What to do About a Severe Toothache

When you have a severe toothache, the pain can be excruciating. The time to prepare for a severe toothache is before you have one, but that’s easier said than done. Thankfully, your dentist in Thornton has some tips to help you deal with this situation.

Manage the Pain

The first thing you’ll want to do is to manage the pain. This will enable you to take care of the other steps you’ll need to do. Toothache pain may be subsided or reduced in several ways. You may want to try a combination for maximum pain relief.

• Press a heating pad on the outside of where the toothache is. Make sure you don’t use too high a heat because the skin on your face is more sensitive than the rest of your body.
• Take ibuprofen. This over-the-counter remedy is often more effective than aspirin for a toothache.
• Take acetaminophen. Many dentists recommend “toggling” acetaminophen with ibuprofen. So when it would be time to take another ibuprofen, you’d take acetaminophen instead, and vice versa. This seems to work well for toothache pain. Always consult with a professional before taking any medication, though.
• Try an ice pack. Sometimes, heat doesn’t work to quell the pain of a toothache. If your heating pad isn’t working, try an ice pack instead. You can make a DIY ice pack with a plastic baggie, some ice cubes, and a little bit of water.

Call Your Dentist

Once the pain is managed enough to make a phone call, call your dentist. Explain what’s going on so you can get an emergency appointment. If for some reason your dentist’s office is closed, such as on the weekend or during a holiday, you may be directed to go to an emergency room for treatment. You should follow this advice because in some rare instances a severe toothache can indicate a more serious problem. This is especially likely if you had no indication previously that there was any problem with the tooth.

Your dentist is the best one to consult with when you have any kind of tooth pain. Teeth aren’t meant to be painful. As soon as you notice a toothache coming on, contact your dentist in Thornton for help.