Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Incorporating foods such as turmeric, ginger, and cloves that have anti-inflammatory properties into your diet can help reduce sensitive teeth pain. You can add these to your dishes, or, in some cases, you can apply them directly to the affected tooth. For instance, you can apply clove oil to your tooth using a cotton swab to numb the…
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Hydrogen Peroxide
As a mild antiseptic and disinfectant, hydrogen peroxide works similar to a salt water rinse by reducing inflammation. It also may heal sore or damaged gums, which can reduce tooth sensitivity. To make your own rinse, mix 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide—3% hydrogen peroxide works best—with 2 tablespoons of warm water. Swish around your mouth…
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Fluoride
Using a fluoride rinse can help strengthen tooth enamel to protect the root and nerves, which can reduce pain. If you need a stronger fluoride, it’s possible your dentist could prescribe fluoride for you to apply at home.
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Salt Water Rinse
Irritated and inflamed nerves can lead to sensitive teeth, so using a salt water rinse twice a day can help reduce inflammation and pain. Just mix 1 cup of warm water with ½ teaspoon of salt, and swish around your mouth for a few minutes. Spit out when done.
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Soft-Bristled Toothbrush
Using a toothbrush with hard bristles could result in abrasive brushing that breaks down the tooth’s enamel, which protects the nerves in the tooth. In addition, brushing too hard can lead to receding gums, which exposes the tooth to more irritants. Changing to a soft-bristle toothbrush can reduce enamel removal as well as protect your gums…
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Desensitizing Toothpaste
Desensitizing toothpaste contains ingredients to help prevent or reduce tooth sensitivity. Many have potassium nitrate, which numbs the nerve in the tooth to prevent tooth pain, for example. Another ingredient is stannous fluoride, which blocks the tubule holes in the tooth that lead to the nerve, stopping pain in its tracks. Many desensitizing kinds of toothpaste…
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Home Remedies for Tooth Pain
Experiencing pain every time you eat your favorite ice cream or have a cup of coffee is no way to live. But for many people, it’s a daily occurrence. In fact, according to recent studies, between 11.5%- 33.5% of all people experience dentin hypersensitivity (sensitive teeth). Common causes of tooth sensitivity range from untreated cavities to gum disease to loss of tooth…
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Prevention
There are simple steps you can take to prevent a chipped or cracked tooth. These include but aren’t limited to: Wear a mouthguard when participating in certain sports or recreational activities. Use scissors to cut things instead of using your teeth. Avoid chewing foods that are known to cause cracks or chips, such as ice,…
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Cost
Depending on the type of treatment required and insurance, the cost to repair a cracked or chipped tooth can range from several 100 dollars for a filling to close to $1,200 or more for a crown or root canal.9 If you are concerned about cost, it is best to call your dentist and ask for…
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Repair
Teeth do not repair themselves once cracked or chipped. Treatment is likely necessary. Repairing a cracked or chipped tooth can be minimal or require extensive treatment depending on the type of crack and how much of the tooth is affected. The goal of treatment is to stop the crack or chip from worsening and relieve…
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