Tooth infection may take various forms and in various level of pain and discomfort. The most common tooth infection is tooth decay. Tooth decay is a situation where in bacterial activity damages the hard structure of the tooth. This damaging action of bacteria leads to pain, tooth infection, and in some cases, even death.
Everyone has suffered from various form of tooth infection. In fact, most people are not even aware that they are experiencing it. This is because bacterial processes at the onset do not cause much pain, and most people only begin to notice their condition when pain sets in.
Natural Ways To Prevent Tooth Infection
The central truth about tooth infection is the demineralization of the affected tooth. The demineralization causes a prolonged and sustained damage to the tooth, which may even lead to infection. However, there are some ways that a person can do to prevent the situation from getting worse and salvage the affected tooth in the process:
- Thorough oral hygiene. Oral hygiene consists of daily brushing and flossing. This is to make sure that no food particles are left in the mouth or in between the teeth, which may lead to decay and cause infection.Because of this, the toothbrush is your teeth’s best friend because it is the most easily available oral hygiene material. Apart from the toothbrush, toothpicks and mouthwash can also be used although by themselves they are not as effective in flushing food particles as washing and flossing.
- Use of dental sealants. Dental sealants are rubber coatings that are wrapped on the molars and other teeth to prevent food particles from sticking to pits and fissures. This will prevent any food particle from being trapped inside or in between the teeth.
- Modification of one’s diet. Diet modification involves watching your food intake. Another alternative is to chew chewing gums rich in xylitol.
How To Treat An Infected Tooth?
If you weren’t able to prevent tooth infection, you can still treat it with the help of the following.
- Restoration. When the dentist thinks that the affected tooth can still be restored to its original state, he or she will only clean the affected part. In instances, dentists may have to “drill” into the tooth in order to remove large parts that are affected. Once the affected part has been discarded, the tooth may still be restored.
- Extraction. In instances where the tooth is beyond repair, extraction may be the only hope. Patients are normally administered with anesthesia prior to operation to alleviate the pain.