How to tackle a toothache at home

Have you ever been wide awake at 3am with a throbbing toothache that prevents you from sleep?  Chances are, you have.  Or you will, sometime in the future.

Toothaches are likely to affect everyone at some stage in their lives. Sometimes the pain comes out of nowhere – and it can be in varying degrees, ranging from a dull throb to a sharp and severe stabbing pain.

No matter what level of pain your toothache is causing it can be pretty distressing. And a toothache at night, where it affects your ability to sleep, can be a really horrible experience.

✔️ What can I do when I have a toothache?

If you are experiencing severe pain, or any other extreme discomfort or swelling in your mouth, teeth or gums, you should call us immediately and make an appointment to have it urgently reviewed.

If you’re experiencing toothache that is not extreme, or you can’t get to your dentist immediately, here are a few remedies you can try in order to ease the discomfort at home:

Apply a cold compress (or even a bag of frozen vegies) to the painful area;

Take pain relievers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen to help dull the pain;

Apply oil of cloves, which is found in most health food stores, to the painful tooth with a cotton swab. Clove oil has numbing and antibacterial qualities that can help ease sensitivity;

When you brush, use a toothpaste specially formulated for sensitive teeth, and floss thoroughly (this might help to remove any trapped food that might be causing the pain.)

One of the main reasons a toothache often gets worse at night, is due to your blood flow when you lie down. Lying down horizontally in bed means that all the blood flows towards your head – which causes pressure on the sensitive area where your sore tooth is located.  The blood flow is what causes the intense throbbing sensation that keeps you awake.

So if this happens, try to sleep with your head in an elevated position – using pillows to prop your head up so the blood isn’t causing extra pressure on

Finally, if your toothache lasts more then 1-2 days do not let it go untreated.  

The best place to be, if you’re suffering toothache, especially one that doesn’t go away quickly, is in the dental chair.

A toothache is not a problem you can just ignore or self-medicate.

If you are suffering from tooth pain give us a call on (02) 6550 0960 to make an appointment.  There is no need for you to go on suffering with any sort of mouth discomfort.