problems. Remember, yellow teeth are really just a cosmetic issue and you don't want to cause permanent damage in your quest to have a bright smile.

By Janice Mccain

In the past when you wanted white teeth you would have to go to your dentist because that was the only way to get teeth whitening, usually with corrosive tooth bleach. Although bleach preparations have improved they can still be harsh. Today there are many ways to whiten your teeth; however most of them involve dangerous chemicals that may be able to seep through the delicate tissues in your mouth, under the tongue. You can avoid the potential problems, from whitening your teeth, that you might get from chemical exposure through tooth bleaching and whitening products, kits, strips, gels and systems.
There are a few natural ways to whiten your teeth or prevent them from discoloring and a form of natural bleaching in some cases. In this article I'll list a few tips for natural treatments you can do at home.
1. First of all the obvious one of making regular appointments for cleaning your teeth is first on the list. Many people let this slide but it's important to not only get on a regular schedule with the dentist's office setting up future appointments but also having them call and remind you to come in. Once you get on a schedule of once or twice a year then you will find you don't need to worry about whiter teeth as often, except if you smoke.
2. Make sure to brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day. Make sure to floss at bedtime and use a cheap gum massager to get under the gum flap. You want to prevent the buildup of plaque, which can discolor your teeth. Focusing on your teeth will help you prevent some staining of your teeth.
You want to avoid getting plaque as much as possible. Carry floss with you. And floss discreetly when eating out. At home you can floss while you watch TV if you seem to not get around to it after meals. But make sure to floss at bedtime because you have six to nine hours or more while you're sleeping when the bacteria can go to work on the enamel. Make sure to rinse your mouth after eating.
3. Avoid drinking water with any added fluoride or using toothpaste with fluoride as it's been reported that it can discolor or stain your teeth. Also many other countries have banned fluoride in their drinking water due to diseases and symptoms that have been connected with it.
4. If you smoke try to cut down as much as possible and of course it s better for your health to quit smoking altogether as you no doubt know. Smokers have a more difficult time keeping their teeth white than non-smokers so you may have to work harder at it.
5. Coffee and tea are notorious for causing teeth staining. Make sure to sip or rinse your mouth with water while you're drinking coffee or tea and after you're done. Colas and wine can also cause stains on the teeth.
6. Some fruits such as strawberries are excellent tooth whiteners. Strawberries can be rubbed on the teeth or mashed up in a paste and brushed on. Leave on the teeth for five minutes. Rinse well.
You can use the inside of an orange peel which is also good for whitening. You can rub the peel right on your teeth, or take organic dried orange peel and ground bay leaves and make a paste and brush it on. Some people swear by a lemon juice and salt mixture too. In any case make sure to rinse your mouth well after using these natural tooth whitening treatments.
7. Baking soda has long been used for dental whitening. Many types of toothpaste have baking soda in their ingredients because of its effectiveness. You can make your own baking soda whitener though. Just mix baking soda with a little salt - a good cheap teeth whitening home remedy.
8. Avoid using mouthwashes. Besides alcohol they contain other chemicals that can stain or discolor teeth. They can easily absorb through the delicate tissues under your tongue and be absorbed into your system. One well-known mouthwash was reported recently to actually discolor the teeth with brown stains.
9. Drinks lots of water. Rinse your mouth thoroughly after every meal or snack to make sure no food residue is sticking to your teeth.
10. Try to eat a better diet with lots of raw foods - fruits and veggies. Make huge salads. Avoid fast food and processed food as much as possible. Avoid constant snacking. All of this will help give you brighter, whiter teeth with fewer cavities.
Teeth whitening by using natural treatments will prevent exposure to harsh chemicals. Natural whitening is cheap and almost free in most cases. You can have a winning smile without hurting the tissues in your mouth and damaging the enamel on your teeth.

By Helen Hecker