Pain producing causes may be as simple as toothache nitiated by a deep carious tooth or a loose tooth. On the other hand pain may be complicated requiring further investigations. Pain is defined as an unpleasant stimulus which is perceived by the conscious mind. The perception of pain begins upon a process of electro-chemical conductivity from the painful area to the brain.
Reaction to pain involves a complex mechanism which is based on age, sex, fatigue, emotional status and the past experiences.
Toothache
A toothache may be mild, moderate or severe. The pain increases when the tooth is in contact with hot or cold water, and also while chewing the food. Some types of pain deserve immediate attention from your dentist. If you feel a sharp pain when you bite down, for instance, you may have a cavity, a loose filling, a cracked tooth, or damaged blood (that’s the inner core of the tooth that contains the blood vessels and nerves). Pain that sticks around for more than 30 minutes after eating hot or cold foods can also indicate pulp damage, either from a deep cavity or a blow to the tooth. And the toothache with constant and severe pain, swelling, and sensitivity is definitely a sign of trouble. You could have infection that can spread to the gum, and even to the bone.
Pain associated with the pulp of the tooth is a little different. It can let you know that damage has occurred. But the degeneration of the nerves (in the pulp) can be very rapid. They can die within a 12 hour period, so that the pain disappears. However, the tooth then aches again as the dead tissue becomes infected, or abscessed. Putting off dental attention for a toothache can mean bad news; you can take some temporary measures to ease the pain. Take two aspirin or Ibuprofen. It is best at relieving inflammation and toothache.
Apply oil of cloves. Be sure to put it only on the tooth and not on the gum. Otherwise, your burning gums may distract you from your toothache. And remember, oil of cloves won’t cure the toothache; it just numbs the nerve.
Cool the swelling. Put a cold compress on the outside of your cheek if you’ve got swelling from the toothache.
Keep your head up. Elevating your head can decrease the pressure in the area. You can’t really rinse away the pain, but you can rinse with warm water to remove any food particles that may be trapped between your teeth.
Flossing is not a cure, but it is another way to remove any food debris that could be trapped. Be careful with the hot, the cold and the sweet. These foods and beverages may aggravate an already sore and sensitive situation.
Plug it. If the tooth feels sensitive to air, cover it with gauze or chewing gum until you can visit the dentist.
Facial Pain
Whenever the symptoms of pain appear the whole spectrum of Neurological survey may have to be called upon in order to properly diagnose the cause. Facial pain is apparently due to teeth caries. Pain is entirely subjective in nature. It is extremely difficult to define and describe. It is an unpleasant experience to almost everyone.
Reaction
1. Differs in intensity—mild, moderate or severe.
2. Depends on past experience of pain.
Causes
1. Diseases of sinuses, ear, nose, and throat or jaw and joint.
2. General diseases, blood pressure, diabetes.
3. Brain tumour.
4. Psychological stress, migrane headache.
Once the dentist diagnoses that the facial pain is not of dental origin, he may refer it to a physician for further investigations.