How to heal a bruised tooth?

Have you ever bitten down on something hard and felt that telltale ache in your tooth? Maybe it was an errant kernel of popcorn or an overly enthusiastic olive pit. Whatever the culprit, a bruised tooth can be incredibly painful and disrupt your daily life. But fear not! There are ways to ease the pain and heal that tender tooth.

What is a Bruised Tooth?

Before we dive into how to heal a bruised tooth, let’s get some common ground about what exactly we’re talking about here. In dentistry speak (yeah, I know all sorts of fancy jargon), a bruised tooth is known as pulpal hyperemia. Essentially, this means that there has been trauma to the pulp (inner tissue) of the tooth which causes inflammation and increased blood flow.

Aren’t you glad you came to me for dental advice instead of trying to Google your symptoms? You might have ended up thinking you had scurvy or gingivitis when really it was just too much sour candy!

Symptoms

So now that we’ve established what exactly we mean by “bruised tooth”, let’s talk about some common signs and symptoms:

  • Pain when eating or drinking hot/cold substances
  • Sensitivity when biting down
  • Discoloration of the affected tooth
  • Swelling in gums around affected area

If any or all of these sound familiar to you, chances are good you’re dealing with a bruised tooth.

Why Does This Happen?

Here’s where things start getting interesting…well, ok maybe not TOTALLY exciting but stick with me kids! A few potential reasons why someone might experience pulpal hyperemia include:

  • Trauma: as previously mentioned if someone bites/chews/eats something hard they could cause damage/inflammation
  • Gum Disease: sometimes bacteria from gum disease can spread into inner layers of the tooth
  • Dental Procedures: some dental work (like a filling or crown) can cause increased blood flow/inflammation

What to Do When Your Tooth is Bruised?

Now that we’ve got all that lovely context out of the way, let’s talk about how to help reduce pain and promote healing when you’re dealing with a bruised tooth.

Step 1: Rinse your mouth with warm salt water

Saltwater rinses are like nature’s magic elixir. Seriously though, this concoction can help alleviate inflammation and soreness while also eliminating bacteria from the affected area.

To make a saltwater rinse:

  1. dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in warm (not hot!) water
  2. swish mixture around your mouth for at least 30 seconds before spitting it out

Do this two to three times daily until symptoms relieve.

Step 2: Take over-the-counter Pain Relievers Responsibility

I know what you might be thinking…”but doctor, holistic medication is better!” And hey! Maybe certain natural remedies do work well, but taking an aspirin or ibuprofen ain’t gonna hurt ya either.

Responsibility here means “responsibly” because as much as popping pills might feel good in the moment if done unchecked it could result in other health problems down the line

These types of OTC pain relievers not only soothe sore tissues but also aid as anti-inflammatory agents.

Don’t worry, I won’t quiz you on any big medical terms later

Always read labels for directions on usage including dose amount and frequency strictly which are contingent upon age group specified on packages/ease up Mister Drug Addict!

Step 3: Limit Eating Hard Foods during Your Recovery Time

Sometimes practising abstinence slips beyond human control and one almost bites into something hard by chance. Hence maintain diligence while eating anything chewy even after experiencing relief symptoms.

  • stick to soft, mushy foods while your tooth is healing.
  • avoid anything hot/cold which can prompt discomfort.

Not only candy and ice cream that I’m suggesting – soups, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs etc are gentle on your bruised tooth!

Step 4: Avoid Grinding Teeth

Some folks grind their teeth out of habit and as much as it might give stress relief but when done too often this action erodes the enamel and could also result in increased inflammation.

This might lead to not being able to enjoy a steak dinner or become zombie…errm scratch that last one! But make sure you visit an orthodontist for customized mouthguards if constant grinding persists even after recovery from a bruised tooth. You don’t want expensive dental treatments needlessly adding up over time.

When Should You Visit A Dental Practitioner?

Ok folks – now comes the moment we have been building up towards-that vital q uestion of “when should I finally hightail it over to my dentist’s chamber?” The answer isn’t always gonna be clear-cut, alas-the good news? There’s still general rules-of-thumb sufficient regarding which symptoms warrant immediate medical attention:

1) notably sharp pain
2) abscess formation (a pimple looking lump forming in gums)
3) prolonged sensitivity during eating/drinking experiences
4) loose/shifted/dislodged teeth

Basically-two sim ple words for remembering these criteria-red flags (again sorry lol). So essentially any major symptom like bleeding of gums/swelling beyond what was already mentioned or pus drainage are reasons enough as well because they indicate severe allergies/sinus problems with infection spreading into pulp region/causing tension headaches or oral cancer disease.

Sorry again about using those scary terms-am trying my best here so let me know if you find any jokes inappropriate!

Conclusion

So there you have it-folks-some tips for getting your bruised tooth healed as swiftly and comfortably as possible! Remember to always practice good oral hygiene to prevent further injuries in the future.

It sucks having an achy tooth, but trust me – it’ll be nothing compared to the pain of bankruptcy from expensive dental procedures if you ignore it for too long!

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