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Ways to Help a Toothache

A toothache is especially horrible when you cannot see your dentist right away. A painful tooth can be caused by a fracture, cavity, a lost filling or faulty dental work. Infection is often a contributing factor as well as the root cause of a toothache. There are several methods of controlling tooth pain until you can visit your dentist. Controlling the infection in your mouth will reduce the pain greatly, and make it easier to treat your toothache at home.

  1. Controlling Infection

    • Control the amount of bacteria in your mouth to help your toothache. No matter what is causing your toothache, excess bacteria will definitely worsen the situation. Rinse your mouth with warm salt water frequently. The combination of water and salt will provide temporary pain relief and help draw out any infection. Now is not the time to avoid brushing and flossing even if it hurts. Clove oil applied directly to the tooth will help the pain while naturally reducing bacteria. If your toothache is caused by an abscess, never attempt to lance the abscess yourself to avoid spreading the infection.

    Treating Pain

    • Take an over the counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen as the first line of defense. Alternatively, you can bite down on an aspirin and let it dissolve on the affected tooth. However do not mix aspirin and ibuprofen to avoid side effects. Do not allow any aspirin to dissolve onto the tissue inside of the mouth to prevent irritation and burning. Pure clove oil placed directly on the tooth produces the same analgesic results safely. Avoid cold drinks, especially if the pulp of your tooth is exposed. Cold can intensify the pain in your tooth. Wearing warm socks while you have a toothache will help relieve the pain.

    Sealing the Tooth

    • If your toothache is caused by a broken tooth or lost filling, sealing the tooth until you can visit your dentist is an inexpensive option. Temporary filling material can be purchased over the counter at most drug stores. The material will come in a ready to mix pack that includes clove oil for antiseptic and analgesic purposes. Before you apply the filling, you will need to cleanse the tooth of food particles. Have a friend or family member help you with the entire sealing process if you cannot reach the tooth easily. However, if your toothache is caused by infection, or accompanied by an abscess, sealing the tooth will also trap puss under the gum line.

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