The relentless throb, sharp sensitivity, and constant swelling of a toothache can turn your world upside down. For many, it’s not just a nuisance but one of the worst pains they have experienced.
Ludwig Maile from Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal attributes the cause of his toothaches to tooth decay, which he experiences frequently, especially when consuming sweet or salty foods or during cold weather.
“The toothaches I experience cause throbbing pain affecting the neck, headaches, and sometimes swollen gums. When I had it, I couldn’t sleep or concentrate at work and could only eat using the other jaw,” he says.
“I tried Grandpa at first to ease it, and it worked for a few minutes, but the pain got worse after. I then tried Mybulen pain relief pills, and the pain was gone for a few hours. The permanent remedy was a dentist appointment and having the decayed tooth removed.”
Ludwig Maile
For Neoenhle Mokori from Johannesburg South, her first time experiencing a toothache was due to an ingrown wisdom tooth. She says she had an infection in that area and believes bacteria caused it.
Never-ending pain
“I experienced extreme throbbing pain when I had a toothache. I could still eat but I had to watch what I ate. I’d recommend eating soft foods and having a lot of liquids,” Mokori says.
“I couldn’t be productive. I couldn’t concentrate. I missed out on a lot of days at work too, unfortunately. You can’t sleep the normal hours you’d sleep; the pain literally wakes you up. It causes jaw pain, ear pain, and headaches. It is definitely not a pleasant feeling.”
Mokori highlights how clove oil and numbing gel helped her reduce the pain as it got to a point where it was not responding to any pain medication.
“If possible, get that tooth removed; it comes with a lot of relief, and you can get back to being productive and living.”
Neoenhle Mokori
Dentist Dr Bongiwe Mtetwa from Johannesburg describes a toothache as an unpleasant sensation or pain felt by a person that is related to their tooth structure or the supporting tooth structure.
“The main causes of toothache are tooth decay, gum disease, or hypersensitive nerves, or it can be psychological, where a person is stressed and grinds as a result, and they may be using a hard toothbrush with an incorrect brushing technique that causes exposure of the root surfaces, which can also cause toothache,” explains Mtetwa.
“They may also be having a disease such as gastric reflux, which also causes tooth loss; trauma can also cause toothache; etc.”
According to her, analgesics or painkillers such as Panado and Brufen can be used to relieve the pain. She, however, warns about certain medications to avoid.
“Please stay away from Grandpa or Disprin as they contain aspirin, which thins the blood, and if the tooth needs to be taken out, it may cause excessive post-tooth extraction,” she cautions.
“People must also not put painkillers on the tooth or anything else because people put things like brake fluid on them, which is not correct practice and may be poisonous.”
Dentist Dr Bongiwe Mtetwa
Depending on the diagnosis of the tooth, if there is an abscess relating to the tooth, Mtetwa recommends antibiotics and painkillers be used to manage it so that the swelling or abscess subsides.
“If the pulp of the tooth is involved, then we would need to take out the tooth or do a procedure called root canal treatment where the nerve of the tooth is taken out and a filling is placed so that the person no longer feels pain as the nerve has been removed. Or if the decay is still within the hard tissue, not involving the pulp, we would do a filling or patch the tooth,” Mtetwa notes.
“As soon as you feel any discomfort, go and see a dental professional. Could be a dentist, oral hygiene therapist, or dental therapist. Because if you get advice in the streets, it may affect your oral health adversely as it is incorrect.”
Additionally, Mtetwa underlines when taking out the tooth may be necessary.
“In cases where there is severe tooth structure loss, which may be due to decay or trauma, and the pulp is affected, then the tooth needs to be extracted.”
Dentist Dr Bongiwe Mtetwa
“The tooth may also need to be extracted where there are only roots remaining and the crown is completely compromised, if it’s wisdom teeth that are painful and they are not oriented correctly, or when the root canal treatment has failed,” adds Mtetwa.
Mtetwa also advises visiting an oral health practitioner as soon as you feel discomfort.
“Try to visit the dentist every six months, brush twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush in a circular motion for at least two minutes, use floss once a day, and don’t use toothpicks because we use them incorrectly.
“If it relates to your oral health or mouth, ask a dental health professional because your friends and family may give you home remedies that can interfere with the professional process or cause poisoning. As soon as kids have teeth, start consulting and cleaning them. Your diet also affects your teeth, so be aware of the foods you are consuming.”
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