If you’re the victim of a toothache, you’re likely wondering what has caused it and how you can get rid of the pain. Unfortunately, most toothaches will require a visit to the dentist to truly get rid of them. However, there are things you can do at home to relieve the pain and there are things you can do to prevent future toothaches.

Toothaches can be caused by many different dental problems. These include:

• Cavities – This is the most common cause of a toothache. A deep cavity can allow these nerves to be irritated by the food you eat, hot and cold drinks and even by bacteria. All of these irritants cause a toothache.
• Gum Disease – Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is a common dental problem. Gum disease starts out as bacteria that don’t get removed from our mouths as part of our regular dental hygiene. These bacteria turn to plaque, which coats our teeth and causes gingivitis. When gingivitis isn’t treated it leads to gum disease. Gum disease, in more advanced stages, causes bone loss around the teeth. Pockets can form where the bone is lost. Bacteria in these pockets can lead to toothaches and infection.
• Root Sensitivities – Exposed roots can cause tooth pain. Roots are typically located far enough below the surface that they don’t cause pain. However, through gum disease, cavities and other dental problems, these roots can become exposed, leading to toothaches.
• Cracked Teeth – When a tooth cracks or breaks, it can cause a severe toothache. Teeth can be cracked from a facial injury, or even from biting something very hard.
• Impacted Teeth- Impacted teeth are those that are trying to erupt, but are unable to complete the eruption process; often due to lack of space. This impaction can lead to severe pain.

Though these problems are all really quite different; with the exception of impacted teeth, all of these problems have the same root cause: overgrown bacteria in the mouth.

You see, bacteria really are the biggest problem we face in dental hygiene. Our mouths are naturally full of bacteria from the food we eat, and even from the dry mouth we get from sleeping.
This overgrown bacteria leads to plaque on our teeth. This plaque contributes to cavities, but is wholly responsible for gingivitis, which, in its most advanced forms, is gum disease. The manifestations of gum disease, like pockets forming from bone loss and exposed roots are leading causes of toothaches.

So, get a jump on your oral hygiene routine and stave off those toothaches. One of the easiest ways to kill more bacteria in your mouth is to use an all natural mint oil product like OraMD each day as a mouth rinse. Mint oil is a powerful anti-bacterial and can help you ensure that you remove more of the bacteria lurking in your mouth and causing your dental problems.