Tooth pain is never fun, literally never. When pain strikes it can be incredibly uncomfortable and just a huge interruption to your day or night, so you need a short-term remedy that’s going to get you through that movie, meeting or night’s sleep. However, quick fixes are not going to make this ache go away permanently. More common than not, tooth pain is a symptom, or the beginning, of a dental problem, one that needs professional treatment to repair and restore your mouth back to full health. Some of these common causes can include…
Tooth decay
This is a very regular cause of pain, and it’s important to head to your dentist right away in order to stop the tooth decay becoming too serious. In some cases, the decay can erode your tooth and cause a cavity. If left untreated, these can become infected and result in the need for a bigger procedure, such as root canal or tooth extraction. Regular dental check-ups will keep any decay at bay.
A fracture, split or crack
A fractured, split or cracked tooth can be a result of impact injury, severe grinding or biting down on an incredibly hard piece of food.
A damaged or dislodged filling
Some fillings can come loose over time or when you suffer an impact injury. These are very painful and can get infected, so if you have fillings and you’re experiencing tooth pain, you should head to a dental professional hastily.
Teeth grinding
Teeth grinding can be conscious or unconscious, and it can happy during the day or, as is usually the case when you sleep. This wears down your enamel and crowns and can also give you huge headaches. Your dentist can fit you with a mouthguard to wear at night which stops the effects of grinding and trains your jaw muscles to relax.
Gum disease
Gum disease is a major cause of tooth and mouth pain, regular check-ups and cleans should keep your mouth in check, protecting you from pain and other symptoms.
How to treat tooth pain
Now that you’re informed on tooth pain’s causes and the need to get it treated properly, you’re probably still in need of a shorter-term fix to dull that pain. Some methods to get you through until your next dentist appointment are…
Over the counter pain medication
Pain medication is one of the simplest and easiest ways of temporarily seeing rid of tooth pain, short term.
Ice
A cold compress can really take down pain flare-ups. Wrap an ice pack or a couple of ice cubes in a tea towel and press to your face for around 15 minutes every few hours to help prevent soreness.
Saltwater
A saltwater gargle can be very effective when you’re suffering from tooth decay or gum disease. Swirl lukewarm, salted water in your mouth for thirty seconds to one minute every few hours to keep your mouth clean.
Herbal tea
Peppermint tea is a fantastic help when you feel like you’ve tried everything for your pain. The peppermint in your tea contains antioxidant properties and the fresh, zesty taste can lightly numb your mouth.
Garlic
This is one of those age-old treatments that works wonders. Chewing on a whole garlic clove close to your most painful tooth can kill all bacteria and help to relieve pain, however, this one definitely is not for everyone.
Elevation
Be mindful to keep your head elevated to avoid blood rushing to your infected or painful areas. This causes a very unpleasant pulsing and can make pain feel so much worse, so sleep propped up on pillows for a peaceful night.