One of the most common reasons why people wake doctors and dentists up at night for private consultation is toothache. On one occasion when a lawyer friend was asked about the type of pain; whether it was banging, intermittent, continuous, needling, piercing, dull or sharp, his response came in one word that bore no resemblance to what he was asked. He simply said that the pain was ‘dementing’. Therefore, many sufferers do not sleep, or they are awoken from sleep because of the pain, or they sleep fitfully at intervals.
The conclusion is simple; the pain is very uncomfortable, and it is a reminder at such times how long the night can be. However, people do not need to be miserable during such circumstances, especially when it is considered that the towns and cities are often unsafe to navigate in the dead of night. It is important to emphasize the night-time misery because that is the period when the pain seems to be most severe. There can be pain during the day, but it is undoubtedly worse at night when patients lie down and more blood rushes towards the head to create engorgement of the various vessels in the entire area. Besides, many other senses are dulled at the point of going into a sleeping mode such that any kind of discomfort appears to be amplified. Body itching and pain of any kind are two of such uncomfortable situations that make sleep nearly impossible.
Tooth decay, called dental caries, remains the most common cause of toothache. This is a condition that often leads to cavities if they are not treated. However, there are many of our compatriots who will tell you that to have dental caries is a feature of advanced age. Although this is a topic we have discussed before on this page, it is important to refresh the memory of what we discussed by reminding ourselves that when acids and bacteria break through the hard enamel of the teeth, they eat away at the softer underlay called the dentine. This often leaves the nerve exposed and pain is a consequence of that. There are various other causes of toothache, and these include such problems as trauma to the jaw, diseases of the gums, losing a dental filling, dental abscess, getting food stuck between the teeth or gums, grinding the teeth at night and eruption of a wisdom tooth. The latter situation arises because the wisdom tooth often pushes its way through the gum and usually just beside another tooth. The pain can be intense.
Tooth decay, called dental caries, remains the most common cause of toothache. This is a condition that often leads to cavities if they are not treated. However, there are many of our compatriots who will tell you that to have dental caries is a feature of advanced age. Although this is a topic we have discussed before on this page, it is important to refresh the memory of what we discussed by reminding ourselves that when acids and bacteria break through the hard enamel of the teeth, they eat away at the softer underlay called the dentine. This often leaves the nerve exposed and pain is a consequence of that. There are various other causes of toothache, and these include such problems as trauma to the jaw, diseases of the gums, losing a dental filling, dental abscess, getting food stuck between the teeth or gums, grinding the teeth at night and eruption of a wisdom tooth. The latter situation arises because the wisdom tooth often pushes its way through the gum and usually just beside another tooth. The pain can be intense.
This situation arises in conditions in which people who do not have much value for securing proper dental hygiene will still want to delay that visit for as long as possible. When the pain is described as severe, such as the type suffered by the lawyer, it is best to see a dentist as soon as possible once the day breaks. In addition to the use of simple analgesics, it could help to raise the head on an extra pillow because that manoeuvre effectively reduces the amount of blood rushing into the head. Sometimes, two pillows may be needed to create the desired condition for such relief and when it is paired up with the use of a simple analgesic as described above, sleep should be possible.
