The first thing you should do for a toothache is schedule an appointment with your dentist. But toothaches don’t always schedule themselves according to your dentist’s office hours. You may find yourself waiting until the next day, or even waiting through a long holiday weekend. In the meantime, there are ways to relieve the pain.
Your local drugstore, many of which are open 24-hours a day, will have over-the-counter products. One of the most popular ones, Orajel, is effective and easy to use. Its primary ingredient is benzocaine, which does the job well but isn’t intended to be used long-term. It’s a good product to have in your medicine cabinet.
Icing Helps Tooth Pain
Apply cold to the area by pressing a chilled item against the outside of your jaw where the aching tooth is. You can use a cold pack, a bag of frozen peas or a cold soda. This will soothe and numb the area. A similar technique is sucking on ice pops to cool the mouth and especially the area that is in pain. Milkshakes or ice cream has a similar effect.
Taking a general pain reliever, like aspirin or ibuprofen, may bring down your pain level. Follow the instructions on the label and make sure they don’t interfere with any other medications you are taking.
Eat foods that are easy to chew and that don’t aggravate your painful tooth. Pudding, applesauce and soup are good choices.
According to naturalnews.com, home remedies are safe and effective. They suggest taking a piece of fresh ginger, removing the peel and biting down on it. This is said to relieve pain. Also, ingredients in clove oil kill bacteria and relieve pain. Apply it with a cotton swab or cotton ball. Ginger can be found in the produce department of your grocery store. Clove oil is sold in health food stores and may also be found at your grocery store.
These things will help you manage your pain until you are able to see a dentist. They are not intended to replace dental care. Continue your regular regimen of brushing and flossing, working around the sore tooth so you don’t cause yourself more pain than necessary.