6 Simple Home Treatments to Help You Cope With Tooth Pain at Night

Dental emergencies can creep up on you and occur at the least expected time. For instance, you can, unfortunately, experience a dental emergency late in the night and may need to wait until morning to get to our nearest dental clinic to have the issue treated.

One of the most common dental emergency issues that may arise at night is your good old fashioned emergency dental aches. Anyone who has ever experienced toothaches at night will tell you how almost impossible it is to catch any sleep whatsoever.

A persistent night toothache will cost you some much-needed sleep and even interfere with your productivity the next day. This is why it is prudent to know some home remedies and treatments that you can employ to relieve a toothache, get some rest and come to our dental clinic the next day for some urgent dental care.

Let’s take a detailed look at some of these home treatments:

• Applying a Cold Compress

Applying a cold compress can help alleviate toothache at night. It does not have to be anything complicated; you can simply wrap up some ice in a towel and place it on your face or jaw on the affected side of your face.

The cold compress acts by constricting the blood vessels, disrupting the flow of blood within the affected area, thus reducing the intensity of the pain. You should use the cold compress in intervals of between 15- 20 minutes to avoid causing nerve damage.

• A Saltwater Rinse

A saltwater rinse can also be used to alleviate a toothache. Salt has antibacterial properties and can be efficient in reducing inflammation and preventing the onset of an infection. Also, the warm salt water rinse can draw up the pus from an abscessed tooth and numb the persistent toothache accompanying this dental issue.

• Cloves

Cloves contain Eugenol, a compound that has analgesic and antiseptic properties. This means that cloves can be used to reduce inflammation effectively and to numb the pain.

You can opt to grind the cloves into a fine powder and mixing it with some water to form a paste that you can apply around the affected tooth or gently suck or chew on a clove to release the Eugenol.

• Peppermint

Peppermint has menthol, which has a cooling and numbing effect that can help reduce pain and inflammation. You can opt to place a warm and wet peppermint tea bag on the affected tooth and hold it in place till the toothache subsides. You can also opt to use peppermint oil instead if you have some handy with you in the house.

• Garlic

Garlic contains an antibacterial substance known as allicin, which is released when it is crushed. This means that it can numb the pain, reduce inflammation and even disinfect the affected area. You can choose to gently chew on a piece of garlic or apply some freshly crushed garlic to the affected region.

• Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is very effective in remedying toothaches that are linked to infections. A hydrogen peroxide rinse can help kill any bacteria at the site of infection and reduce pain and inflammation. Mix the hydrogen peroxide solution with an equal part of water and rinse out your mouth for 30 seconds with the solution before spitting it out.

What Are Some Underlying Causes of Toothaches?

Here are some of the leading causes of emergency dental aches:

• A dental abscess
• Periodontal disease
• Food particles lodged in-between teeth or on the gums
• Worn out teeth due to bruxism
• Cavities
• Dental trauma
• A loose or cracked filling or dental crown
• A broken, fractured or cracked tooth that exposes your nerves
• An emerging wisdom tooth

A toothache can feel almost unbearable at night because lying down increases blood supply to the head region, intensifying the pain.

When Should You See Our Dentist Concerning a Toothache?

Whatever the cause of your night toothache may be, it is important to seek dental care and treatment at our dental clinic near you. A toothache signifies an underlying dental issue, and if left unchecked, this issue could give way to more severe complications.

You should visit our dentist for treatment if your toothache:

• Persists for more than 24 hours
• Any facial inflammation accompanies it
• It is accompanied by a fever, foul breath, swollen gums or a discharge

Contact us today at Laurelhurst Dentistry for emergency dental care.