DON’T TAKE RISKS WITH TOOTHACHE… ACT NOW

If there’s one thing worse than toothache it’s knowing you should have sought treatment earlier. By the time toothache strikes, the unlucky individual will already have had several warnings and indicators that all wasn’t quite well and this is usually the time when dentists say you should take immediate action. Early action reduces longterm reaction when it comes to toothache as oral health is of vital importance to our well-being and general health.

Diseases of the mouth and oral cavity have a significant impact in terms of pain, suffering and impairment of function, not to mention reduced quality of life. There are over 2,000 dentists practising in Ireland, spread out between private practices, hospitals and HSE dental services, so there’s really no excuse. Subsidised dental treatment is covered under two state schemes where priority is given to high risk and emergency cases which can be obtained through one’s PRSI or medical card. The HSE Children’s Dental service is also available to those under 6 years of age, children attending national school, child dependants of medical card holders, children who have left national school and are under 16 years old, and children with special needs.

People are also encouraged to make dental care a feature of everyday life within the home. A recent statistic from the Irish Dental Association found that only 46pc of households in Ireland regularly bought toothbrushes, while less than half of all Irish children brush their teeth more than once a day. The aim of International Toothache Day is to make people work towards actively eliminating poor dental hygiene and while we all have bad habits in this regard, it’s worth reminding ourselves there’s also such a thing as ‘good habits’ and regular attention to detail when it comes to looking after our teeth is certainly one of them.