What can I take for my toothache?

If you have a toothache, you’re probably having trouble sleeping. Even if you can’t get rid of the pain completely, you can try some home remedies.

So what are the causes of toothaches?

You can get toothaches if your teeth or gums get infected. They can also be caused by pain in other parts of your body. The following are common causes of toothaches:

• Losing a filling: The nerve inside your tooth may become exposed when you lose a filling.
• Abscessed or infected tooth: This condition is characterized by a pocket of pus inside the tooth.
• Food or other debris wedged between your teeth: Food or other particles wedged in your teeth can cause pressure between them.
• Teething or wisdom teeth crowning: Wisdom teeth may push against other teeth when coming in and breaking through the gums.
• Mouth or jaw injury: These injuries can be caused by blunt force trauma to the face.
• Sinus infection: Infections of the sinuses can cause pain in the teeth.
• Tooth decay: When tooth decay occurs, the nerves in your teeth may become exposed, resulting in pain.
• Temporomandibular joint disorders: These disorders cause pain in your jaw joint and can also affect your teeth.
• Gum disease: Conditions such as gingivitis and periodontitis can lead to toothache or pain.
• Grinding: Clenching and grinding your teeth may cause you additional pain at night.

Getting rid of a toothache at night

Home remedies for toothaches usually involve pain management. Here are some ways to dull your pain so you can sleep :

• Use over-the-counter pain medication:  You can relieve the pain from a toothache by taking medications like ibuprofen (Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and aspirin. A numbing paste or gel – usually containing benzocaine – can dull the pain long enough to allow you to fall asleep. Infants and children under age two should not be treated with products containing benzocaine.
• Keep your head elevated: It is possible to prevent blood from rushing to your head by raising your head higher than your body. Blood pooling in the head might intensify your toothache pain and possibly keep you awake.
• Avoid eating acidic, cold, or hard foods right before bed:     Foods like these can aggravate a cavity already present on your teeth. Likewise, foods that cause pain should be avoided.
• Rinse your teeth with mouthwash: Use a mouthwash containing alcohol to disinfect and numb your teeth.
• Ice packs can be used before going to bed bed: Wrap it in a cloth and place it on the painful face side. You can use this to dull the pain and rest.

Natural remedies for toothaches

Natural healers have used therapeutic methods to treat oral diseases, including toothaches at night. According to a 2015 study, Trusted Source, some natural remedies that have been used include:

• clove
• guava leaves
• mango bark
• pear seed and bark
• sweet potato leaves
• sunflower leaves
• tobacco leaves
• garlic

Book an Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.