If this happens, all you can really do is go back to the dentist to get the problem fixed. If you have an exposed root or nerve, it can also be the cause of your toothache. This normally happens due to rough brushing, receding the gums and exposing the root. If the root is exposed, the air or liquid you drink can trigger a toothache. Using various tools and equipment, he will go down inside of the tooth and scrape away the nerves and dead pulp. This is a very effective procedure, although very time consuming as well. In most cases, a root canal can take several hours, although it is the only way to stop the dying pulp and save the tooth. Although dental pain is something that many fear, it isn t near as bad as they may think. Most of the fear stems from not knowing, or thinking that it will hurt more than it actually does. The worst part of dental work is the numbing shots, which actually don t hurt all that bad. Once you have been numbed, you ll find that the pain will be gone. When one of the pockets becomes blocked, the bacteria can grow and spread, or get backed up. When this happens, an abscess will start to form under the surface of the gums and become apparent will swelling as it gets bigger and spreads. Once the infection has started to spread, your jawbone may start to dissolve as it makes room for the swelling in the area that has been infected. You should always keep in mind that you are customer, and the dentist is the one who needs to make you feel relaxed. Never should you feel intimidated, as the best dentists will do everything they can to establish a sense of trust. Establishing trust is very important with the patient/dentist relationship. Dentists were just starting to come around, although they didn t have near the equipment and sophistication that they have these days. Even though teeth were pulled during these times, it normally happened with alcohol to numb the pain then pliers to remove the tooth. Throughout the course of time, herbs have proven to be very effective with stopping toothache pain.