Russians warned about the risks of self-treatment of toothache during vacation

During the holidays, many Russians experience toothache far from home and do not always have the opportunity to quickly get to a specialist. In such situations, some people try to alleviate the condition with the help of folk methods, but such self-medication often leads to complications. Irina Skibina, dentist of the Atribyut clinic, told Izvestia about this on June 27.

According to the expert, after the holiday season, doctors regularly face the consequences of using various home remedies. Most often, patients try to place garlic, cloves, propolis, or cotton wool with analgin in the carious cavity in the hope of relieving pain.

"Such methods do not eliminate the cause of the problem, as they do not affect the inflamed nerve or tissue around the root of the tooth. At the same time, they can lead to additional damage," Skibina said.

The expert explained that such experiments often result in chemical burns of the oral mucosa and allergic reactions. In addition, attempts to treat yourself lead to a loss of time, during which the inflammation can go into a more severe stage and be accompanied by the development of a purulent process.

The dentist considers the common advice to apply aspirin to the tooth, rinse the mouth with alcohol or warm up the sore spot to be no less dangerous. According to Skibina, aspirin, when applied topically, can cause gum burns, and alcohol additionally irritates soft tissues without having a therapeutic effect.

Warming up is a particular danger. Using hot water bottles, hot salt, or warm compresses can accelerate the spread of infection. The dentist clarified that heat increases blood flow to the inflamed area. If a purulent process has already begun, this can contribute to the spread of infection to neighboring tissues of the face and neck and lead to serious complications.

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If a toothache occurs during a trip, the specialist recommends following a safe algorithm of actions. First of all, you should gently rinse your mouth with an antiseptic solution, such as chlorhexidine or miramistin, and carefully clean the interdental spaces with dental floss. For temporary relief, you can take over-the-counter painkillers in accordance with the instructions.

"At the same time, it is necessary to seek medical help as soon as possible if the pain is accompanied by increasing swelling, fever, difficulty breathing or swallowing, as well as after a tooth injury," the doctor said.

The dentist also warned against self-administration of antibiotics without a doctor's prescription and the use of any medications or products directly on the affected tooth.

According to the expert, it is worth collecting a small dental first-aid kit before the trip. It is recommended to include an analgesic from the group of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, dental floss and an antiseptic mouthwash.

The specialist emphasized that with toothache, the main task before visiting a doctor is not to harm or worsen the inflammatory process, and any folk methods cannot replace professional dental care.

Kirill Polyakov, Candidate of Medical Sciences, dental surgeon at Naudent Dentistry, reported on June 9 that some foods may be more dangerous to tooth enamel than regular sugar. He noted that dried fruits, including raisins, dates, dried apricots and prunes, are often perceived as a healthy alternative to sweets, but pose a risk to teeth.