Dentists and How to Ease the Pain of a Toothache

Dentists will tell you that a toothache is a sign that you need to make an appointment as soon as possible. It could be a sign of a cavity, gum disease, or a tooth infection. In any of these cases, treatment should be sought immediately to make sure the problem can be cured, rather than simply masked. Of course, finding a place to go with a toothache is not as easy as just strolling into the ER. Because of this, most people have to find ways to cope with the pain until they can get an appointment. Here are some ways you can ease your pain while you wait.

Rinse

Many toothaches occur because food gets trapped in an area where the pulp is exposed to some degree. While this is a sign that a cavity is present, the food trapped there is making it much worse than it normally would be. It can start infection and create a lot of pain. Dentists recommend using a rinse to get any food loose and out of the way. If trapped food is the problem, the pain could go away almost instantly. If you have wisdom tooth infection, you might want to use salt water for your rinse.

Ice

Often, a toothache will be accompanied by swelling. Swelling can, in turn, make the pain of the toothache worse. Take a frozen bag of peas (or an ice pack if you own one) and place it against the side of your face where the swelling is happening. Even if it doesn't do much for the swelling, you may notice that it feels a little better while you're distracted by the cold compress against your skin. This is certainly no substitute for seeking the professional care of dentists, but when you're writhing in pain, you'll take anything that works even a little bit.

Peppermint Extract

If your gums around the toothache are giving you a lot of pain, you might try rubbing a bit of peppermint extract around the affected area. The extract is almost pure alcohol and it will numb the area rather quickly. The effect won't last as long as you might prefer, but the result is usually quite a bit better than that produced by Ambesol and Orajel. Also, it is much easier to stick a Q-tip into the extract and apply it to the gums than it is to apply those commercial toothache remedies.

Pain Relievers

Many dentists recommend using a combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen to tackle the pain of a toothache. The two drugs work in different ways and can be combined with few problems. Make sure you don't overdo it, of course, and never exceed the dosage recommended by either product.