How to Soothe a Toothache Before Seeing a Dentist: 10 Tips

A sudden shooting toothache can really ruin your day. When experiencing extreme tooth pain, simple tasks such as eating and talking can become unbearable. The most common reason for extreme mouth pain is due to a serious underlying issue. This could be something such as severe tooth decay, gum disease, a cracked tooth or a bacterial infection. Whilst home remedies cannot treat the actual medical issues causing your toothache, there are safe ways to help reduce the swelling, numb the sharp pain and keep you comfortable until you can see a licensed dentist.

This article will give you some proven, safe and effective ways to relieve dental pain at home. We’ll also tell you what symptoms you need to be aware of and seek urgent dental care.

1. How Can You Relieve a Toothache with OTC Painkillers?

The quickest way to relieve moderate to severe tooth pain is by taking OTC painkillers. If there is an active infection in your teeth, there will be a lot of inflammation in the area around the nerve root. Therefore taking anti-inflammatory painkillers can help.

How Can You Take Anti-Inflammatory?

Non steroidal anti-inflammatory will help reduce the swelling around the root tip of your tooth. Be sure to follow the instructions on the packet or advice from your physician.

Can You Take a Combination of Painkillers?

If the painkillers aren’t helping with the deep throbbing pain, your healthcare provider may advise you to take a combination of NSAID and paracetamol. This will help with pain in different ways without exceeding the daily safe dose.

Why Should You Never Rub Tablets on Gums?

Never rub Aspirin or any painkiller directly onto your gums. This will cause irritation to the sensitive tissue in your mouth as the acid will come into direct contact.

2. How Can You Soothe a Toothache with a Cold Compress?

Applying a cold compress will help numb the area and reduce any swelling.

How Should You Apply a Cold Compress?

Wrap some frozen vegetables or an ice pack in a clean soft towel. Never put any frozen items directly on your skin.

How Long Should You Apply a Cold Compress?

Press the cold compress firmly onto the outside of your cheek or jaw for 15-20 minutes. Remove for 20 minutes and reapply.

Cold will cause the blood vessels in your cheek to tighten reducing the blood flow to the inflamed area. This will reduce the sharp nerve pain.

3. How Can You Rinse with Warm Salt Water to Relieve a Toothache?

Warm salt water is a natural, gentle and effective way to disinfect your mouth. It will help remove any debris from around your painful teeth and soothe inflamed gums.

How Do You Mix Salt and Water?

Mix ½ teaspoon of normal salt into a glass of warm water. The water shouldn’t be too hot.

How Should You Swish Around the Salt Water?

Swish the warm salty water around the painful area for 30 seconds. Then spit into the sink. Do this 3-4 times a day.

Salt water will act as an osmotic solution. This will help remove excess liquid from the inflamed gums. It will also help clean any open wounds and create an unfavorable environment for bacteria.

4. How Can Raising Your Head Help Relieve a Toothache?

Lying flat on your pillow can often make your toothache worse, especially later on in the evening. Changing the position you sleep in will help reduce internal pressure.

How Can You Use Extra Pillows?

Use 2-3 firm pillows to raise your head. This will help raise your upper body so your head is well above your heart.

When lying flat, blood can pool in the blood vessels of your head and jaw. This increased pressure will push against the sensitive nerve in your infected tooth causing severe throbbing.

By raising your head, you will reduce the throbbing pressure internally so you can have a good nights sleep before your appointment.

5. How Can You Gently Floss Around the Painful Area?

Sometimes toothache can be caused by a sharp piece of food such as popcorn or tough meat fiber getting stuck between your teeth.

How Should You Floss Gently?

Gently thread a clean piece of waxed dental floss between your painful tooth and the surrounding teeth. Be careful not to push the debris further into your gums.

Never use pointed objects. Never use wooden toothpicks, pins, needles or anything sharp to fish out the trapped food. This will cause damage to the sensitive gums and break the enamel. It will also introduce new dangerous bacteria.

Should You Rinse with Warm Salt Water After Flossing?

After flossing, rinse your mouth with warm salt water to remove any debris.

6. How Can You Use Clove Oil to Soothe a Toothache?

Clove oil contains Eugenol which is a natural substance well known in clinical dentistry for it’s strong anesthetic and antibacterial properties.

How Should You Mix Clove Oil?

Mix 2 drops of pure clove oil with ½ tsp of safe oil such as olive or coconut oil. Pure essential oils can cause burns to your bare mouth.

Using a clean cotton swab, dip into the mixture and gently dab onto the painful tooth and surrounding gums.

How Often Should You Use Clove Oil?

Only use clove oil occasionally. No more than 2-3 times a day. Using too much can cause irritation to your sensitive mouth and cause stomach issues if swallowed in large amounts.

7. How Can You Rinse with Diluted Hydrogen Peroxide?

Hydrogen peroxide can help kill the harmful anaerobic bacteria in your mouth. It will also help remove surface biofilm and soothe inflamed or bleeding gums.

How Should You Mix Hydrogen Peroxide?

Mix equal parts of standard 3% hydrogen peroxide and fresh water. Never use industrial strength hydrogen peroxide.

How Should You Swish and Spill the Mixture?

Swish the mixture around your mouth for 30 seconds and then spit out. Rinse your mouth thoroughly with clean water.

Why Should You Never Swallow Hydrogen Peroxide?

Swallowing hydrogen peroxide can cause stomach pain and nausea. Don’t use this on young children who cannot spit.

8. Which Foods and Drinks Should You Avoid with a Toothache?

When you have a toothache, your dental pulp or broken enamel will be very sensitive.

Why Should You Avoid Extreme Temperatures?

Avoid drinking ice water, hot soups, coffee or frozen desserts. This will cause sharp electric pain in your damaged nerves.

Why Should You Avoid Sugary and Acidic Foods?

Avoid drinking fruit juice, fizzy drinks, citrus fruits or eating sweets. The sugars will feed the bacteria in your mouth causing them to release acidic substances which will irritate your exposed dentin.

Which Soft Foods Should You Eat?

Eat soft foods which are easy to chew such as plain yogurt, warm porridge, smooth soups and mashed vegetables. Always chew on the other side of your mouth.

9. When Should You Seek Urgent Care for a Toothache?

Whilst home remedies can help you feel more comfortable, they cannot treat a bacterial infection in your teeth. Delaying seeking professional dental care can cause serious medical issues.

What Does Swelling Mean?

If you notice swelling in your cheeks, jaw, lower neck or around your eye this means the infection is spreading rapidly and needs urgent care.

What Does a High Temperature Mean?

If you have a high temperature along with severe tooth pain, this means your immune system is fighting a severe infection.

What Should You Do if You Have Difficulty Breathing or Swallowing?

If you are having difficulty breathing or swallowing due to swelling in the base of your mouth or neck, this can cause a life threatening situation. Go straight to A&E.

What Does Bad Smelling Discharge Mean?

If you suddenly have a bad smelling discharge in your mouth this means you have a burst abscess. You will still need to seek urgent care to drain the infection.

10. What Are the Top Tips to Help Soothe Your Toothache?

• Take OTC anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen, following the safe instructions.

• Apply a cold compress wrapped in a towel to the outside of your cheek for 15 minutes.

• Rinse with warm salt water 3-4 times a day to help remove any debris and soothe your gums.

• Raise your head with extra pillows whilst resting to help reduce the throbbing pressure from the liquid.

• Gently floss between your teeth to help remove any trapped food. Don’t use any pointed metal or wooden objects.

• Dab the painful tooth with a cotton swab dipped in diluted clove oil to help numb the sharp pain.

• Avoid hot, cold, sweet or acidic foods. Only eat soft foods and chew on the other side of your mouth.

• Call a licensed dentist to book in for a full examination.

11. What Are the Frequently Asked Questions About Toothache?

11.1 Can a Severe Toothache Go Away?

A toothache caused by an infection, pulpitis or crack won’t go away. Although the nerve pain may stop if the nerve has died completely, the infection will still be active in your jawbone. The infection will continue to spread until a dentist has cleaned, drained and sealed the tooth.

11.2 Should You Take Any Leftover Antibiotics?

No! You should never take any antibiotics unless they’ve been specifically prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider. Taking the wrong antibiotics or incorrect dosage will not clear your abscess and will contribute to antibiotic resistance globally. A dentist needs to examine your tooth to determine if antibiotics are needed.

11.3 Why Does Your Toothache Get Worse at Night?

Toothache often gets worse at night due to laying flat increasing the blood pressure in your head and jaw. This will put pressure on your sensitive nerves. There are no distractions at night meaning you’ll be much more aware of any pain in your body. Your saliva levels will also decrease meaning the bacteria in your mouth will produce acids.

11.4 What Will the Dentist Do to Fix Your Toothache?

The dentist will take digital x-rays and check the vitality of your tooth to find out exactly what is causing your pain. Permanent solutions may include filling the tooth, root canal, draining an abscess or extracting the tooth.

Whilst home remedies can help you feel more comfortable whilst waiting to see a dentist, they cannot replace the professional care. By taking safe painkillers, applying cold compresses, rinsing with warm salt water and raising your head, you’ll feel more comfortable. If you’re experiencing severe tooth pain, swelling or a temperature, call an emergency dentist to get a definite diagnosis, stop the infection and look after your long term health.