dental hygiene
A sore tooth has a strange way of taking over your day. You try to ignore it while you’re working, then you take one sip of something cold and suddenly that’s all you can think about. The good news is that the pain usually has a reason behind it. Find the cause, and you’re already halfway there.
Start With the Simple Things
Rinse your mouth with warm salt water. Don’t rush it. Swish it around for half a minute and let it reach the sore spot. It sounds almost too simple, yet it often settles irritated gums and clears away bits of food that don’t belong there.
Brush gently even if you’re tempted to skip it. A sore tooth doesn’t mean your mouth needs less cleaning. It usually needs more care, just with a softer touch. I also think using a soft toothbrush is worth it all the time. Hard bristles rarely win anything.
Give the Tooth a Break
Try chewing on the other side for a day or two. Hot drinks can make a sensitive tooth flare up. Really cold ones often do the same. Let everything cool a little before you drink it. You’ll probably stop thinking about the tooth every few minutes.
• Warm salt water. Old advice, sure, though people keep using it because it actually settles irritated tissue.
• If food keeps getting stuck in the same place, floss gently instead of digging around with a toothpick.
• Pain medicine from the pharmacy works for many people, as long as you follow the label and don’t treat it like the actual fix.
• A soft meal tonight feels boring. Your tooth will probably disagree with that complaint.
