How to Treat a Toothache

Toothaches can be extremely painful and distracting. But while the pain might be so bad you think nothing but a tooth extraction can fix it, there are a few different remedies you can try at home before heading to the dentist.

We’ll review a few ways you can treat a toothache at home, along with when it might be time to head to the dentist for a professional opinion.

Toothache Symptoms

A toothache is when you experience sharp or dull pain around a particular tooth. Sometimes toothaches are consistent, while others are only apparent when you bite down.

Typical toothache symptoms include:

Swollen gums around the affected tooth
Headaches
Fever
Bad taste in mouth

Toothaches are usually caused by cavities or decay, injury and trauma, grinding teeth, faulty dental devices, or gum disease. Because toothaches have a variety of potential causes, it’s important to consider visiting your dentist if your toothache persists despite doing at-home remedies for a couple of days.

Toothache treatment options

There are a few ways to find relief from a toothache at home, including:

Salt Water Rinse
Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water a few times a day can help curb any bacteria overgrowth and relieve pressure from swollen gums.
Cold Compress
Icing your cheeks for ten minutes at a time can help dull the pain and swelling.
Clove Oil
If you can stand the taste of clove oil, you might find temporary relief by dabbing some oil around the affected tooth to numb the pain.
Over-the-Counter Painkillers
You can take an over-the-counter pain medication to help find temporary relief.

Although these treatment options will help you find temporary relief, it is very important to see your dentist if your toothache continues after a few days or seems to get worse. Only your dentist can determine the true cause of your toothache and recommend a custom solution for you.

Restorative Dental Treatment in Chesterfield, MO

Chesterfield Dentistry is committed to helping all of our patients enjoy healthy, pain-free smiles. If you are suffering from a toothache, please contact us to schedule an appointment. We’d love to help! We offer emergency dental services along with comprehensive preventative and restorative treatments to get your smile back on track, and flexible financing so you don’t have to choose between your health and your budget.