Having a toothache is really cumbersome. It is a kind of agonizing pain that is difficult to endure, especially when it’s already taking a long time. There will be instances that your head would seem to crack as well with the tooth pain. And not only that, you will hardly focus on something, you can’t chew or eat your food, you can’t even talk straight sometimes because the tooth would hurt every time you move your jaw.
So when speaking of toothache, no one on earth would dare to experience this daily. And most people would immediately go to their dentist the moment they feel some pain around their teeth. However, there are cases that people wouldn’t have the chance to visit a dentist right away. It could be because of their location, their current situation, or the activities they need to prioritize first.
Luckily, there are things a person can do to treat the excruciating pain around the tooth. And these are the best treatments for toothache, as approved by most dental professionals, of course. You can grab the strongest over-the-counter pain medication for a toothache and learn the insights below on how you can swiftly treat your toothache and easily take the pain away.
Gargle with Salt Water
As old as time itself, salt is a proven natural medication in preventing bacteria from cultivating. It is a traditional ingredient to preserve the freshness of meats and to keep bacteria away from the food. So, having that same principle, salt can also do the same thing for your tooth.
Simply mix a few pinches of salt with a glass of water and use it to wash your mouth. Just make sure that the salt is completely dissolved with water before you gargle it. Then wash your mouth with it for a minute or two and spit everything out. Avoid swallowing any of the saltwater mixtures.
Using this treatment should lessen the pain, cleanse your mouth without the need to touch it with a brush, and prevent any bacteria from growing around your aching tooth.
Apply Cold Compress
This treatment helps reduce the inflammation around the tooth. The inflammation or swelling of the gums is one of the factors why you’re having a toothache since it distorts the natural flow of blood and nerves around the tooth. So to lessen this, you can grab some ice, put them in a piece of cloth, and apply them against your face where the toothache is located. You can do this consistently for twenty minutes. Never apply ice directly on your skin since it could damage it by cold burns.
After the cold compress, the inflammation and pain should lessen. Then you can proceed with the hot pack application.
Disrupt Pain Signals with Hot Pack
If you are done with the cold compress, you can proceed with the application of a hot pack. This treatment helps with disrupting the pain signals coming from the aching tooth going to your brain. Instead, you will feel the hot feeling against your face coming from the hot pack.
To do this, just put some hot water in a hot pack and gently apply it against your face where the aching tooth is located. You can do this as long as you can still feel the warmth from the hot pack.
Take Anti-inflammatory Meds
Of course, there are recommended anti-inflammatory meds you can take whenever you are experiencing some pain in your tooth or gums. You can purchase some ibuprofens at your local drugstore, and you can easily buy them over-the-counter.
When using ibuprofens, make sure to continuously take them for some time even the pain is gone. Some people would immediately stop taking ibuprofen after they notice that the pain is already gone and then notice that the pain would return. So, to prevent the pain from coming back, make sure to continuously take the ibuprofen for a day or two before you stop.
Just remember, in case that the pain around the tooth does not stop after taking any anti-inflammatory meds, you need to go to your dentist right away. There may be other dental issues going around your tooth that need immediate professional help.