It’s really important that you don’t just ignore a toothache and hope that it goes away. If your tooth is sore and left untreated there is a risk that it could become infected, and that the infection can be passed to other parts of the body. Toothache is awful and you don’t need to put up with it! Here are seven tips to help alleviate the pain:
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Pain relief
If you have a toothache, the chances are the first thing on your mind is getting the pain to stop. Luckily, there are over-the-counter medicines that are quite effective. The most effective painkiller to take for a toothache is an anti-inflammatory such as Ibuprofen, as the pain of a toothache is most often caused by swelling. If you are allergic to Ibuprofen then aspirin or paracetamol is the next best thing, and your pharmacist will be able to advise you on the best thing to take if you’re not sure. Always swallow painkillers with water and never apply them directly to the gums as the acid can destroy gum tissue.
Of course there are also alternative medicines that you can always try, like Hemp and CBD. However, it is always hard to determine which will be better to try unless you know which one to use for what. Make sure that you read more on both options so that you can make the best decision.
Call the dentist
If your tooth continues to hurt for over a day then call a dental practice that offers an emergency dental service and ask to be seen as soon as possible. Toothache can be a risk for infection and if a tooth gets infected it becomes harder to treat, so it’s important to get it dealt with by a professional as quickly as you can.
Rinse your mouth with warm saltwater
Keeping your mouth clean is really important if you have a toothache because it will slow down the spread of any bacteria that might be present. Using saltwater is particularly effective because salt has antibacterial properties. Salt sucks the water out of anything it comes into contact with by osmosis, which removes the bacteria from infected tissue. You should also find that rinsing your mouth with salt helps to ease any discomfort.
Put an ice pack on your cheek
Apply ice or frozen peas, wrapped in a towel, to the cheek next to the tooth that is hurting. This will help to numb the pain temporarily. Never apply the ice directly to the tooth as toothache is likely to cause heightened sensitivity to temperature. You should never use heat on a toothache as it is likely to exacerbate the swelling.
Keep a record of your pain and symptoms
While you are waiting for your appointment keep a log of your levels of pain along with any triggers, for example, if eating particular foods or changing positions makes the pain worse. You should also log any additional symptoms that might be indicative of a tooth infection such as:
- Throbbing tooth pain
- Throbbing in the jaw, neck or ear near the tooth
- Pain that worsens when you lie down
- Sensitivity to pressure in the mouth
- Sensitivity to hot and cold in the mouth
- Cheek swelling
- Fever
- Bad breath
- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
- Unpleasant taste in the mouth
Keep your teeth clean
The last thing you’ll want to do when you have a toothache is to clean your teeth, but it’s really important that you try as a clean mouth is less likely to promote infection. You could try cleaning the rest of your mouth with your toothbrush and just using mouthwash on the affected tooth if the pain is too bad.
Protect your mouth from jagged teeth
If your toothache is the result of a broken tooth then be sure to protect the rest of your mouth from any jagged edges by putting a piece of gum or gauze over the edge of the tooth.
