Easing Your Painful Toothache In Canterbury

A toothache is a sign that something is wrong and needs the attention of your dentist.

If you have a toothache, whether it is one that has been building slowly or one that has woken you in the night in severe pain, it is quite clear that something is very wrong and that you need to contact your dentist as soon as you can. We will discuss this a little later, but first we would like to address some of the things that you can do to help when you are waiting for your appointment. As anyone who has had a really bad toothache will know, every minute feels like an hour when you are suffering.

What then are some useful tips for managing the pain until you can receive appropriate treatment?

Make your appointment

If the Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic is open when you notice a toothache, please contact us right away. The sooner you call, the sooner you are likely to be seen. If the toothache is severe and we are closed, call us anyway as there will be an emergency number to contact on the answering machine. Even knowing that you have done this can help as you know that relief is coming.

Painkillers

One of the quickest things you can do to ease your toothache is to take a painkiller. Ibuprofen or paracetamol are two of the most commonly used and can help to ease the pain a little. Ibuprofen also contains anti-inflammatory ingredients which can help to relieve it further. If you manage to contact your dentist, they will also offer advice on the best pain medication to use. Please also be sure to only use medications that you know are suitable for you.

Warm salt water

Try to get the water to a similar temperature to that of your body. This will minimise any ‘shock’ against the inflamed skin. Add around half a teaspoon of salt into this and dissolve it, then use it to rinse the area of the pain gently. This helps to relieve inflammation and you can do this as often as you feel necessary.

Cold compress

This is especially useful if there is swelling in the area. A pack of frozen peas or similar can be used for this purpose. Don’t apply these directly to the skin though but place in a clean tea towel and apply gently to the area. This may help to reduce some of the swelling and make things more comfortable for you.

Lukewarm is your friend

If you need to eat or drink anything, try to make sure that it is lukewarm. Cold or hot food or drinks are likely to make the pain much worse. Eat softer foods too as hard food could ‘catch’ the area and cause additional pain. If possible, it is best to avoid eating if your appointment is not far away. If you do eat, use the other side of your mouth to chew.

Elevation

Especially if you are lying down when you have toothache, try to raise the head a little as this can sometimes help to reduce pain levels. It can also help to reduce any throbbing sensations that you might be having.

How we can help

When you call us for an emergency dentist appointment at our Canterbury practice, we will assess the urgency of your problem. Those in severe pain are likely to be given priority over someone who has less pain for example. Anyone with a toothache though will be seen as soon as we possibly can. It is fine for you to take appropriate pain relief before you come but please let us know when you arrive.

The dentist will assess the problem by examining the tooth and perhaps taking x-rays and scans where needed. There are then a number of options available.

In some cases, all that will be required is a filling. For this, a local anaesthetic will be given to numb the area, the decayed material will be removed and replaced with a filling. White coloured fillings are now available to not only restore the tooth but to make it look as natural as possible. Larger areas of decay may require a crown to provide the tooth with a suitable level of strength as well as restoring aesthetics.

If a root canal procedure is needed, this may require a top section of the tooth to be removed before the canals are emptied of the infected soft pulp within them and then cleaned. These will then be filled by a special material used for this purpose called gutta percha and a crown usually attached to strengthen and protect the tooth. Unfortunately, and especially if the pain is severe, it may well be that the tooth can not be saved. In this case, it will need to be extracted. We will also discuss your replacement options such as dentures or dental implants.

One thing that you should not do with a toothache is ignore it. Any discomfort of a tooth signals that a problem is present and one that will almost certainly become worse. Mild toothaches can often be rectified using a filling. However, if you ignore this and think it is manageable, you may well end up in considerable pain and a tooth which can no longer be saved. So please act fast and contact our local Canterbury dentist for an emergency appointment – you can do this by calling Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic on 01227 463529.