Even if someone keeps up with a healthy oral hygiene routine, they can face an unexpected toothache with no known cause. This pain often makes people wonder, “Can a toothache kill you?” While toothache cannot really kill you, an untreated infection that causes pain can itself be fatal. If the pain is severe enough, it can qualify as a dental emergency. So it’s crucial to see an emergency dentist for emergency toothache relief or to stop gum pain. After all, severe spontaneous pain can make it hard for you to remain focused and relaxed throughout the day.
Though the term “emergency” sounds scary, there’s a wide variety of tooth and gum pain relief methods that range from pain medication for tooth pain to home remedies for gum swelling. Regardless of what causes tooth pain, it’s crucial to act fast when you experience emergency tooth pain instead of hoping the pain will relieve on its own. Don’t wait for a toothache to go away on its own. Acting quickly and getting in touch with an emergency dentist is a way to get quick relief from gum pain.
Before jumping straight into effective remedies for pain relief during a dental emergency, let’s take a look at toothache symptoms.
Toothache Symptoms
Toothache, gum, and jaw pain are common complaints. Your tooth may hurt when you drink water, or tooth pain becomes worse at night. The reason may be pressure or too hot or cold stimuli. The pain may persist for longer than 15 seconds. It may radiate to the cheek, ear, or jaw. Other symptoms include:
- Pain while chewing
- Hot or cold sensitivity
- Bleeding gums
- Swelling around a tooth or swelling of the jaw
- Injury or trauma around the area
These symptoms may sometimes be associated with tooth fracture, dental decay, or periodontal disease. Swollen gums that look red or purple can likely be because of gum disease. Suppose you’re experiencing severe gum pain and a change in your gums’ color. In that case, you need to visit our Periodontist to treat gum infection on time.
If you have a toothache or gum pain, chances are it’s making you wonder how to sleep with tooth pain. While you may not be able to completely eliminate gum pain, there are some effective home remedies to treat boiling gum and throbbing pain.
Salt and Hot Water
For toothache relief, a warm salt water rinse is an effective mouthwash for tooth pain and a first-line treatment. Does heat and saltwater help a toothache? Yes! Saltwater is a natural disinfectant, and it can help loosen food debris that may be stuck in between your teeth. Heat also helps relieve tooth pain because it increases the blood flow to the area, reducing any buildup in the tissues.
Gargling with warm salt water to treat a toothache can also help reduce inflammation and heal any oral wounds. To use this method, mix ½ teaspoon of salt into a warm water glass and use it as a mouthwash.
Cold Compress
Is heat or ice better for a toothache? Yes, to relieve pain from a toothache, try a hot or cold compress to the side of your face. Start with an ice compress to help a toothache. It might help reduce swelling and ease inflammation. Bundle some crushed ice into a washcloth to use as a cold compress. Keep the cold cloth on your face for 15 minutes and repeat this periodically as needed.
After completing the cold pack therapy, you can apply heat therapy. Take a heat pack, such as a warm, moist heating pad, and apply for 10 minutes periodically. Heat also helps to reduce tooth pain caused by a toothache. You can try a warm compress to ease tooth abscess. However, use a hot or cold compress for toothache one at a time.
Alcohol
If the toothache is unbearable and you wish to numb the pain, drinking the pain away can be a good idea!
So, does alcohol numb tooth pain? Yes, whiskey, liquor, and vodka can help relieve tooth pain by killing the germs and numbing the area near the tooth. All you need to do is soak a cotton ball in alcohol and apply it to the affected area to relieve pain. You can also gargle alcohol or use it as a vodka mouthwash.
You should consider using whiskey for toothache and liquor as remedy only in severe pain to ease it. There’s no evidence showing that whiskey or vodka can clear infections.
Is vanilla extract good for a toothache?
Yes, as an alternate, you can use vanilla extract for toothaches. It contains alcohol, which can help to numb the pain. Vanilla extract has antioxidant properties, which makes it an effective healer. To use vanilla extract for curing tooth pain, soak a cotton ball in a small amount of vanilla extract. Apply it directly to the affected area a few times per day.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a natural antiseptic and has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps disinfect areas of the mouth. Being acidic in nature, apple cider vinegar relief tooth pain by killing bacteria that lead to toothaches. Soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and press gently over the tooth that causes pain.
You can use apple cider vinegar for tooth abscesses and tooth infections because of its antiseptic properties. However, research shows that tooth enamel can be eroded by the acetic acid
present in vinegar. So is apple cider vinegar good for a toothache? Yes, but not good for your teeth’ health if used often.
Therefore, make sure not to make a habit of using vinegar for toothache. Use this home remedy only to relieve severe tooth pain and seek dental check-ups regularly.
Peppermint Leaves or Tea
Imagine sipping tea and one of the best pain medications for toothache at the same time. Peppermint tea is not only good for digestive health, but this tea is also used for pain relief. Moreover, it is capable of reducing swelling and a sense of soreness. In other words, the peppermint leaves or tea bags can soothe gum sensitivity and numb pain in the mouth.
So how to use peppermint oil or tea for a toothache? To try this home remedy, soak a peppermint tea bag in hot water for a minute. Let the leaves or the tea bag rest until it is slightly warm. Then, apply it to the affected area for immediate pain relief. You can also use tea tree oil for tooth abscesses and infections.
Oils
There are many oils for tooth pain relief, such as sunflower oil, sesame oil, tea tree oil, nutmeg oil, oregano oil, and clove oil. These oils have anti-inflammatory properties that can relieve tooth pain. Take the example of clove oil, which is a natural anesthetic. It helps numb and reduce pain to ease a toothache. Coconut oil can also be used for teeth pain. Eugenol also has natural anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce swelling and irritation in the affected tooth. Dry Socket Paste, an over-the-counter pain-relieving medicine for tooth pain that dentists recommend for teeth extraction pain, has eugenol.
Oregano oil is also used to cure toothache and tooth infection. You can easily find it in a health food store or drugstore. Oregano oil is an antioxidant and antibacterial, which reduces tooth infection and pain.
Make sure to dilute any essential oil with a carrier oil to prevent further irritation. Combine a small amount of essential oil with carrier oil or water. Rinse your mouth or soak oil on a cotton ball and apply it gently over the tooth.
Avoid giving undiluted essential oil, like clove oil, to children. They may swallow the oil by mistake, which could affect their health negatively. Your child may experience baby teeth pain. Make sure to see the Pediatric dentist, as our kid-friendly dentists are specialists in treating children.
Turmeric
In addition to cooking, turmeric can be used to relieve tooth pain. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric is widely used to enhance wound healing. For oral health and to alleviate toothache, turmeric can be applied to the teeth. You can massage ground turmeric on the teeth.
You can also make a topical paste of turmeric for tooth infection and abscess. Add 1 teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon mustard oil. Apply this paste to your gums and teeth twice a day for pain relief.
How to get rid of a toothache at night?
Treating a toothache at home usually involves pain management. We’ve listed down a few ways to relieve tooth or gum pain, so you don’t have to force yourself to sleep with tooth pain.
Use over-the-counter pain medication
Medications such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin are generally considered one of the best painkillers for minor toothache. Using numbing mouthwash or toothpaste for toothache can also help relieve pain long enough for you to fall asleep. Don’t use any products with benzocaine to treat children under age 2.
Keep your head elevated
Toothache is worse at night often because of increased blood pressure in your head. Keeping your head higher than your body can prevent this. When blood pools in your head, you might feel severe toothache pain and possibly stay awake.
Avoid eating cold, acidic, or hard foods right before bed
People often ask, “What to eat with a toothache?” You need to avoid eating acidic, cold, and hard foods as these foods can aggravate your teeth and cavities that may have formed. Try eating soft foods and follow your dentist’s instructions.
Perform good oral hygiene routine
Use a numbing mouthwash for pain relief and brush your teeth twice a day. Make sure you’re following good oral hygiene practices to avoid a dental emergency. Regardless of your oral health condition, you can still visit us for dental cleaning and examination. Teeth cleaning can significantly reduce the chance of building up of infections in your mouth. We will examine your oral condition and help you set off to the road of good oral health in no time.
Your Emergency Dentist
We understand that a dental emergency can strike at any time. Dr. Charolia and our staff at Pearl Shine Dental will try to accommodate any last-minute appointment requests so that you don’t have to live with oral pain. If you have a toothache, gum pain, or a major dental emergency, call 281-477-7200 right away. We offer extended hours as needed and will do our best to get you treated immediately.