But who wants to celebrate having toothache?! The quick answer to that is no one!! So then what is the point of having National Toothache Day? After a little bit of internet hunting we have found a couple of possible answers…
The first possible reason for the day is based around the date on which it is held, February 9th. In certain Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, this day is known as the Feast of St Apollonia. Her tale of martyrdom dates from Rome in 249 AD, during the reign of Emperor Philip. It is said that she was tortured for not renouncing her Christian faith by having her teeth smashed and pulled out. Her persecutors threatened to burn her to death, but instead she jumped into the fire voluntarily to escape them! Due to her ordeal, Apollonia became the patron of dental disease.
A more general explanation for the day is just raising awareness and promoting good dental health – specifically to avoid developing any toothache! In recent years, the occurrence of people with severe toothache seems to be reduced. Or at least that is our experience here at Bancroft Dentistry! Although a direct link to having National Toothache Day on our calendars is dubious. Rather, hopefully we are successfully helping people to understand the root (pardon the pun!) of toothache causing dental problems. With a better grasp on the matter, many situations can be avoided or at least, caught early on before they become painful.
To be honest, it will be just another day at the office for us – doing our best to assist our patients in avoiding unnecessary discomfort!
As always, we recommend a good daily oral hygiene routine, the basics of which should be brushing twice and flossing once. Then, extra to that, regular appointments with your dentist and hygienist to ensure your mouth remains healthy.
We also encourage you to ask questions! We feel it is important to know not just what you are having done, but why it is required. Our dentists do their best to explain the ins and outs of treatment and are always happy to provide clarification if you are still unsure.
So, if you think it may have been a while since your last dental appointment, now is a great time for you to get booked in. Call our reception team and avoid a toothache day of your own!
We are looking forward to seeing you soon…
Bancroft Dentistry
Hitchin
Hertfordshire
