Sometimes, a toothache can come on quickly, and there may be a forecast for considerable pain until you make it to the dentist. The dreaded tooth pain has reared its ugly head on a Saturday night and your dentist office won’t be open until Monday morning. You need to stop this toothache quickly or else you’re not getting a good night’s sleep and will probably wake up even crankier than when you went to bed. So, what can you do in the meantime?
While these remedies can only temporarily stop your tooth pain, they can help reduce the annoyance of a toothache until you can see a medical professional for a real exam. While you should go to an emergency room if the pain is unbearable or there is bleeding that cannot be stopped, there are many ways to calm the pain until you see your dentist. Try these tips to get the aching to calm down and take a breather:
1. Taking painkillers
Either you have already been prescribed some painkillers for this pain or you are going the over-the-counter route, taking an NSAID or a narcotic can help to silence the tooth pain – albeit temporarily. Follow the recommended dosage and be careful to not take more than the allotted amount for a 24-hour period.
2. Analgesic gel
While this is definitely a temporary fix, Orajel or another analgesic gel can at least numb the gums around your affected tooth. This will relieve the pain for a little bit and at least let you get to sleep before you can get to your dentist.
3. Warm, salt water
This option might not immediately alleviate your tooth pain, but it will help rinse your mouth of the bacteria that could be causing your pain to begin with. Just rinse your mouth and your affected tooth for a couple of seconds and spit it out.
4. Ice/cold compress
This might sound counterintuitive to put cold on the area that is suffering due to temperature sensitivity. Icing your cheek, on the outside of the affected tooth or with a cold compress will numb the area and most importantly, reduce swelling that is causing the pain.
5. Drink peppermint tea
Drinking any tea can help sooth your aching tooth, but peppermint tea has qualities that can help numb the affected area, as well. It doesn’t need to be piping hot, as heat sensitivity can also cause more pain, but just enough to soothe the irritated area and tooth.
6. Clove oil
Many swear by clove oil curing toothaches as nature’s analgesic. Too much of the oil, though, can numb a great deal of your mouth. A couple of drops on a cotton ball, experts say, put only on your affected tooth can help reduce the pain and swelling that is plaguing you.
Try to call your dentist’s office right away, even if it is after hours. At Hagerman Dental Care in St. Paul, MN, same day appointments are available for emergency cases. You can even call (651) 646-2392 after hours to either schedule an emergency appointment or get advice on how best to proceed. Often, the longer you put off treating a toothache, the greater your chance for increasing pain and possible infection. Dr. Hagerman will help alleviate your pain, and restore your mouth to proper oral health.