Dr. Vaibhav Munjal

Everybody desires to possess a beautiful smile but poor lifestyle and dietary habits tend to damage the natural white hue of your teeth and add a yellowish tinge to it. Yellowish and dull teeth are among the major factors that cause embarrassment and affect the quality of your beautiful smile.

The following are some foods that tend to damage your teeth:

1. Potato chips: Potato chips are high in starch content and have the tendency to get stuck in your teeth. Floss thoroughly after eating potato chips to ensure effective removal of the food particles that get stuck in your teeth to lessen the risk of plaque build-up in it.
2. Sticky food: Food which is sticky in nature often has the tendency to stick on to your teeth for longer than most other foods. Most dried fruits also fall under the category of sticky foods that can damage your teeth to a great extent. Rinse and floss on a regular basis after eating these foods to ensure protection of your teeth against damage.
3. Wine: According to studies, wine has positive effect on your health when consumed moderately; however, it is also responsible for damaging your oral health. If you intake a glass of wine at night on a regular basis, it increases the risk of damaging your tooth enamel and leads to its discoloration. Wine can also affect the calcium content of your teeth, cause bad breath and may result in the imbalance of your mouth's pH level. It is advisable to drink small sips of wine without swishing it for a long time.
4. Coffee and black tea: Black tea and caffeinated coffee tend to dry your mouth. Frequent consumption of tea and coffee tend to stain your teeth and it is responsible for the discoloration of your teeth. Make it a point to drink plenty of water to minimize the risk of teeth staining.
5. Carbonated drinks: Most carbonated drinks, including diet soda and soft drinks are acidic in composition and therefore, harmful for the health of your teeth. Caffeinated beverages tend to dry out the mouth, therefore, ensure to drink adequate water to balance out the negative impact of the caffeine.
6. Sports drinks: Most energy drinks and sports drinks are high in sugar content and thus, have the tendency to damage your oral hygiene; ultimately affecting the appearance of your teeth. Replace your sports drinks with fresh natural juice to lessen the risk of teeth damage.

Odontalgia or severe toothache is characterized by extreme pain or inflammation of the tooth and its surrounding areas. The excruciating pain that you might experience may stem as a result of gum infection, tooth decay, infection of the dental pulp, abscess and due to certain other reasons like extraction or filling of the teeth. Another key reason for extreme toothache is the fact that a number of heart problems, such as myocardial infarction and angina tend to affect your dental health negatively.

While some toothaches might occur sporadically, they might pose a danger against your overall well-being in the long run, if the condition is left untreated. Homeopathy can serve as the perfect antidote to your toothache problems and its effects are noted to be significantly higher when it comes down to the question of long-term consumption. Here is a list of homeopathic medications that might prove to be a pain alleviator for your dental complications:

1. Hepar Sulph and Silicea: Root abscess responds positively, to both Hepar Sulph and Silicea. For fever accompanied with occasional chills due to severe toothache, Hepar Sulph is considered to be the perfect remedy and tends to significantly decrease the level of swelling and pain. On the other hand, if your face swells and there is an incidence of gum inflammation, Silicea must be used to numb the effects of root abscess.
2. Plantago: Plantago is noted to be the most commonly prescribed medicine for toothaches and for treating sensitivity. The pain extending to the ears from the teeth receives maximum relief due to the effects of Plantago. It might have to be taken internally or applied externally depending on the severity of the toothache and its accompanying conditions.
3. Staphysagria: Sensitivity is best taken care of by Staphysagria and resolves the problem of worsening of toothache, when any drink or food is consumed. Bleeding gums and excess salivation is also another aspect that is looked after by Staphysagria.
4. Arnica: Tooth extraction and filling may often lead to the consequence of nerve-wrecking pain in the gums and the affected area. For this, Arnica is prescribed to assuage the nerve pain and must be taken in along with Hypericum, another homeopathy medicine, for best results.
5. Merc Sol: Problems of halitosis and excessive salivation that tend to occur simultaneously with toothaches can be solved by a dosage of Merc Sol. Bleeding gums, looseness of teeth and sensitivity are all taken care of by the same medication.
6. Hecla Lava: For jaw swells along with toothache, you must always opt for Hecla Lava. The effect is instantaneous and relieves both swelling and pain.
7. Chamomilla: Chamomilla serves as the best remedial homeopathic medicine for easing heat sensitivity that is likely to worsen the existing toothache. Drinks and food, either hot or cold, can then be consumed easily because of the numbing effect of this medicine.