What To Do If Your Tooth Pain is Unbearable
Even dentists know how unbearable toothache can be, especially when bacteria have entered the tooth’s pulp, resulting in an infection.
Without treatment, tooth pain is hard to manage or eliminate alone.
However, some at-home remedies exist, which can help you see you through until you can get a dental appointment to fix the underlying cause of the tooth pain.
How do you get immediate relief from severe toothache?
You’ve likely already tried over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory pain-relief medicines like Ibuprofen. So, if your tooth pain is related to redness, swelling, and soreness, then Ibuprofen might help with short-term relief.
Other tried and tested forms of immediate relief can also be accomplished with warm, saltwater rinses, which can help relieve toothache pain as they increase the pH balance inside the mouth, meaning the bacteria causing the toothache can no longer thrive.
But if an infected root, impacted wisdom teeth, or an abscess is causing your toothache, there’s not much you can do to relieve your pain fully.
You can explore the methods and steps below to take the edge off while waiting for your emergency appointment.
Methods and things to do to get rid of unbearable tooth pain
- Cold compresses are a top tip for reducing inflammation and pain, especially when impacted wisdom teeth cause the pain.
- Clove oil can treat tooth pain with antiseptic properties, providing a numbing sensation. Soak a cotton swab in clove oil and apply it directly to the affected tooth for relief.
- During this time, avoid foods and drinks that are especially sugary or bitter, like sweets, coffee, and citrus fruits. However, if your tooth pain is severe, you might want to avoid eating anything to prevent food from getting trapped.
Tips for sleeping with unbearable tooth pain
The best position to sleep with an unbearable toothache is on your back with your head elevated. Cold compresses, pain medication, clove oil, garlic, and warm salt water rinses can provide some relief to get through the night.
Is unbearable tooth pain an emergency?
If you have a toothache that lasts more than 2 days, does not go away when you take painkillers or is accompanied by a high temperature, pain when biting down, red gums or a bad taste in your mouth. It’s considered a dental emergency, and you seek immediate help from a local dentist. If you’re near Hertford, call us to be seen within a few hours of your call.
Reasons you might have tooth pain
- Tooth decay or cavities are the most common cause of unbearable tooth pain as bacteria in the mouth form a sticky film called plaque, further producing acids that attack and erode your tooth’s enamel. Learn how to prevent decay.
- Gum disease or gingivitis is known to cause throbbing gums, which can sometimes be mistaken for tooth pain as the teeth become more sensitive.
- When decay and plaque are ignored, a tooth abscess or infection can form, resulting in throbbing pain throughout the mouth and swelling of the face and neck.
- If the enamel has eroded too much or worn away, or if you’re experiencing gum recession, the gums pull away from the teeth, leaving them unprotected and exposed to hot, cold, and sweet sensations. This can cause sudden, sharp tooth pain when eating or drinking.
- Injury to the tooth, whether you’ve been involved in a sports injury or traumatic incident, could have caused damage to your tooth, causing excruciating pain.
- Pulpitis is the inflammation of the dental pulp caused by untreated caries or the failure of multiple restorations. The main symptom of pulpitis is pain; to treat it, you’ll need a root canal.
For more information, read our guide on toothaches.