National Toothache Day
Today is National Toothache Day. It is not a fun holiday especially if you are suffering from or even have bad memories of a toothache.
Toothache Day serves as a kind reminder of the benefits and overall importance of dental hygiene. Toothaches, scientifically known as odontalgia, are exactly what they sound like, the pain generated from either one or multiple teeth. A toothache can make it difficult to eat, sleep, or sometimes even talk. While they are not worth celebrating, we all can hear up the ways to stop them for good.
It would not be the perfect Holiday-ish story without some background history about National Toothache Day, lets see what we got.
The unofficial holiday of National Toothache Day serves to remind people that looking out for your own oral well-being is of utmost importance to live a happy, healthy, and long life.
However, the history of the science that does tackle toothaches does go a bit farther. Dentistry is one of the oldest medical professions, with evidence being found as far back as 7000 BC. However, it was not until 5000 B.C that descriptions related to diseases related to teeth were discovered.
By the eighteenth century, dentistry had become a more defined and refined affirmation, reaching an important cornerstone when Pierre Fauchard, a French surgeon, published his influential book, The Surgeon Dentist, a Treatise on Teeth, which defined a comprehensive system for caring for and treating teeth, up to implementing dental fillings and discovering that sugar was a major factor in tooth decay.
In 1873, Colgate had mass-produced the first toothpaste, and mass-produced toothbrushes followed suit, assuring everyone had some sort of access to tooth-cleaning products. However, good brushing habits were not mainstream in America until after the end of World War II, when soldiers stationed abroad brought the concept of proper dental hygiene back to their home country. Now because of teeth whitening and the processes it takes, people give their teeth the attention they deserve.
As painful as this holiday sounds, there are ways to observe National Toothache Day. Will it help us how to treat a toothache or will it just be nonsense?
- Make a promise to brush and floss.
- This sounds promising. Refocus your efforts on your oral health and vow to brush and floss twice a day. Set yourself up for success by stocking up on toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss.
- Learn how to care for a toothache.
- Wow, it will give us insight on how to care for a toothache. Start by rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater and putting an ice pack on your cheek to numb the area. If pain persists for more than two days, see a dentist.
- Schedule regular dental appointments.
- If you don’t see your dentist about your teeth, are you okay? Along with brushing and flossing daily, regular visits to your dentist can help prevent all tooth problems, including toothaches. Schedule cleanings twice per year and make sure to go, even with a busy schedule.
Why is National Toothache Day important? I may not have the information but one thing I know is that it reminds us of our oral health.
- It reminds us of our oral health.
- Do you brush and floss two times per day? I hope you do so take time to think and prioritize your oral health because it is an important step in keeping your teeth healthy and pain-free.
- Toothaches encourage us to go for cleanings.
- After having a toothache, you’ll never want to have another again. While having a toothache is no fun, it can help us be more proactive about visiting our dentists and scheduling regular cleanings.
