How to Comfort a Wisdom Tooth

An impacted wisdom tooth is not only painful but can be dangerous to your health, since the tooth, over time, can affect the alignment of other teeth. Additionally, cysts can form around the area and trap food in between your teeth, which will lead to infection and decay and worsen the damage caused by the impacted tooth. You can get temporary pain relief -- with daily rinsing, cold compresses and over-the-counter medication -- until you are able to have surgery.

Things You'll Need

• Soft-bristled toothbrush
• Table salt
• Drinking glass
• Cold compress
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)
• Oral analgesic
• Ice chips (optional)

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Instructions

• 1

  Brush your teeth immediately after eating. Gently brush around the impacted tooth, with a soft-bristled toothbrush, to prevent further irritation.

• 2

  Gargle with salt water. Pour 1 tbsp. of salt into 8 oz. of warm water, dissolve the salt completely, then gargle. Spit out the solution after one minute. Rinse your mouth with warm water to remove any remaining salt. Gargle with salt water twice a day to minimize swelling and irritation.

• 3

  Apply a cold compress. To help relieve pain, hold a cold compress against the side of your face that has the impacted tooth. Leave the compress on your face for no more than 10 minutes. Alternately, a cold, wet washcloth is suitable for relieving pain, if you do not have a cold compress. Wet a washcloth with cold water, wring out the excess water and fold it in half. Press it against your face until the coolness dissipates, then re-wet it.

• 4

  Take over-the-counter pain medication. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, reduce pain and swelling. Follow the medication's instructions to avoid using more than the recommended dosage.

• 5

  Rub oral analgesic gel around the tooth. Oral analgesics are over-the-counter numbing medications that temporarily alleviate pain. Wash your hands with hot, soapy water before touching the tooth area to avoid exposing it to any additional bacteria. Follow the medication's instructions for proper use.