How to make my tooth stop aching
To calm an aching tooth, use an appropriate over-the-counter pain reliever as directed, keep the area clean, and arrange prompt dental treatment.
The short answer
To calm an aching tooth, use an appropriate over-the-counter pain reliever as directed, keep the area clean, and arrange prompt dental treatment because pain relief does not remove the cause.
What problems can cause an aching tooth?
Toothache can arise from inflamed pulp, decay, a cracked tooth, a loose filling, gum infection, or pressure around an erupting tooth. The pain may be brief with cold or constant and throbbing when the pulp or tissues around the root are inflamed.
What can you do now to ease an aching tooth?
Rinse gently with lukewarm water, remove trapped food with floss, and use a cold pack outside the cheek if swelling is present. A dentist may examine the tooth, test its response, take an X-ray, and repair it, perform root canal treatment, drain infection, or remove it when necessary.
Which signs of toothache require urgent care?
Get urgent care for facial swelling, fever, pus, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or trouble opening the mouth. Do not place aspirin or undiluted chemicals on the gum.
Can an aching tooth disappear without dental treatment?
Can a toothache disappear on its own? Pain can temporarily fade while disease remains, so a disappearing ache does not prove the tooth has healed.
Frequently asked questions
Can a toothache disappear on its own?
Pain can temporarily fade while disease remains, so a disappearing ache does not prove the tooth has healed.
What if symptoms continue?
Get urgent care for facial swelling, fever, pus, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or trouble opening the mouth. Do not place aspirin or undiluted chemicals on the gum.
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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.