Toothaches are common. Yet, most people choose to suffer in silence and hope shop-bought topical products alleviate the discomfort, rather than getting the treatment they need. Without emergency toothache relief, even the most basic daily behaviours, from drinking and eating to your oral hygiene regimen, can make your mouth tender and irritated, with the discomfort often becoming unbearable.
Toothaches might be a symptom of something far more serious. Even if it’s late at night and you can’t get to one of our 15 No Gaps Dental locations until the next business day, there are steps you can take to minimise the discomfort until one of our dentists can give you a proper toothache remedy.
What Is a Dental Emergency?
There may be some obvious causes for a toothache. Did you recently experience some trauma to your mouth? For example, did you accidentally knock out a tooth or participate in an activity that may have fractured a tooth?
Should your toothache be the result of something more serious, a deeper emergency toothache relief plan will likely be needed to rectify the situation. Some examples of these situations include:
- Uncontrollable bleeding
- Ongoing jaw aches or tenderness
- Noticeable swelling that does not subside with an ice pack
- Excessive tooth sensitivity
- Visible infection or abscess on the gumline
- A tooth that has been knocked out
If your jaw has been seriously injured by an impact, visit the A&E immediately, as there could be a fracture.
What Is (Usually) NOT a Dental Emergency?
If you’ve chipped a tooth, it’s not usually considered a dental emergency, but we still recommend coming to see a dentist if you’re experiencing any discomfort or to have your tooth cosmetically bonded.
Keep in mind, persistent toothache discomfort, even if it’s tolerable, can be a sign of more serious conditions. These can include bruxism (grinding of the teeth), Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction, or an advanced tooth infection, which can potentially lead to problems throughout the body or tooth loss.
Simple Home Emergency Toothache Relief
- Mild Toothache
A mild toothache might not seem like an emergency, but without a proper toothache remedy, it can quickly manifest into something even more uncomfortable.
Before you come to one of our practices, it’s often helpful to use a simple home solution, like a warm salt water rinse to clean your mouth.
To make this solution, we recommend no more than 1 teaspoon of table salt into a cup of hot (or even boiling) water. Once the solution cools, swish it around your mouth for a minimum of 30 seconds. Repeat as often as needed until the discomfort subsides.
Alternate warm and cold compresses to the area to promote healing, stop bleeding and reduce swelling. You can also use over-the-counter pain relievers, but avoid brands that use acetylsalicylic acid, as this can thin the blood and cause more bleeding.
- Food Stuck in Teeth
Sometimes a toothache can arise from the simplest things. For example, you may have a piece of food lodged between your teeth. Over time, this can irritate the gums and cause a toothache.
Regular flossing is key to preventing this from happening, but if you manage to develop a toothache after eating, try using floss to see if it helps alleviate the symptoms.
- Knocked-Out Tooth
If your tooth knocked out, do your best to preserve the tooth, if possible. Do not pick up your tooth by the root. Gently rinse it with water if it is dirty and reposition it back into the socket.
If this is not possible, put the tooth into your own saliva to maintain the balance of healthy bacteria found in your mouth. Our professionals can quickly determine if the tooth can be saved and reattached to the affected area.
- Dislodged Filling or Crown
If you notice a loose or missing filling or crown, there are a few emergency toothache relief techniques you can employ at home to keep the discomfort under control before seeing a dentist. First, always clean the area with a warm salt water rinse. This helps dull the discomfort and sanitises the area for the next steps.
Next, if the affected area is large, consider placing a small piece of sugar-free gum to fill the gap until your dentist can address the problem. Some shops may also sell over-the-counter dental cement, but this is a costlier, and more difficult solution that may not deliver immediate relief.
- Abscesses and Infections
This is where you need to be a little more careful when applying a home toothache remedy. If you notice an abscess — which is a pimple-like growth that appears on the gums when a tooth is infected — do not try to squeeze or scrape it, so the infection doesn’t worsen.
Instead, continually treat the affected area with a saltwater rinse to keep your mouth clean, possibly shrinking the abscess and alleviating the discomfort. You can also use a hydrogen peroxide rinse to sterilise the area and kill the bacteria. If the discomfort is unbearable, and the abscess doesn’t seem to be responding to the saltwater solution, consider visiting a nearby accident and emergency department for faster relief. You will likely need antibiotics to keep the infection or abscess from spreading.
- Gum Injuries
If you notice gum or tissue damage, do your best to assess the problem. Put pressure on the site with sterile gauze or cotton wool. If the trauma results in obvious damage or excessive bleeding, strongly consider visiting an accident and emergency department.
Toothache Relief for Children
While toothache symptoms in children are usually not serious and don’t typically require emergency treatment, it’s often difficult to gauge a child’s level of discomfort. If you’re caring for a child who may need emergency toothache relief, we strongly recommend visiting a No Gaps Dental practice as quickly as possible.
While waiting to see a professional, gently clean your child’s mouth to stop bleeding and prevent further damage to the affected area.
Emergency Toothache Relief Isn’t Far Away
Most No Gaps Dental practices are open 6 days a week – Monday to Saturday. Our website allows you to see available appointments, plan future visits, and even set an appointment with a dentist.
If you are experiencing a toothache, contact us by calling on (02) 8007 6727, and we will help you take the next steps.