Waco Dentist Challenges You to a Quiz on Toothaches

If you develop a toothache, what do you do? Do you ignore it? What if it lingers for a couple of days? Do you begin to take it more seriously? Toothaches can be tricky. Somewhat often, a toothache is nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, other times toothaches can offer a warning about a serious problem with your oral health. Therefore, to keep you well-informed about dealing with toothaches, your Waco dentist, Dr. Corbet Locke, is challenging you to a quiz.

The Quiz

1. True or False: Pain is the body’s way of telling us that something is wrong.
2. True or False: Placing an aspirin on your tooth can help relieve your toothache.
3. True or False: A good first step for dealing with a toothache is to rinse your mouth with water and floss.
4. True or False: A toothache can indicate tooth decay.

Answer Key

1. True. Pain is a message sent from your body. By ignoring that message, you could be discounting vital information about your health. Think of it this way. You wouldn’t ignore lingering pain and tightness in your chest. So why would you ignore lingering pain in your tooth?
2. False. The aspirin will be much more effective if you swallow it.
3. True. Rinsing with water and flossing is a good first step because many toothaches are caused by the presence of food particles between teeth. Rinsing and flossing can remove these particles and relieve the toothache. However, if rinsing and flossing do not work and the toothache lingers, the cause could be more serious, and it may become necessary for you to contact your Waco general dentist, Dr. Locke.
4. True. While not always indicators of tooth decay, toothaches can certainly point to it. A tooth that has developed a cavity is weakened and its nerve-filled pulp is more accessible to irritants.

Schedule a Visit with Your Waco General Dentist

If you develop a lingering toothache, don’t ignore your body’s warning. Schedule an appointment with your Waco general dentist, Dr. Locke, today by calling 254-776-4888. Our 76172 dental office serves patients from Waco, Woodway, McGregor, Hewitt, and surrounding communities.