Toothache is considered one of the most severe and unpleasant. It usually occurs suddenly when a person does not expect it. If this happens during the daytime, then you should immediately contact your dentist. But if this happened at night or on the road, then additional drugs and methods will be needed to help eliminate the pain and numb the tooth.
The causes of acute toothache can be different. This is an inflammatory process in the pulp cavity of the tooth and exposure of the dental nerve.
What is the effect of acupressure based on?
The acupressure technique is based on the ideas of Eastern sages about the structure of the human body. In ancient China, it was believed that 14 rivers of vital energy Chi flow through the human body. If they do not encounter obstacles, then with their flow they safely carry energy to all internal organs. But if a malfunction suddenly occurs and the organs receive Chi energy in different quantities, the person begins to get sick. Ancient doctors believed that balance could be restored by massaging certain points. This is how the Chinese technique of acupuncture appeared.
According to another Eastern theory, two principles are constantly fighting in the human body: the female Yin - changeable, cold, dark - and the male Yang - constant, warm, light. Balance can be achieved by applying pressure in the right places.
Acupuncture points for toothache
The ancient Chinese identified two massage points for toothache and gave them figurative names.
Point He-gu - “closed gorge”
How to find:
The He-gu point can be detected if you close the thumb and index fingers of your hand - a tubercle forms at this place, and with open fingers - a depression. It is important to compare the description of points on the body from toothache with the pictures.
How to massage:
Press on the toothache point on the hand with the thumb of the opposite hand, moving it up and down, while simultaneously clicking your teeth. Duration: 2 to 3 minutes until the skin turns red. If the tooth hurts on the right, you need to massage the point on the left on the left hand and vice versa, and in case of severe pain, act on both at once. This method is not recommended for pregnant women.
Jia Che points - “cheek cart”
How to find:
these are symmetrical points on the lower jaw. If the jaws are open, the points are located in the cavity; when closed, the points are in the place of convexity of the masticatory muscles.
How to massage:
The massage should be very gentle. First, light pressure with your index finger, then 30 circular movements. You can perform no more than five approaches at a time.
How to soothe an aching tooth?
If aching pain inside a tooth or after the removal of a wisdom tooth prevents you from sleeping peacefully or generally thinking about anything else, you need to take care to reduce it to a minimum. And at the first opportunity, be sure to consult a dentist, because pain relief does not mean that the problem has been eliminated, and there is no need for treatment. You can eliminate pain as follows:
- First of all, thoroughly brush your teeth and remove any remaining food from the interdental spaces.
- Rinse your mouth with a soda-salt solution (a teaspoon of soda and salt per glass of warm boiled water). You can use only saline solution or just warm water if nothing else is available.
- Take a pain reliever (analgin, paracetamol, ibuprofen) if possible.
- If there are no medications at hand, you can relieve pain with folk remedies. Rinsing with decoctions of chamomile, calendula, sage, and calamus root helps to cope well with toothache. You can also use tampons soaked in clove, sea buckthorn or mint oil, which should be applied to the affected area. Rinsing with alcohol-containing liquids - propolis tincture, regular vodka or cognac (sweetened alcohol-containing drinks cannot be used for this purpose!) can help get rid of pain.
It is strictly not recommended to use warming procedures in this case - rinsing should be at approximately room temperature, warm compresses and heating pads should not be applied to the sore area. Heat only accelerates and intensifies the inflammatory process, which can provoke the rapid development of a purulent abscess and the spread of inflammation to nearby tissues.
Quick and effective point for toothache Yoshiro Tsutsumi
The famous Japanese specialist in alternative medicine, Yoshiro Tsutsumi, studied the technique of acupressure for more than 30 years, as a result of which he wrote the popular book “A Simplified Method for Preserving Health with Finger Exercises.” We are interested in the section that tells you which point to press for toothache.
Te-sanri point
Yoshiro Tsutsumi in his book notes that this is a quick and effective remedy for severe toothache.
How to find:
Stretch your hand in front of you, palm up, at the junction of the palm and wrist, find the metacarpal bone of the thumb, draw a conditional line to the depression in the bend of the elbow, remember this distance. Measure 1/5 of the length of this line from the elbow, this is where the desired point is located. It is located symmetrically on the right and left hands.
How to massage:
the pad of the thumb of the opposite hand. To enhance the effect, Tsutsumi recommends massaging both points at once; to do this, you need to cross your arms, as shown in the figure. Press the point of the right hand for 1 minute with the index and middle finger of the left hand, and on the left hand with the thumb of the right hand. After a pause, cross your arms in the other direction and repeat the exercise.
Possible causes of acute toothache
It is worth remembering the most common reasons:
- Caries. Bacteria destroy the surface of the tooth, resulting in a tooth reaction and discomfort when eating, eating sweets, or cold foods.
- Pulpitis. This is an inflammatory process that appears due to the fact that the patient did not treat caries in time. Pulpitis provokes acute toothache, which intensifies when drinking hot, cold drinks or food.
- Periodontitis. This is inflammation that occurs as a result of infection. Toothache has a pulsating form. It intensifies when mechanical stress is applied to the tooth.
- Periostitis. This is a special inflammation, it is accompanied by swelling of the gums. Afterwards, swelling and pain increase. Sometimes with periostitis, the upper jaw swells and the temperature rises. A pulsating toothache can be felt in the ears, eyes, and temples.
Massage points on the face
How to find:
to the Jia Che point (see above) add two more symmetrical points, which are at the level of the earlobes, not reaching them 3 centimeters.
How to massage:
lightly touch with your index finger 10 times - first on one pair of points, then on the other.
Headache
Photo: AiF / AiF
The thumb is the projection of the head and neck. The face and head occupy the top of the thumb down to the knuckle. From the joint to the base of the finger is the neck area. Step back 1/8 from the top of the finger - here we draw the eyes, on the protruding part of the pad - the nose, below - the mouth.
Now turn your thumb with your nail towards you. And mentally draw a vertical line along it. Everything to the right of this line is the right side of the head. Everything on the left is the left side. This means that if the head hurts on the right, for example, the right temple or forehead on the right, we turn the finger towards ourselves with the pad, look for the pain point on the left above the eyes and massage it clockwise with the tip of a ballpoint pen, always with red paste, so that it is noticeable. There is always a sympathetic point nearby, we also massage it. And if we do everything right, the headaches go away instantly.
Headaches can be relieved by applying a buckwheat seed to the projection point.
Dots on the palm for toothache
How to find:
points on the palm for toothache are located on the back of the hands between the thumb and forefinger, closer to the latter.
How to massage:
make circular movements with the nut - first 10 light movements, then one with strong pressure. Repeat the exercise 3 times.
Additional technique
Another acupuncture technique was invented by Japanese specialist Yoshiro Tsutsumi. He developed a unique finger technique for maintaining health. Among his recommendations are tips for relieving toothache:
- Two points are identified on the outside of the palm. One is at the base of the index finger, where the phalanx attaches to the metacarpus. The second is at the line of intersection of the base of the thumb and index finger. You need to influence the areas with round hard objects - a tennis ball, a nut. Make 10 rotational movements, then press hard. Repeat 2 – 3 times.
- To determine the second point - Te-santri - draw a conditional line from the base of the thumb to the bend of the elbow, step down 1/5. You need to massage two areas at the same time. Hands clasp the elbows on the opposite side, make circular movements with the pads of the index and middle fingers.
The areas are massaged on the opposite side of the diseased tooth.
How to massage acupuncture points for toothache?
To obtain or enhance the effect of massage, you must follow the following recommendations.
- Focus on the massage, relax, breathe deeply, sit or lie down comfortably.
- Massage the area on the opposite side - it hurts on the right, influence the point on the left, pain on the left - apply pressure on the right.
- After the massage, sit or lie relaxed for a few minutes, and only then return to business.
- Between sessions, maintain a pause of half an hour.
Essential oils of sage, lavender, mint can enhance the effect, and “Star” balm is also suitable. These substances should be applied to the desired points before the massage; they will increase blood flow.
How to get rid of unpleasant symptoms
The choice of method for eliminating pain depends on the cause that caused it. Do not self-medicate: warm, rinse or take pills without consulting a doctor. The insidiousness of pain syndrome is that it is characteristic of different diseases. In some cases, you can alleviate the condition before visiting a specialist.
Ear pain due to caries
You can relieve the pain a little with the help of anti-inflammatory tablets. In such cases, nimide or ibubrofen are recommended. The drugs should be taken after meals in the indicated dosages for no more than 5 days. Fans of traditional medicine use a natural antiseptic – garlic. It is crushed and applied to the diseased tooth.
What to do with pulpitis
The pain with this pathology is often unbearable. Therefore, patients with this disease usually strive to see a doctor as quickly as possible. Treatment can be carried out using biological and surgical methods. In the first case, the tooth is treated conservatively, in the second, the pulp is completely or partially removed. Once the cause is eliminated, the ear pain stops.
How to treat alveolitis
All treatment methods are aimed at eliminating inflammation in the socket. The process is stopped by taking anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and desensitizing agents. The treatment method is determined by the dentist after an x-ray.
Elimination of post-filling pain
The appearance of ear pain after installing a filling is a reason to remove it. The tooth is treated and filled again. In case of an allergy to the substance from which the filling is made, the doctor selects another material.
Pain after wisdom tooth removal
Damaged tissues and nerves need time to recover. Therefore, pain is a common reaction to intervention. To reduce it, dentists recommend taking painkillers. If the pain not only does not go away, but also intensifies, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics and recommend a special rinse.
