Toothache is never fun, ever. It destroys your day, ruins your sleep and dampens your mood – not exactly on the Wishlist for your day to day lifestyle, right?
When the pain hits, it’s very important that you’re equipped to care for yourself, decipher what the symptoms mean and you head to your dentist for a check-up immediately.
Read on for information that’s going to help you when you find yourself suffering from tooth aches and pains…
Table of Contents
Symptoms
If you’re experiencing toothache, it’s imperative that you pay attention to the symptoms that you’re dealing with. A dull, sharp or stinging pain will often be a symptom of a more serious issue. Underlying conditions can include cavities, tooth decay, gingivitis, cysts, and tooth infection.
You might also find that you’ve got an impacted wisdom tooth or an infection in your jaw. All of these problems require immediate professional attention in order to effectively repair your pain and restore your smile. Failure to seek treatment can result in the need for root canal, tooth extraction or replacement of dental crowns.
It’s so much easier to just visit the dentist periodically to stay on top of your general dental health, and of course head to your local professional when you’re feeling significant tooth pain or toothache. You might also have a loose filling or at risk tooth, in which case you need attention right away.
Remedies
Pain is so debilitating and sometimes you just need a little relief or help to tide you over until your upcoming appointment (which you should have booked)…
Salt Water Gargle
Salt water has some fantastic healing properties and it can really help to tone down an infection. This is going to be particularly handy when you’ve got an infection or you suspect that you have gum disease.
It by no means heals infection but it helps to decrease any soreness and stings.
Cold Compress
Holding an ice pack to your face can help to ease the intensity of toothache. Wrap an ice block (or frozen peas if you don’t have one handy) in a tea-towel or washcloth and hold to your face for ten to thirty seconds, then remove and repeat once every five minutes for periodic relief.
Herbal Tea
Peppermint tea can help to clear light pain by giving your mouth a little zing. This pleasant stimulation of your nerves can help to ease pain and peppermint has anti-inflammatory properties. Sipping on herbal tea will also help to calm you.
Pain Medication
Over the counter pain medication shouldn’t be overused, but it can be effective for helping the symptoms of your dental issues.
Tooth pain is hard to live with, and if you need a little relief when you’re at work or going about your daily duties, then pain medication really be your friend – until you get yourself to the dentist, of course.
Elevation
Sleeping with toothache is never easy, and it’s usually so difficult because in a lying down position all your blood is going to your head. This concentration of pressure can amplify your pain so much.
Layer up the pillows and keep yourself elevated whilst you sleep to decrease this effect and get a better night’s sleep.
Garlic
Garlic has anti-inflammatory properties and decreases the severity of infection in some cases. Consuming plenty of it or even chewing on a clove or two – if you can – can potentially be a big help when you’re really miserable.
