What to look for

• soreness in teeth, gums, or jaw.

Tooth decay cannot be cured but it can be controlled by looking after your teeth properly and regularly visiting your dentist.

Other causes of dental pain include impacted teeth and gum disease.

CAUSES

The most common cause of toothache is decay. Decay is dental plaque which corrodes the protective enamel on your teeth. Plaque is made up of the bacteria, acids, and sugars in your mouth. Eventually every time that you eat something, you will feel pain.

If decay goes untreated, an abscess can develop and eventually blood poisoning.

Sometimes when the wisdom teeth grow they become impacted and cause pain. This is common in people in their late teens or early twenties. You may need to get your wisdom teeth taken out if they cause too much pain and discomfort.

Toothaches may also be caused by sinus congestion.

Traditional Treatment

You will need to go to the dentist for treatment for decay. Usually the dentist will remove the part of the tooth which is decayed and fill it with a hard material. However, in the event that there is too much decay to work on, you may need either a root canal or extraction.

Alternative/Natural Treatments

Always see a dentist for pain in your teeth, however, rubbing clove oil or myrrh around the tooth will help to numb the pain.

Personal Care

Try the following remedies to relieve your pain:

• Rinse or floss gently to remove anything in between your teeth.

• Numb your gums: Sucking on ice or by using the herbs described above.

Prevention

• Brush and floss after meals.

• Cut down on sweets and carbohydrates.

• Get your teeth cleaned and examined professionally every six months

When to seek further professional advice

• your gums are painful, red, and swollen.

• your tooth throbs