What can you do if you are experiencing a toothache?

There are many causes for a toothache, and depending on what is causing the pain, there are different things you can do to manage the pain. Sometimes, you will be able to manage your toothache at home. But, there will be times when you will need to see the team at Allred Family Dentistry to find the cause of your dental pain. And if you are ever unsure of what to do, you can always give our office a call.

What can cause a toothache?

There are many different things that can cause tooth pain. Those things include:

• An abscessed tooth, which is when a bacterial infection has occurred in the tooth
• Bruxism, which is the grinding of your teeth or clenching of your jaw, especially while you sleep
• A cavity
• A cracked tooth or other physical tooth trauma
• Gingivitis or periodontitis, which is gum disease or inflammation of the gums
• Something stuck between your teeth or lodged between your teeth and gums
• Worn-out enamel

While these are just a few examples of what can cause tooth pain, there are things you can do at home to try and relieve your pain.

What are some at-home remedies for tooth pain?

If you are experiencing a toothache, there are some things you can try at home to see if you can relieve the pain on your own.

One thing you can try at home to relieve tooth pain is to rinse your mouth with warm water. Sometimes, a piece of food can get lodged against your teeth or in between your teeth and gums, and that can cause pain and inflammation. If you rinse your mouth with warm water, the swishing movement you make with the water can help dislodge any stuck pieces of food.

If you think there is something stuck between your teeth and gums, you can also try to use dental floss to remove the stuck item. Go about flossing how you normally would, but focus your attention on the area causing pain. You can also rinse your mouth with warm water to help clean out your mouth after you’ve tried using dental floss to dislodge the food particle. The Allred Family Dental team wants to remind you to not use sharp objects, like toothpicks or anything metal, because those items can cause damage to your gums, which could leave you with more pain than what you started with. Not only can those sharp objects cause damage to your gums, but sharp objects could scrape against your tooth and remove the enamel, or protective coating, or, even worse, chip or crack your tooth.

If you are experiencing pain and are looking for relief, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever, like ibuprofen, to help control your discomfort.

However, if the above at-home remedies don’t seem to be providing you any relief, or you are experiencing excruciating pain, you should contact the Allred Family Dentistry office.

What if it is a dental emergency?

If you are experiencing a dental emergency, you should seek attention immediately. A dental emergency can consist of any of these things:

• An abscessed tooth
• Bad tasting discharge from your gums
• Broken or chipped tooth
• A fever
• An infection
• Pain lasting longer than 48 hours, especially if the pain gets worse as time goes on
• Swelling or redness of your gums or mouth
• Tooth has fallen out or become dislodged

If any of the above issues describes your toothache issue, get in touch with your dentist immediately, or visit an urgent care facility, where they can help assess your toothache issue and help you find some relief, even if it is only temporary until you can see a dental professional.

Consult with Allred Family Dentistry if you have a toothache.

If you are experiencing a toothache and aren’t sure if it is a problem or not, you can always call the team at Allred Family Dentistry, where we can advise you on what to do if you are experiencing any type of tooth pain. Whether that means you should come in for an appointment and consultation, or we advise you to visit an urgent care facility for immediate attention, our team is here to make sure you get the best dental care possible. Be sure to schedule your bi-annual evaluation if you haven’t seen us in the last six months! We love to make sure your smile is in top shape.