Pain! Is it our friend or our foe? Technically speaking, pain is our friend because it helps us to protect ourselves from harm. Pain can happen anywhere in the body. So what if pain signals are coming from your tooth? What to do for tooth pain?
There are many situations and causes to experience a painful tooth. Tooth decay might be one of the most popular reasons to experience pain. Even sensitive teeth can cause pain.
In this article, we will give you the information needed to understand the causes of tooth pain and ways to reduce it, and when to visit your dentist.
Types of toothaches and their treatment options
So let’s talk about the types of toothaches and treatment options for each one. Remember not all of these causes might be as serious as others. We will provide you with natural remedies, pain medication, and dental treatments to help you manage your toothache pain.
Before we get into details here is a list of the most common causes of toothache.
- Wisdom tooth
- Trauma or injury
- Gum disease
- Tooth decay
- Abscessed tooth
- Teeth grinding (Bruxism)
This seems like a lot but we’re here to guide you and help you understand your toothache better so you’ll be healthy and happy.
What to do for wisdom tooth pain?
Wisdom teeth sit at the back of all other molars, and if your jaw is large enough they would fit without any problems. However, they can become impacted and cause pain and other issues such as bad breath, redness, and swelling while they are growing.
In the case that you have these issues and don’t know what to do for tooth pain, it is best to contact your dentist and schedule an appointment for wisdom tooth extraction. In the meantime, you can use some home remedies to ease your wisdom tooth pain.
To numb the pain you can use cloves or clove oil. Press a clove on the affected area or put some clove oil on it until you have a numbing sensation.
For over-the-counter pain medication, you can take some ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or a mix of both. Brands such as Advil, Tylenol, and Naproxen are anti-inflammatory drugs that are very effective in tooth pain relief. The pain-relieving gel is another good option to ease the pain.
What to do for broken tooth pain?
A broken or cracked tooth can cause discomfort and pain. This could happen because of trauma or injury to the mouth. Eating hard food, being hit in the face, or having an accident can result in a broken or even a knocked-out tooth.
If any of these happen you should make an appointment and go to the dentist to get your tooth fixed immediately.
Until you go for your appointment put some gauze or a cotton ball over your broken tooth so it wouldn’t injure the inside of your mouth. The gauze or cotton ball would also create a barrier so your tooth won’t feel so sensitive.
If there is any severe pain take some pain medication and anti-inflammatory medication to ease it.
What to do for nerve pain in a tooth
Like juice, our teeth have pulp as well but they’re totally different from each other. The pulp tissue is inside the little hollow part which is the pulp chamber. There are nerve endings in the pulp tissue and if there is any pulp tissue damage you will feel pain.
Getting a root canal treatment or having a cavity filling can cause nerve pain in your tooth.
You can use a simple salt water rinse to wash your mouth to help with the pain. Applying a warm compress to the area helps ease the pain and inflammation.
What to do for tooth pain after extraction?
Going to the dentist is a pain in itself and having to have a tooth pulled out makes it even worse. But what to do with tooth pain after the extraction? Don’t worry! There are ways to deal with the pain and make it easier on you.
Of course, each person is different when it comes to pain tolerance but tooth pain after extraction usually fades after 2 to 3 days.
After tooth extraction, your dentist might give you some pain reliever. If not, you can use over-the-counter pain medications to manage the pain and help with inflammation.
Use a cold compress or ice pack on your face to calm down the area.
Methods to relieve tooth pain at home
So far we’ve only talked about the kind of toothache that requires dental care from a dentist. In some cases, the tooth pain might not even be directly related to your tooth! For example, sinus infection or congestion can cause tooth pain! But other than that sometimes some tooth pain does not need immediate medical attention. So let’s talk about some methods to relieve tooth pain at home.
We try to provide the most effective home remedies to keep the pain at bay or as a means to have temporary pain relief while you wait to go to your dental appointment.
Warm salt water rinse
Remember warm, not hot, we don’t want you to burn yourself and add to your pain! To a small glass of warm water add a teaspoon of salt and swish it in your mouth for a few minutes. This helps with loosening the food particles stuck in between your teeth and inflammation in your mouth and gum tissue.
This is because salt is a natural disinfectant and helps with soothing inflammation as well.
Hydrogen peroxide rinse
Another effective rinse is hydrogen peroxide which not only helps with easing pain and inflammation but it also prevents dental plaque from forming and gums from bleeding.
You should dilute hydrogen peroxide. Use the cap of the bottle as a measurement for the hydrogen peroxide and add it to a glass of water. Swish as normal for a few minutes. Do not swallow.
Peppermint tea bags
Peppermint is another natural disinfectant that helps with numbing pain as well. Let a used peppermint tea bag cool down a little bit and then gently press it on your gums or the painful area.
You can use the peppermint tea bags as a cold compress as well. Just put a used one in the freezer for a few minutes and then apply it to your teeth.
Vanilla extract
You might have a little bottle of vanilla extract lying around the kitchen. No, we’re not baking anything but using it to help with the dental pain. The alcohol in the vanilla extract can numb the pain and the antioxidant present in vanilla helps with healing.
Use a cotton ball or your finger to dab a little bit of vanilla extract on the area. Repeat it 3 or 4 times a day but don’t forget to brush your teeth.
Clove
We’re going through your spice cabinet! Clove has been used as an antiseptic throughout history. It is also one of the main ingredients for making pain-relieving gels.
Use a cotton swab to dab a small amount of the oil on the affected area. Or you can add a few drops to a glass of water and use it as a rinse.
Garlic
Yes, garlic doesn’t just help with the food flavor it also has antibacterial properties. To take advantage of that crush a garlic clove add a pinch of salt and add it to your teeth. You can also chew a fresh garlic clove slowly to ease the pain.
This might be the smelliest home remedy but it is effective!
When should I go to the dentist?
Dental health should not be taken lightly. If you are having any intense pain in your mouth, jaw, or teeth it is best to call your dentist and book an appointment as soon as possible.
Here we will give you some of the symptoms that need you to have an emergency appointment:
- Fever
- Swelling
- Pain when biting
- Very red gums or even bleeding gums
- Bad taste in your mouth (caused by pus or infection)
- Tooth sensitivity with a sharp pain that doesn’t go away in a few minutes
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, and are not sure what to do for tooth pain, you can easily contact us. At Dentfix we not only care about your smile but your health as well.