Toothache Remedies

Next to childbirth and passing a kidney stone a toothache is one of the most painful things anyone can experience.

Unless through blunt force trauma to the teeth, a toothache is not something that just happens over night but rather an accumulation of wear and tear and erosion of the teeth over time.

You barely notice this is all going on, inside your mouth millions of bacteria share your food and excrete it in the form of acids that de-mineralize your teeth, in fact it is by virtue of this process that tooth decay takes place, one day at a time. 

It’s not until you get that characteristic jolt of pain to the offending tooth or the slow torturous throbbing pain that never seems to subside.

There are factors at play when it comes to toothache:

You could suffer from tooth sensitivity and no this doesn’t involve your tooth getting in touch with its “feelings”, but rather the tooth’s increasing sensitivity to hot and cold liquids over time.  Sensitivity may just creep up on you until you’re suddenly more sensitive to the things you weren’t before.

Hypersensitivity is where your teeth are extremely reactive to hot and cold, in fact just cold drafts can set your teeth into a tail spin, even excess moisture can make them react.

Sensitivity comes from the erosion of the tooth’s protective enamel layer.  This happens over time as we chew our food.  Think of our chewing action like a bevel, each time we grind, we take off some of the minerals we need to keep the teeth strong.  The more we file down our teeth naturally through the action of eating , the more enamel we lose until it gets down close to the pulp.  Because the layer of enamel begins to thin there is less protection of the pulp, dentine and the nerve and because this layer thins, the more the nerve of the tooth feels the external elements of hot and cold, the more it reacts.

If you have a toothache the best cure is natural.  A good one is to place a clove of garlic on the affected tooth.  Garlic has healing and anesthetic properties which will not only kill the bacteria causing the infection but provide some much needed relief to the pained area.

For a long term solution, what you should really be aiming for is to repair the tooth.  Yes teeth can repair themselves because they are living entities with blood flow.  That’s what teeth are supposed to do naturally but it’s because of our poor diet and lifestyle that teeth are unable to do this as effectively as our ancestors would have.

If given time and with the right diet of calcium containing dairy foods, teeth should re-mineralize all on their own but it’s because of the highly refined sugary foods that continue to wear down the enamel they are never given a chance to do this effectively.

If you really want to prevent future tooth decay, rebuilding and strengthening your teeth is the key.

Understanding Toothaches

As we all know, toothaches are the result of several different factors.  The pain that stems from a toothache is always apparent, normally in the form of throbbing.  The pain will normally intensify as time goes by, when you eat, lay down, or drink hot/cold liquids.  Toothaches are very painful, and it may seem that no matter what you do - it seems to hurt more.

In the dental world, toothaches can include such things as cavities, infections or abscess in the teeth or gums, debris that has been trapped between the teeth and gums, and trauma to the face, teeth, or the jaw.  Sometimes, toothaches can result from medical conditions and have nothing to do with dental.  In most cases, if the problem goes without being checked, it can lead to serious trouble and maybe even become a life threatening situation.

Normally, when you have a toothache, you’ll experience tremendous pain.  The pain will stem from the affected tooth or the jaw, and you’ll know it almost immediately.  It will start out to be a throbbing pain, then continue to get worse and worse until you get it treated.  If you wait too long and allow the infection to spread throughout the tooth, you’ll end up having to get it pulled or cut out.

Anytime you start to experience a toothache, you shouldn’t hesitate to make an appointment with your dentist to have it checked.  Sometimes, getting an appointment when your tooth starts hurting is easier said than done.  Even though you may be able to use certain products to stop the pain, the pain will always come back until you get the problem fixed.  A toothache will always come back, until you get the tooth taken care of.

If you visit your dentist in time and he catches the problem early, he may be able to save your tooth.  Normally, this will result in a filling, crown, or root canal, although you won’t have to have the tooth removed.  Dentists always look to save teeth, as they don’t like to remove a tooth unless they absolutely have to.  If the tooth has become abscessed, the dentist will put you on antibiotics such as penicillin until the infection has subsided enough to remove the tooth.

Throughout our lives, most of us will experience the pain and agony of a toothache at some point.  A toothache can be the worst pain you have ever felt in your life, especially if you are feeling the pain of an abscess.  If you’ve never had a toothache, you should consider yourself lucky.  Those who have had toothaches though, will tell you that the pain is something you never want to experience - it will make you feel as if your whole world is falling apart.

Why You Should Become a Dental Assistant

Becoming a Dental Assistant offers you a great career working with people. You will generally be working under one or more dentists. This type of career will allow you to interact with many people as well as get to see various dental procedures take place first hand. This profession allows you the opportunity to participate in providing dental care as well as comfort to patients. 

Dental Assistants are often confused with Dental Hygienist. They perform different dental procedures. Dental Assistants help both dentists and hygienist. A Dental Hygienist cleans patient’s teeth while the dentist performs procedures including fillings and bridges. 

Dental Assistants are in huge demand all over the Nation. It is anticipated that Dental Assistants will be among the fastest growing occupations between now and 2012. This means you will have job opportunities available most anywhere you choose to live. The pay for Dental Assistants varies by region, but is generally several dollars above minimum wage. Being a Dental Assistant will allow you to decide if you want to pursue a career as a tech, dental hygienist, or a dentist. You will get to see first hand just what such jobs entail.

Employment as a Dental Assistant will help guarantee you job with normal hours of operation. This is very important, especially if you have a family you want to be spending your evenings and weekends with. In addition, you will generally have paid Holidays off as well. Most Dental Assistants receive a large discount on dental care for themselves, their spouse, and their children. This can be a great perk of the job that saves you a large sum of money in the end.

Some of the duties Dental Assistants will perform include assisting with dental procedures, setting up dental rooms, performing X-rays, and completing lab work. The exact procedures you will be able to perform will depend on the licensing requirements in your state as well as the needs of the dental office you choose to work in. It is important to ask what procedures you will be performing during a job interview if a complete job description is not provided for you.

If you enjoy working with people, having a daily routine that varies, and have excellent communication skills, then a career as a Dental Assistant might be right for you. Since you will be dealing with the public and other dental professionals throughout your day, the ability to communicate is going to make a big impact on how successful you will be as a Dental Assistant. 

Generally, the certification program for Dental Assistant is 1 year. The exact length of the program depends on your state requirements and the program you are enrolling in. In some states, you can be trained on the job in as little as three months. Most states require you to pass a Dental Assistant Exam for certification. 

Since technology and dental procedures continually improve, you will need to keep up with these changes as a Dental Assistant. Generally, such educational needs and trainings will be set up by your employer for you to attend at no charge. 

Becoming a Dental Assistant can be a fun and rewarding career for individuals with a desire to help others, provide comfort, and who has excellent communication skills. The amount of employment opportunities in the field are numerous, with the numbers continuing to climb as more and more people focus on the importance of good oral hygiene. 

Types Of Dental Teeth Fractures

Fractures are a common thing in the world of dentistry.  Fractures or cracks occur with all ages, although they are more present in those above the age of 25.  They can be very painful, hard to diagnose, yet sometimes easy to treat.  There are several types of fractures, which we will look at below.

The first type of crack is known as an oblique supragingival fracture.  This fracture is found above the gums, and normally happens when you bite down too hard on something.  Normally, this fracture doesn’t involve the nerve.  Once the fractured area of the tooth breaks off, the pain will go away.  Although the exposed dentin may cause you some pain, you can visit the dentist and have it repaired.  If the fracture is large, you may need to have a crown placed on the tooth to prevent further fractures from occurring in that tooth.

The second type of crack exceeds way below the gum line, and is known as an oblique subgingival fracture.  Once the fractured piece of tooth breaks off, it normally remains attached to the gums and cause result in terrible pain until you get it removed.  Once you have had the piece of tooth removed from the gums, the tooth will be similar to the supragingival fracture.  It normally doesn’t affect the nerves, although as a result of the tooth area being lost, you may need to have a root canal to clean out the tooth before having a crown put on it.

The seriousness of this fracture depends on how far it has went beyond the gum line.  If it has made it’s way deep into the gum line, you may not be able to save the tooth.  The crack can be present for many years, before you start to feel any pain.  To be on the safe side, you should go to your regular checkups with your dentist, as he can check for cracks and other problems.

The oblique root fracture is next, although it doesn’t involve the tooth crown at all.  This type of fracture is almost always found below the gums, normally under the bone.  If a root fracture is found near the crown of the tooth, it will normally prove to be fatal.  Sometimes, you can save the tooth with a root canal, even though it is normally lost later on due to an abscess of the bone that surrounds the fracture.

The last type of fracture is the most difficult to deal with.  Vertical apical root fractures occur with the tip of the root, and can cause you severe to intense pain, even if you’ve had the nerve removed with a root canal.  Even though the nerve may not be present, vertical apical root fractures cause a lot of pain, which occurs in the tooth.

Normally, vertical apical fractures will cause you more pain than any other type of fracture.  The resulting pain comes from the fragments putting pressure on the bone, causing the fractured pieces to strain.  Just about the only way to get relief from this type of fracture is to get a root canal, as it will ease the pain and get the dead pulp out of the tooth that’s affected with the fracture.

Even though fractures are very common and very painful, you should never put off going to the dentist.  Fractures can become more and more serious if you don’t do something about them, which is why you should never hesitate to go to the dentist.  Your dentist will be able to diagnose the problem, and fix it before it has the chance to get any worse.

Use your Dental Assistant Skills to Become a Dentist or Hygienist

You can complete your Dental Assistant training in about 12 to 24 months. This will provide you with the necessary skills to work in a dental facility. If you are interested in becoming a Dentist or Dental Hygienist, then it is a good idea to train as a Dental Assistant first. This will provide you with the opportunity to explore the dental field and know exactly what you are getting involved in before spending four or more years on an education in a field you are not going to enjoy.

Dental assistants help with a variety of needs in dental offices. They sterilize tools and get items ready for procedures for both Dentists and Hygienists. They assist during the actual procedures, handing necessary tool and equipment. In some states, they are even allowed to administer local anesthetics. 

Dental Assistants have a front row seat for all the dental procedures as they take place. Careful observation of techniques will be a great learning experience for them. While Dental Assistants aren’t allowed to perform the procedures they are watching due to licensing issues, they definitely come to learn the process for each procedure. 

Once a Dental Assistant decides to continue their education and pursue a career as a Dentist or Hygienist, they knowledge they gained in the dental office will be very valuable. Since the Dental Assistant has watched procedures take place many times, they are more likely to complete the procedures accurately themselves during the learning process of their continued dental education program.

Many Dentists want to keep the qualified staff they have. They are often willing to work your schedule around your classes. Some in larger dental offices might offer to assist you with the cost of attending the classes or reimburse you for your education upon completion if you agree to work for them.

Working as a Dental Assistant prior to becoming a Hygienist or Dentist gives you an edge on the competition. You will have work experience and education to market versus only education. Many employers want both when they hire dental Hygienists and Dentists. You will also have very sharp skills in the areas of communication and understanding fears patients may have when they enter the dentist office.

A certificate as a Dental Assistant can be a mere stepping stone for some who have greater ambitions in the dental field. However, the experience is one you will find educational and full of opportunity. You will also be more likely to treat new Dental Assistants with compassion and take them under your wing as they enter the dental field in the future. 

All fields of dentistry continue to grow because people are taking better care of their teeth then ever before. New technology has lead to procedures that are not as painful as in the past, encouraging patients to come in for dental care. People are also living longer, so their teeth need to last longer.

If you are a Dental Assistant with an interest in pursuing a career as a Dentist or Hygienist, look into various programs in your area. Some with give you credit for the work you are doing at your position in the dental office. It will depend on the program and what types of tasks you are performing. However, many people find out they have less courses to take, saving them both time and money if they look into this prior to enrolling in a dental program.