Top Tips to Tackle a Toothache at Home

Have you ever been wide awake at 3am with throbbing toothache pain that prevents you from sleep? Chances are, you have. Or will, sometime in the future.

Toothaches are likely to affect everyone at some stage in their lives. Sometimes the pain comes out of nowhere – and it can be in varying degrees, ranging from a dull throb to a sharp and severe stabbing pain.😧

No matter what level of pain your toothache is causing it can be pretty distressing. And a toothache at night, where it affects your ability to sleep, can be a really horrible experience.

What to do when you have a toothache

If you are experiencing severe pain, or any other extreme discomfort or swelling in your mouth teeth or gums, you should call us immediately and make an appointment to have it urgently reviewed.

If you’re experiencing toothache that is not extreme, and you can’t get to your dentist immediately, here are a few remedies you can try in order to ease the discomfort at home:

Rinse your mouth with warm salty water;
Brush with a toothpaste specially formulated for sensitive teeth, and floss thoroughly;
Apply a cold compress (or even a bag of frozen vegies) to the painful area;
Pain relievers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen can help ease discomfort;
Oil of cloves, which is a product found in most health food stores, can be applied to the painful tooth with a cotton swab. Clove oil has numbing and antibacterial qualities that can help ease sensitivity.

One of the main reasons a toothache often gets worse at night, is due to blood flow when you lie down. 🛏️

Lying down horizontally means that all the blood flows towards your head and can cause pressure on the sensitive area where your sore tooth lies. The blood flow is what causes the intense throbbing sensation that keeps you awake.😫

So if this happens, try to sleep with your head in an elevated position – using pillows to prop your head up so the blood isn’t causing extra pressure on the sensitive areas. It’s a simple thing that will help.

Finally, if your toothache lasts more then 1-2 days don’t let it go untreated.  Our Jannali dentist Dr Brian Chen can sort you out in no time.

Do NOT put off your visit to the dentist. The best place to be, if you’re suffering toothache, especially one that doesn’t go away quickly, is in the dental chair.

Give us a call on 📞 (02) 9528 9204 to make an appointment – or leave us a message right here, and we will get back to you.