How to make a infected tooth stop hurting
Pain from an infected tooth may ease temporarily with pain relief, but dental treatment is needed to remove the source.
How can I stop pain from an infected tooth?
Pain from an infected tooth may ease temporarily with pain relief, but dental treatment is needed to remove the source.
How can decay or a crack allow infection into a tooth?
Bacteria can enter through decay, a crack, or a defective restoration and inflame or infect the dental pulp and tissues around the root. Pain relief does not remove infected tissue, and antibiotics alone may not eliminate the source when drainage or definitive treatment is needed.
What can I do while waiting for treatment of an infected tooth?
Keep the mouth clean, avoid chewing on that side, and use only pain medicine that is suitable for you and labelled for use. Do not place tablets on the gum or try to drain the swelling yourself.
When does an infected tooth need urgent dental care?
Get urgent dental care for facial swelling, fever, pus, worsening pain, or difficulty opening the mouth. Go to emergency services for trouble breathing or swallowing or swelling spreading toward the eye or neck.
Which treatment will remove the source of my tooth infection?
Ask whether the pulp is alive, whether the infection has spread, and whether root canal treatment, drainage, or extraction is the appropriate source-control treatment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main thing to remember?
Pain from an infected tooth may settle temporarily with pain relief, but the infection requires dental treatment such as drainage, root canal treatment, or extraction.
When should I arrange an appointment?
Get urgent dental care for facial swelling, fever, pus, worsening pain, or difficulty opening the mouth. Go to emergency services for trouble breathing or swallowing or swelling spreading toward the eye or neck.
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Who wrote this page
This library is published by Dental Nation, a licensed dental group practising in the United Arab Emirates. Pages are written and overseen by the same clinical team that treats patients in our clinics, and are held to a fixed editorial standard for safety and accuracy.
This page is patient education, not medical advice, and cannot replace an examination. Anything urgent — facial swelling, trauma, uncontrolled bleeding or severe pain — needs a dentist or emergency care now.