Toothache remedy at night
A toothache at night can be eased temporarily by keeping the head raised, gently cleaning around the tooth, and using an appropriate over-the-counter
The short answer
A toothache at night can be eased temporarily by keeping the head raised, gently cleaning around the tooth, and using an appropriate over-the-counter pain reliever as directed, but the cause still needs dental treatment.
What is the direct answer?
What does this question mean?
Tooth pain comes from irritated pulp, the ligament around a tooth, exposed dentin, or inflamed gum tissue. Decay, a cracked tooth, a loose restoration, food trapped between teeth, and an erupting wisdom tooth can all produce different pain patterns.
What can you do next?
Rinse gently with warm water, remove trapped food with floss, and use a cold compress on the cheek for short periods. Do not place aspirin, alcohol, essential oils, or heat directly on the gum, and do not exceed the label dose of any analgesic.
When should you seek dental care?
Seek urgent care for facial swelling, fever, difficulty swallowing or breathing, pus, a knocked-out tooth, or pain that is severe, spontaneous, or persistent. A dentist may test cold response, percussion, bite, gums, and take an X-ray to identify the source.
What should you ask the dentist?
Ask whether the pain comes from decay, pulp inflammation, a crack, gum disease, or an erupting tooth; whether a filling, root-canal treatment, extraction, or gum treatment is indicated; and what warning signs require same-day care.
Frequently asked questions
Can this problem have more than one cause?
Tooth pain comes from irritated pulp, the ligament around a tooth, exposed dentin, or inflamed gum tissue.
What happens at an examination?
A dentist may test cold response, percussion, bite, gums, and take an X-ray to identify the source