₦airaland Forum

Hello Nairalanders! I am happy to be here!

I am a dentist with more than a decade of experience treating and handling patients with oral health issues. I would love to go on a journey with you in which you would learn relevant dental health tips and oral wellness practices that can help you maintain an attractive smile and healthy gums and teeth.

As a way of starting our journey, I will be sharing four things you must not do when you have a toothache!
What do you do when you feel that sharp, painful sting on your tooth or gum? It's always tempting to try quick fixes. But I advise you not to.
Let's talk about four things you shouldn't do when you have tooth pain.

Are you ready for it? Alright, let's go!

1. Don't ignore the pain:  
This is very common among many. In their minds, "As the thing take come, na so e go comot." Toothaches won't magically disappear. In fact, they can lead to more serious problems, like abscesses or even heart issues!  The most important thing to do in this situation is to visit your dentist ASAP to get to the root of the problem.

2. Don't try to treat yourself with home remedies:
 This is another common occurrence in this part of the world. Because we don't want to spend money, we start looking for home-made ways to manage our oral health condition. Some people even do things like add salt to the tooth, causing the pain. Some pour very hot water because they think the pain is due to worms. (You are lucky if you are in this crew that the salt didn't come into contact with any blood vessels or delicate tissues.) While these may have seemed harmless, they can actually worsen the issue or lead to infection. Leave experts like us to help you deal with it.

3.Don't UNDERESTIMATE toothache: 
If you do, it is to the detriment of your overall health! In fact, never underestimate any body illness. Deal with it immediately. Tooth pain can be linked to underlying health issues like gum disease or even diabetes. Please take your health seriously and prioritize your well-being!

4.  Don't DELAY your dental appointments!  
One of the problems with us Nigerians is that most of us love to manage terrible health situations until the situation gets out of hand. More than 60% of people who visit my clinic only do so when the pain or oral health issue has become so serious that they cannot handle it. The problem with this way of doing things is that the longer you let that pain remain in your mouth, the more the situation worsens and the more expensive the treatments become down the line. Prioritize your oral health, save money, and schedule regular dental check-ups. Don't wait till things get worse before visiting the dentist.

If you can keep to these 4 DON'Ts, then your smiles will stay shining and your teeth healthy.

Did you find this helpful? Oya go and tell others about it.
Have any questions? You can drop your replies.

Remember! A healthy and confident smile is just a dentist visit away! 
Bye for now.

i think the basic fundamentals of having healthy teeth and never have to visit a dentist (unless for annual checkups) IS:
- BRUSH YOUR TEETH after every meals if possible
- FLOSS everyday
- STAY AWAY from sugary food

MrBrownJay1:
i think the basic fundamentals of having healthy teeth and never have to visit a dentist (unless for annual checkups) IS:
- BRUSH YOUR TEETH after every meals if possible
- FLOSS everyday
- STAY AWAY from sugary food

Very Apt. You said it well MrBrownJay. Prevention is always better cure. Hence, I normally teach that people to do all these. But most times, we know this is far from it because humans aren't made to rigid to themselves but flexible. In those times they can't keep and this issue arises, we(medical practitioners) exist to help them remedy it.
And above all, to add to your list, seeing your doctor or dentist for regular checkups is also a very important habit everyone who wants to stay healthy must practice because there are lots of risk factors that can cause health issues even beyond what common prevention practices can manage.

All the same, thank you for your wonderful comment.

OgaDentist:
Very Apt. You said it well MrBrownJay. Prevention is always better cure. Hence, I normally teach that people to do all these. But most times, we know this is far from it because humans aren't made to rigid to themselves but flexible. In those times they can't keep and this issue arises, we(medical practitioners) exist to help them remedy it.
And above all, to add to your list, seeing your doctor or dentist for regular checkups is also a very important habit everyone who wants to stay healthy must practice because there are lots of risk factors that can cause health issues even beyond what common prevention practices can manage.

All the same, thank you for your wonderful comment.

one thing about you dentists is that people want to meet you as very little as possible... and only if necessary, thus why i wrote one annual check up per year is more than enough.