IDENTIFYING TOOTH PAIN 4 Levels of Pain and What to Do
Brief sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages after dental treatment. Occasionally, dental work will irritate or inflame pulp inside the tooth, leading to sensitivity. It generally only lasts a short time, but if the sensitivity remains or worsens after two to four weeks, a dentist or endodontist may need to examine the affected area. Sharp pain when chewing or biting down. This sensation is often a result of tooth decay, a fracture in the tooth, or a loose filling. The pain may also be the result of injury to the pulp. This kind of pain needs to be addressed by a dentist and possibly an endodontist, who may need to perform a root canal if the injury is significant. Severe pain, pressure, sensitivity, and swelling around the gums. This is a common symptom of an abscessed tooth. The abscess may have led to an infection of the surrounding tissue and bone. This requires treatment as soon as possible. An endodontist can determine the best next steps and a treatment plan to relieve pain and save the tooth or teeth.
Tooth pain comes in a variety of forms. Sometimes it’s a dull ache that goes away after an hour or two. Other times, it’s an intense pain that refuses to go away. It can be difficult to determine whether the pain is serious or if it can be alleviated using over-the-counter pain medication. Here is a quick look at four levels of tooth pain and steps patients can take to find relief.
Brief sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages. For most people, this isn’t serious, and immediate treatment isn’t necessary. A common cause of the sensitivity is tooth decay, gum recession, or a loose filling. Solutions include using tooth-
sensitive toothpaste, an extra-soft toothbrush, and careful brushing habits (such as brushing with
an up-and-down motion). If sensitivity continues or worsens, treatment may be required.
DISCOVERING TRUE ‘GRIT’
If you’ve ever been told you won’t succeed because you lack talent, bring a copy of “Grit” to your next meeting.
“Effort counts twice” could be the battle cry of grit. Gritty people are willing to put in the extra effort to achieve their goals, and that’s what helps them reach their goals if they don’t have innate talent. While this provides a strong case that those born with grit will succeed, grit doesn’t factor luck and opportunity into the equation, something that Duckworth is transparent about in her book. She says those who aren’t born with grit can develop it in four simple steps.
While teaching high school math, author Angela Duckworth noticed some of her highest-achieving students weren’t the ones with the highest IQs, while some of her “smartest” students weren’t doing all that well in class. “Why?” she wondered. She followed her curiosity to Penn State’s psychology program. There, she studied several demographics, including cadets at West Point, young teachers, and sales representatives. After numerous psychological studies, Duckworth discovered that “grit”was the common denominator in successful people. Duckworth defines grit as “passion and perseverance for very long-term goals.” People who display grit don’t start a project and abandon it a month later. They devote themselves to an overarching goal that drives everything they do. She explained that someone who practices grit goes through life like a marathon, not a sprint.
First, identify an interest that can blossom into a passion. Second, practice that passion, a lot. Third, develop the belief that your passion has purpose. While it’s not an overnight transformation, these guidelines can at least give us hope, which is the fourth step: Hold on to hope that you can succeed. Our biggest takeaway from“Grit”? Look at failures as milestones on the journey to success. Getting gritty means failing and learning from it. Any of us can get gritty if we’re willing to put in a little elbow grease.
Perhaps most instructive is Duckworth’s equation (she was a math teacher, after all):
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Talent x effort = skill. Skill x effort = achievement.
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