How to stop a tooth from hurting at home
Home measures can ease tooth pain temporarily, but decay, cracks, pulp inflammation, or infection need dental treatment.
The short answer
At home, protect a painful tooth from heat, cold, sweets, and chewing pressure, keep it clean, and use an appropriate over-the-counter pain medicine according to its label and your medical advice. These steps can reduce symptoms but do not repair decay, a crack, or an infected pulp.
What is the direct answer?
What does this question mean?
Tooth pain can come from exposed dentin, decay, a cracked tooth, inflamed pulp, an abscess, or gum inflammation. The treatment depends on whether the problem is in the enamel, dentin, pulp, root, gum, or jaw joint.
What can you do next?
Rinse gently, floss carefully to remove trapped food, and use a cold compress on the outside of the cheek if swelling is present. Do not put aspirin, alcohol, essential oils, or heat directly on the tooth or gum.
When should you seek dental care?
Seek urgent dental care for swelling, fever, pus, severe or persistent pain, a broken tooth, or pain that wakes you. Trouble breathing or swallowing is an emergency.
What should you ask the dentist?
Ask what structure is causing the pain, whether an X-ray or pulp test is needed, and whether the tooth needs a filling, crown, root canal treatment, extraction, or gum care.