DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE A TOOTHACHE? Wear these fish bones around your neck, repeat a chant, and drop a few pears into the river! Sounds ridiculous, right? But those are toothache remedies you’d hear during the Middle Ages! You can imagine how frustrating it must have been for our ancestors with tooth pain—they were willing to try anything for relief! Modern dentistry has swept away many bizarre superstitions. However, some people still believe dangerous myths about toothaches and how to cure them.
Different “Cures” From Different Cultures
There are a lot of unusual methods for relieving toothaches we’ve gathered from various cultures (both ancient and modern) around the world. One common belief was that dental pain was caused by a “tooth worm” that had burrowed its way inside a tooth. To coax the worm out, people would inhale smoke, smear their teeth with honey, and swish with all kinds of disgusting rinses. Others include:
- Putting both stockings on one foot.
- Driving a horseshoe nail into your house’s front door lintel.
- Spitting out bread by an anthill, and as the ants carry it away the pain will leave.
- Complaining to a pear tree about your toothache.
- Vowing to never comb your hair on a Friday or shave on a Sunday.
Though these may seem absurd, let’s not be too quick to judge—there are still plenty of false beliefs about toothaches today!
Modern Toothache Myths
There are several causes of dental pain including cavities, gum disease, infection, and chipping. These three tips will help debunk some common myths that could stop your child from getting the treatment he needs:
- Do not put aspirin on a sore tooth. Aspirin does nothing to relieve pain when applied topically, and could result in a nasty acid burn on the cheek and gums.
- A toothache DOES NOT mean your child will lose the tooth. There are treatments that can save even badly infected teeth.
- If pain is off-and-on, your child still needs a checkup. Pain is the body’s way of telling us something is wrong. It shouldn’t be ignored.
Don’t Wait To Visit Us If Your Child Has Pain
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Trust Our Practice For Solutions
Nobody should have to live with dental pain. Set a pattern of preventive care, so your child never has to experience a toothache. Our practice is focused on the latest treatments to not only relieve toothaches, but to create healthy and resilient smiles.
