toothache solutions you can find at home!Toothaches always have a way of striking at the most inopportune times: on the weekend, before vacation, during a stressful time at work, or even in the middle of the night. Toothaches are usually, but not always, caused by tooth decay or cavities, which means that restorative dental treatment is needed to eliminate the source of the pain. Scheduling an appointment at our Denver practice is the first step you should take to deal with a toothache. However, toothache pain could persist, or come and go, until you can get in to see one of our doctors. So what can you do to relieve an aching, painful tooth at home? We’re sharing five remedies to help ease discomfort before toothache treatment.

Metro Dental Care in downtown Denver, CO, is a team of five doctors whose combined skill and experience make us one of the top dental providers in the area. Our comprehensive range of preventive, restorative, cosmetic, and periodontal dental services means that you can receive the treatment you need from familiar faces within our practice. To learn more about Metro Dental Care, or to discover our next opening for a consultation, call us at 303.534.2626.

How do I know I have a toothache?

There’s not a definitive answer on what a toothache feels like. For some people, it comes on quickly, with sharp stabs of pain or increased sensitivity. For others, it’s a long, slow build-up of continuous, dull pain. Still, for others, it’s a throbbing pain that radiates outward to the jaw. Simply put, if a single tooth is causing you discomfort, you’re likely experiencing a toothache.

How do I ease the pain?

Once you get to your appointment at Metro Dental Care, our team can provide anesthetics that will numb the feelings of pain in the mouth until the source of the pain can be eliminated. Until you arrive, however, there are quick, simple remedies you can try at home.

Ice Packs

Inflammation and toothaches go hand in hand. Inflammation of the blood vessels or other soft tissues in the center of the tooth can put pressure on delicate nerve endings and heighten pain receptors. Ice and cold temperatures is a natural treatment for inflammation as cold temperatures cause things to restrict and lessen in size. Apply a frozen bag of peas, or homemade ice pack, to the area of your cheek that’s right by the affected tooth. Keep the cold pack on for 20 minutes at a time and use as needed until pain decreases or you make it to your appointment with us.

Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen is a pain relief medication that works by reducing inflammation. Just like the ice packs, ibuprofen can reduce the inflammation that may be pushing on delicate nerve endings in and around the tooth. Take as needed to help diminish painful symptoms, and always follow dosage instructions printed on the label.

A Quick Rinse

A warm salt water rinse can not only reduce pain, but can reduce harmful oral bacteria growth. Try mixing one to two teaspoons of salt into a mug of warm water and carefully swish the solution in your mouth for one minute before spitting out.

Tea Time

Believe it or not, peppermint has been shown to help numb pain in patients experiencing toothache symptoms. If you have peppermint oil on hand, apply a few drops to a cotton ball before applying it with pressure to the affected tooth. Or, if you happen to have a peppermint tea, the same solution can be achieved by wetting and biting down on a peppermint tea bag. We recommend holding the tea bag onto the affected tooth for a few minutes to improve its pain-numbing power.

Contact Metro Dental Care

Are you experiencing toothache symptoms? Don’t put off treatment; call our practice now so we can make sure to see you at our next available appointment time.