dental pain

Dental pain or Toothache or odontalgia may be acute or chronic. It occurs due to the inflammation of the tooth pulp which is a soft tissue contained in the cavity of the tooth. Toothache can be due to inflammation of the periodontal membrane which is a fibrous layer covering the cement of the teeth. Irritation of the tooth pulp is due to the following causes :

 (1) Carious cavity. (2) Exposure of dentine or cementum with or without caries. (3) Filling too near the pulp. (4) A blow on the sound Tooth. The pain is neuralgic in character and intensifies by the extremes of temperature.

 The pain ceases on the death of the pulp and is followed by inflammation of the periodontal membrane; due to the passage of the septic matter through the apex of the tooth. The tooth then becomes tender on pressure. Later on gingivitis takes place and allows the pus to form. Lymphatic glands draining the area are enlarged and tender and surrounding soft tissue is also involved. Then alveolar abscess takes place. It occurs usually (1) in the mucous membrane overlying the affected tooth. (2) the palate, especially the lateral incisor, premolar and molar teeth. (3) Antral cavity means the bony cavity from any tooth whose roots are close to the antral floor. (4) Along the lower border of the mandible on the face.
 Neuralgic pains are due to the impacted teeth, chronic apical abscesses, odontomes, fragments of root remaining after incomplete extraction and due to empyema and growths of the antrum, pressure by incorrect denture on the mental nerve etc.
 Wearing the dentures is one of the causes of trigeminal neuralgia in which the face is affected by pain. The pressure comes on inferior dental nerve which supplies the canines, incisor teeth and corresponding portion of the gums. The neuralgia is also known as 'trifacial' because the 5th, 7th and cervical sympathetic nerves are involved according to affected area. This neuralgia causes intense pain, twitching of the facial muscles, lacrimation from both the eyes, flushing of the face etc. The disease is said to be very difficult to be cured.
 Children cut their milk teeth normally from the 7th month to the second year which is called the first dentition period. Around 6th year the period of second dentition begins which is complete before puberty though the wisdom teeth appear only around 21st year. It is often found that the children who retain milk teeth for a considerable time, have healthy permanent teeth.
 Permanent teeth are of different types and shapes according to different functions assigned to them. Accordingly, there are four incisors in the central portion followed by one canine each on the either side, two premolars on each side and finally three molars on each side. Thus incisors have a function of cutting the food as they are quite sharp, canines are used for tearing, and premolars and molars for proper chewing and grinding. Tooth is a small bone like structure and is composed of distinct portions like enamel, dentine, pulp cavity and root. It is richly supplied with nerves and blood vessels and is firmly embedded in the gums by a cementing material.
 Different Types of Teeth.
 Cross Section of a Tooth.
 The term tooth decay or dental caries denotes a distressing process of decalcification of the tooth enamel leading to continued decay of enamel and dentine and cavitation of the tooth. This generally occurs due to poor oral hygiene.
 Causes :The most frequent causes of tooth decay are sudden changes of temperature, stagnation of food particles between the teeth and in bridges especially in badly-shaped teeth, oral sepsis and general ill-health. Other causes which may lead to severe toothache and tooth decay are gingivitis, pyorrhoea, etc. The presence of tartar and swollen gums indicates some infection usually due to poor oral hygiene which is the most frequent cause in children as they avoid cleaning their teeth regularly and after meals. The children who take foods deficient in Vitamin D or ill-balanced diet containing little or no green vegetables or milk with inadequate supply of Vitamin A and C often suffer from various disorders of teeth. Rickets delays eruption of teeth and results in abnormal, soft and early decay of teeth. Soft foods which do not require biting and chewing and proper mastication and can be swallowed without the production of little or no saliva are likely to cause stagnation of sticky starchy material between the teeth which ultimately results in bacterial putrifaction and toothache.
Homoeopathic medication : If the teeth are hollow: 1, Ant., Magn. arct., Mez., Rhod., Sep., Staph.; 2, Acon., Bar., Bell., Bor., Bry., Calc., Cham., Chin., Coff., Hecla, Hyosc., Kreos., Lach., Lyc., Magn. carb., Merc., Natr., Nux v., Phos., Phos ac., Plat., Plant., Plumb., Puls., Rhus, Sab., Sil., Sulph., Thuj.
 Most in front teeth: Bell., Caust., Carb., Cham., Chin., Coff., Ign., Merc., Natr. m., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Phos. ac., Rhus, Sil., Staph., Sulph.; eye and stomach teeth: Acon., Calc., Hyosc., Rhus, Staph.; molars: Arn., Bell., Bry., Calc., Carb., Caust., Cham., Chin., Coff., Hyosc., Ign., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Phos. ac., Puls., Rhus, Sil., Staph., Sulph.; upper teeth: Bell., Bry., Calc. carb., Chin., Natr. m., Phos.; lower teeth: Arn., Bell., Bry., Carb., Caust., Cham., Chin., Hyosc., Ign., Merc., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Sil., Staph.
 One-sided: Acon., Bell., Cham., Merc., Nux v., Puls.
 Left side: Acon., Apis, Arn., Carb., Caust., Cham., Chin., Hyosc., Merc., Nux m., Phos., Rhus, Sil., Sulph.
 Right side: Bell., Bry., Calc., Coff., Lach., Natr. m., Nux v., Phos. ac., Staph.
 Whole row of teeth: Cham., Merc., Piper meth., Rhus, Staph.
 Gums, upper: Bell., Calc., Natr. m.; lower: Caust., Phos., Staph., Sulph.; interior of: Arn., Natr. m., Phos. ac., Puls., Rhus, Staph.; swollen: Acon., Bell., Calc., Carb., Caust., Cham., Chin., Hep., Lach., Natr. m., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Sulph.; painful: Apis, Ars., Calc. carb., Caust., Lach., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Staph., Sulph.; bleeding: Arg. nit., Bell., Calc. carb., Caust., Con., Lach., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Staph., Sulph.; ulcerated: Bell., Calc. carb., Caust., Hep., Lach., Merc., Natr. m., Nux v., Phos., Staph., Sulph.
 Ulceration of roots: Fluor. ac., Hep., Lach., Lyc., Merc., Natr. m., Petr., Sil., Thuj.
 Pains, pressing: Acon., Arn., Bry., Carb., Caust., Chin., Hyosc., Ign., Natr. m., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Rhus, Sil., Staph., Sulph.; inward: Rhus, Staph.; outward: Phos.; asunder: Phos. ac.; as if teeth were too close, from congestion: Acon., Arn., Bell., Cham., Calc., Chin., Coff., Hep., Hyosc., Nux v., Puls.
 As if pulled out or wrenched: Arn., Caust., Ipec., Nux m., Nux v., Phos. ac., Rhus.
 Too long: Arn., Ars., Bell., Bry., Calc. carb., Caust., Cham., Lach., Hyosc., Natr. m., Nux v., Rhus, Sil., Sulph.
 Loose: Arn., Ars., Bry., Carb., Caust., Cham., Chin., Con., Hep., Hyosc., Ign., Merc., Natr. m., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.; too loose: Ars., Bry., Hyosc., Merc., Rhus.
 Blunt: Acon., Chin., Dulc., Ign., Lach., Natr. m., Merc., Nux m., Phos., Phos. ac., Puls., Sil., Staph., Sulph.
 Sore, bruised: Arn., Ars., Bell., Bry., Calc. carb., Caust., Ign., Natr. m., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus.
 Burning: Cham., Merc., Natr. m., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Sil., Sulph.
 Gnawing, scraping: Cham., Nux v., Rhus, Staph.
 Digging: Ant., Bry., Calc., Chin., Ign.
 Boring: Bell., Calc., Lach., Merc., Natr. m., Nux v., Phos., Phos. ac., Sil., Sulph.
 Jerking, twitching: Ant., Apis, Ars., Bry., Bell., Calc., Caust., Cepa. Cham., Coff., Hep., Hyosc., Lach., Merc., Nux v., Puls., Rhus, Sulph.
 Drawing, tearing: Ant., Bell., Bry., Calc. carb., Cepa, Cham., Chin., Glon., Hyosc., Lach., Merc., Nux v., Phos. ac., Rhus, Staph.
 Cutting, piercing: Acon., Ant., Bell., Bry., Calc., Caust., Cham., Chin., Lach., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Sil., Staph.
 Beating, pulsating: Acon., Arn., Ars., Bell., Calc., Caust., Cham., Chin., Coff., Glon., Hyosc., Lach., Natr. m., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.
 Intermittent: Bell., Bry., Cham., Coff., Calc., Chin., Merc., Nux v., Puls., Rhus, Sil., Staph., Sulph.
 Constant, day and night: Bell., Calc., Caust., Natr. m., Sil., Sulph.
 During day only, better at night: Merc.
 During day only, none at night: Bell., Calc., Merc., Nux v.
 During day only, worse at night in bed: Ant. crud., Clem., Merc.
 Worse at night: Acon., Ant., Ars., Bell., Bry., Carb., Cham., Chin., Clem., Coff., Hep., Hyosc., Merc., Natr. m., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Phos. ac., Puls., Rhus, Sil., Staph., Sulph.
 By night only, not during day: Phos.
 Most before midnight: Bry., Cham., Chin., Natr. m., Rhus, Sulph.; after midnight: Ars., Bell., Bry., Carb., Cham., Chin., Merc., Natr. m., Puls., Phos., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.
 When awaking: Bell., Carb., Lach., Nux v.
 In the morning: Ars., Bell., Bry., Carb., Caust., Chin., Hyosc., Ign., Natr. m., Nux v., Phos., Phos. ac., Puls., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.
 At noon: Cocc., Rhus; afternoon: Calc., Caust., Merc., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Sulph.; towards evening: Puls.
 At night: Ant., Bell., Bry., Calc., Caust., Hep., Hyosc., Ign., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.
 Every other day: Chin., Natr. m.; every seventh day: Ars., Phos., Sulph.
 In spring: Acon., Bell., Bry., Calc. carb., Dulc., Lach., Natr. m., Nux v., Puls., Rhus, Sil., Sulph.
 Summer: Ant., Bell., Bry., Calc. carb., Cham., Lach., Natr. m., Nux v., Puls.
 Autumn: Bry., Chin., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Rhus.
 Winter: Acon., Ars., Bell., Bry., Calc. carb., Caust., Cham., Dulc., Hep., Hyosc., Ign., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Phos. ac., Puls., Rhus, Sil., Sulph.
 Caused by damp night air: Nux m.; damp air: Merc.; cold damp weather: Nux m., Cepa, Rhus; wind: Acon., Puls., Rhus, Sil.; draught: Bell., Calc., Chin., Sulph.
 Taking cold: Acon., Bell., Bry., Calc., Caust., Cham., Chin., Coff., Dulc., Hyosc., Ign., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.; when overheated: Glon., Rhus; by getting wet: Bell., Calc., Caust., Hep., Lach., Nux m., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Sulph.; by washing clothing: Phos.
 Suppressed perspiration: Cham., Rhus.
 Getting worse from cold air: Bell., Calc., Hyosc., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Sil., Staph., Sulph.; in mouth: Acon., Bell., Bry., Calc., Caust., Hyosc., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Sil., Staph., Sulph.; opening of mouth: Bry., Caust., Cham., Hep., Nux v., Phos., Puls.; breathing: Puls.; drawing air into the mouth: Ant., Bell., Bry., Calc., Caust., Hep., Merc., Natr. m., Nux m., Phos., Sil., Staph., Sulph.; cold washing: Ant., Bry., Calc., Cham., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Puls., Rhus, Sil., Staph., Sulph.; eating cold things: Arg. nit., Bry., Calc., Cham., Nux v., Puls., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.; drinking cold things: Arg. nit., Bry., Calc., Caust., Cham., Hep., Lach., Merc., Natr. m., Nux m., Nux v., Puls., Sil., Staph., Sulph.; rinsing of mouth with cold water: Sulph.; from sweets: Natr. carb., Sep.
 In the open air: Bell., Calc., Caust., Cham., Chin., Hyosc., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.; standing: Bell., Bry., Cham., Hyosc., Merc., Nux v., Phos. ac., Staph., Sulph.; walking: Nux v., Phos., Staph.
 In room: Ant., Apis, Cham., Hep., Nux v., Puls., Sulph.; after coming out of the open air: Phos.; in a warm room: Bry., Cepa, Cham., Hep., Nux v., Puls., Phos. ac.; warm stove: Ars., Puls.
 External warmth: Bry., Cham., Hep., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Phos. ac., Puls., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.; eating warm things: Bry., Calc., Cham., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Sil.; something hot: Bell., Calc., Phos. ac.; drinking warm things: Bry., Cham., Lach., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Puls., Rhus, Sil.; warm bed: Bell., Bry., Cham., Merc., Nux v., Phos., Phos. ac., Puls., Rhus; getting warm in bed: Cham., Merc., Phos. ac., Phos., Puls.
 Drinking: Calc., Caust., Cham., Lach., Merc., Puls., Rhus, Sil.; cold or warm: Lach.; water: Bry., Calc., Carb., Cham., Merc., Nux v., Puls., Sil., Staph., Sulph.; wine: Acon., Ign., Nux v. after wine; malt liquors: Nux v., Rhus; coffee: Bell., Carb., Cham., Cocc., Ign., Merc., Nux v., Puls., Rhus; tea: Chin., Coff., Ign., Lach.
 Smoking tobacco: Bry., Cham., Chin., Clem., Ign., Merc., Nux v.
 Salty things: Carb.
 Eating: Ant., Arn., Bell., Bry., Calc., Carb., Caust., Cham., Cocc., Hep., Hyosc., Lach., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Phos. ac., Puls., Rhus, Sil., Staph., Sulph.; only while eating: Cocc.; after eating: Ant., Bell., Bry., Calc., Cham., Chin., Coff., Ign., Lach., Merc., Natr. m., Nux v., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.; chewing: Arn., Ars., Bell., Bry., Carb., Caust., Chin., Cocc., Coff., Hyosc., Ign., Merc., Natr. m., Nux v., Phos., Phos. ac., Puls., Sil., Staph., Sulph.; only while chewing: Chin.; swallowing: Staph.; biting: Ars., Bell., Bry., Calc. carb., Caust., Chin., Coff., Hep., Hyosc., Lach., Merc., Nux v., Phos., Phos. ac., Puls., Rhus, Sil., Staph., Sulph.; biting something soft: Veratr. alb.; soft food: Cocc.; hard food: Merc.; touched by the food: Bell., Ign., Nux v., Phos., Staph.
 Picking teeth: Puls.; cleaning: Carb., Lach., Phos. ac., Staph.; touching: Ant., Arn., Ars., Bell., Bry., Calc. carb., Caust., Chin., Coff., Hep., Ign., Merc., Natr. m., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Staph.
 Pressing on teeth: Caust., Chin., Hyosc., Natr. m., Staph., Sulph.
 Sucking the gums: Bell., Carb., Nux m., Nux v., Sil.
 Rising: Ign., Merc., Plat.
 Moving the body: Arn., Bell., Bry., Chin., Merc., Nux v., Phos., Staph.; moving mouth: Caust., Cham., Merc., Nux v.; talking: Nux m.; deep breathing: Nux v.
 Being at rest: Ars., Bry., Cham., Puls., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.; sitting: Ant., Merc., Puls., Rhus; sitting too much: Acon.
 While lying down: Ars., Bell., Bry., Cham., Hyosc., Ign., Merc., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.; on painful side: Ars., Nux v.; on painless side: Bry., Cham., Ign., Puls.; in bed: Bry., Cham., Nux v., Oleand., Puls., Sabin.
 In bed: Ant., Bell., Bry., Cham., Merc., Nux v., Phos., Puls.
 Sleep with yawning: Staph.; when going to sleep: Ant., Ars., Merc., Sulph.; while asleep: Merc.; when awaking: Bell., Bry., Calc. carb., Lach., Nux v., Phos., Sil., Sulph.
 Mental emotions: Acon.; vexation: Acon., Cham., Rhus, Staph.; passion: Nux v.
 Mental exertions Bell., Ign., Nux v.; reading: Ign., Nux v.; noise: Calc.; being talked to by others: Ars., Bry.
 For women: Acon., Apis, Bell., Calc., Cham., Chin., Coff., Hyosc., Ign., Nux m., Puls.; before menses: Ars.; during: Calc., Cham., Carb., Natr. m., Lach., Phos.; after: Bry., Calc., Cham., Phos.; during pregnancy: Apis, Bell., Bry., Calc., Hyosc., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Puls., Ratan., Rhus, Staph.; while nursing: Acon., Ars., Bell., Calc., Chin., Dulc., Merc., Nux v., Phos., Staph., Sulph.
 For children: Acon., Ant., Bell., Calc., Cham., Coff., Ign., Merc., Nux m., Puls., Sil.
 For irritable nervous persons: Acon., Bell., Cham., Coff., Chin., Hyosc., Nux m.; persons who took much mercury: Bell., Carb., Hep., Lach., Staph.; persons who drink much coffee: Bell., Carb., Cham., Cocc., Merc., Nux v., Puls., Sil.
 AMELIORATION from cold air: Coccinella, Nux v., Puls.; wind: Calc.; uncovering: Puls.; drawing air into mouth: Nux v., Puls.; cold washing: Bell., Bry., Cham., Puls.; external cold: Bell., Bry., Cham., Chin., Merc., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Staph., Sulph.; cold hand: Rhus; finger wet with cold water: Cham.; holding cold water in mouth: Bism., Bry., Cepa, Coff.; cold drinking: Bell., Bry., Cham., Merc., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Sulph.; from walking about: Puls.
 In the open air: Ant., Bry., Cepa, Hep., Nux v., Puls.; in the room: Nux v., Phos., Sulph.; external warmth: Ars., Bell., Calc., Cham., Chin., Hyosc., Lach., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Puls., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.; wrapping up the head: Nux v., Phos., Sil.
 Eating something warm: Ars., Bry., Nux m., Nux v., Rhus, Sulph.; drinking something warm: Nux m., Nux v., Puls., Rhus, Sulph.
 Getting warm in bed: Bry., Nux v.
 Smoking tobacco: Merc.
 When eating: Bell., Bry., Cham., Phos, ac., Sil.; after eating: Arn., Calc., Cham., Phos. ac., Rhod., Rhus, Sil.; when chewing: Bry., Chin., Coff.; biting: Ars., Bry., Chin., Coff.; picking teeth so that they bleed: Bell.; rubbing teeth: Merc., Phos.; touching teeth: Bry., Nux v.; sucking gums: Caust.; pressing upon teeth: Bell., Bry., Chin., Ign., Natr. m., Phos., Puls., Rhus.
 Moving: Puls., Rhus; when walking: Puls., Rhus; when at rest: Bry., Nux v., Staph.
 Sitting up in bed: Ars., Merc., Rhus; getting up: Nux v., Phos.; when lying down: Bry., Merc., Nux v.; on painful side: Bry., Ign., Puls.; on painless side: Nux v.; lying down in bed: Merc., Puls.; when going to sleep: Merc.; after sleep: Nux v., Puls.
 Toothache extends to jaw-bones and face: Lach., Merc., Nux v., Hyosc., Rhus, Sulph.; to cheeks: Bry., Caust., Cham., Merc., Sil., Staph., Sulph.; into ears: Ars., Bry., Calc., Cham., Hep., Lach., Merc., Staph., Sulph.; into eyes: Caust., Cham., Merc., Puls., Staph., Sulph.; into head: Ant., Ars., Cham., Hyosc., Merc., Nux v., Rhus, Staph., Sulph.
 With headache: Apis, Glon., Lach.; rush of blood to head: Acon., Calc., Chin., Hyosc., Lach., Puls.; swollen veins of forehead and hands: Chin.; heat in head: Acon., Hyosc., Puls.; burning in eyes: Puls.; flushed cheeks: Acon., Arn., Bell., Cham., Merc., Nux m., Nux v., Phos., Puls., Rhus, Sulph.; pale face: Acon., Ars., Ign., Puls., Staph., Sulph.; swelling of cheek: Arn., Ars., Bell., Bry., Cham., Lach., Merc., Natr. m., Nux v., Puls., Phos., Phos. ac., Staph., Sulph.; salivation: Bell., Dulc., Merc.; dry mouth and thirst: Chin.; dry mouth without thirst: Puls.; dry throat and thirst: Bell.; chilliness: Puls., Rhus; heat: Hyosc., Rhus; warm perspiration: Hyosc.; chilliness, heat, thirst: Lach.; diarrhoea: Cham., Coff., Dulc., Rhus; constipation: Bry., Merc., Nux v., Staph.  Dr.Chakroborty