When you have a sudden toothache come on, the first thing we recommend you do is call us to make an appointment. Unfortunately, toothaches don’t always hit during the day.
Sometimes, you wake up at two in the morning with horrible tooth pain or start to feel an ache come on Sunday morning. Whenever that happens, you want relief as soon as possible. Here are three different ways you can manage the pain until you can get in to see us.
Try a Cold Compress
You can try to ice out the pain with a cold compress. Some people find relief by holding an ice pack wrapped in a towel up to the outside of their face by the painful area. Other people actually find that holding an ice cube inside their mouth by the tooth helps.
This can make the pain worse if you’re sensitive to cold foods and drinks, though, so you may want to try a sip of cold water first to see if it makes things worse.
Heat Can Also Help
On the other hand, you may find some relief with a bit of hot water and standard table salt. Add some salt to hot water (not too hot—you don’t want to burn yourself!) and hold it in your mouth around the painful area. The warm salt water will help pull fluid out from your gums, reducing the pain.
Use Apple Cider Vinegar
Do you have any apple cider vinegar handy? It may not be the most pleasant taste for some people, but it can definitely help with tooth pain. In fact, it has both antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.
It’s also acidic, which means it can actually kill the bacteria that are causing you pain. Soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and press it against the tooth that hurts.
Of course, these are all temporary pain relief techniques. To truly get rid of the pain, you’ll need to call and book an appointment.