Trauma!

Infants like to head-butt, and as they get older they can knock out their teeth in too many ways to name here.  If a tooth is banged or knocked out, you should see a dentist about it as soon as possible.  It is okay to rinse with milk a tooth that has been knocked, but don't scrub it, even if it looks dirty.  There are healing parts of the tooth that will be lost if you scrub it.  So, just rinse it off with milk, and then store it in milk until you get to the dentist's office.  You need to have the tooth re-inserted within 24 hours, and really as soon as possible for there to be a chance to save the tooth.  And remember, most dentists hesitate to see a stranger, a brand new patient, for an emergency like this on a weekend or in the middle of the night, so start building a relationship with your oral health physician before an emergency.

Aspirin Burns!

There have been at-home care treatment rumors that when feeling a toothache, just put an aspirin tablet on the gums near the tooth pain, and it will help relieve the pain.  There may be some truth to this rumor, but the rumor doesn't reveal the side-effects.  If you feel a toothache, go see your dentist to fix the problem.  Our bodies feel pain for a reason:  to warn us that something isn't right.  Sometimes we manage the pain, or it goes away for some reason, and yet the cause of the pain is still present, threatening to return at the most inconvenient time!  Placing aspirin on our gums directly can burn the gums, causing more pain for up to a couple of weeks while the burns heal.  As a temporary relief, if you can take aspirin (consult your doctor), swallow the tablets instead of rubbing them on the gums!

The Grind

Grinding your teeth can cause things like sore muscles when you wake, damage to your teeth, or pain in your jaw joints.  Although some of us realize we grind or clench during the day, many times we are doing it at night while sleeping.  There may be solutions for you if you are having pain, and you would benefit from having your concern evaluated at your dentist's office.  Your dentist may prescribe the use of a nightguard.  This piece of plastic helps to prevent tooth damage and may help relieve joint discomfort.
One of the causes of so much grinding done by so many of us is the amount of stress we endure in our lives.  A simple home remedy for night clenching/grinding that may help relieve the stress is to perform our own de-stress routine before bed.  Whether it is reading, listening to music, or having quiet time to reflect, we need something daily to help remove ourselves from the mental stress we feel.  Another great stress reliever can be to do some stretching.  Any type of stretching or exercise routine needs to be okayed by your family doctor if you are starting something new, however, light exercise before bed may help you to sleep better and relieve stresses that can develop in our bodies.  At the very least, talk things over with your healthcare provider and get as much information as you can about how you are doing so that you can make wise decisions about your health.

Toothache or Sinus Congestion?

Because there is a sinus cavity right about some of our upper back teeth, our bodies can give us the impression that we have a toothache when there is nothing wrong with our teeth or gums.  If you are feeling pressure in your sinus cavities and you seem to have tooth pain that comes and goes that isn't very severe, you will want to check with your dentist to see if your teeth are the cause or if there is another explanation.  Remember, you are the owner of your mouth, and you make the ultimate decision.  So whatever you are told, try to get all the information you need to make a wise decision regarding your oral health.

"But my teeth aren't bothering me at all..."

Usually, by the time your teeth are aching, a lot of work needs to be done.  If a tooth is sensitive to temperature or sweets, but the sensitivity goes away when the cold/sweetness goes away, then this can be either a cavity in the tooth or just a normal tooth response .  If a tooth is aching, throbbing, and keeping you awake at night, you can classify it as a toothache.  Either way, sensitivity in teeth should always be evaluated by a dentist in order to rule out decay or dying teeth or infection.  As previously posted, regular visits to your dentist are not just for the purpose of cleaning your teeth, but also for the purpose of evaluating any needs.  Once evaluated, if any cavities or fractures are found by your dentist, treatment can be recommended.

Even though your teeth may not hurt, they still may have something like a cavity or fracture developing that is best to treat early.  Early treatment is usually more conservative, leaves more natural tooth structure, and is less costly.  The cost-effectiveness of prevention is much less than the cost of fixing things that are to the point of causing pain, and don't wait if you have a toothache because it won't get better on it's own:  there will always be an underlying threat of severe infection.