Getting plenty of rest at night is crucial so you can thrive during the day. However, a quality night of sleep can seem impossible when you are dealing with tooth pain. Of course, it’s important to see your dentist as soon as you can when you are experiencing significant discomfort, but how should you manage the pain until then? Continue reading to learn some helpful tips to get to sleep when you have a toothache.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
Pain relievers that you find over the counter can be highly effective at temporarily reducing discomfort – including dental pain. Medicines like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin are all effective options. Numbing pastes and gels that contain benzocaine can also help to dull some of your discomfort.
Keep Your Head Elevated
When you lay down flat, more blood flows to your head. This can intensify your toothache. To prevent this from happening, keep your head elevated as much as you can. You can do this by propping up your head with extra pillows or sleeping in a recliner.
Avoid Certain Foods Before Bed
Some foods can aggravate your toothache, making it more challenging for you to sleep. Stay away from foods that are particularly acidic, cold, or hard so they don’t trigger any further pain by aggravating cavities or other issues.
Use a Cold Compress
Using a cold compress or an ice pack wrapped in a towel helps to relieve discomfort by constricting the blood vessels in the area it is applied. This numbs the area that is painful. Cold temperatures also assist in reducing inflammation and swelling. This is especially helpful if your toothache is the result of an injury. Keep the cold compress on the area for about 20 minutes at a time.
Saltwater Rinse
Rinsing your mouth with salt water is an effective remedy you can do at home. Doing so helps to wash away food particles that are stuck between the teeth and linger in the mouth. Salt water is also a natural disinfectant, so it can help to reduce inflammation in the mouth and heal oral wounds. Just mix about half a teaspoon of salt in warm water. Swish it around your mouth.
Until you are able to see your dentist in the morning, give some of these tips a try. They may help you get some relief!
About the Practice
At Oakton Dentistry by Design, Dr. Pasquale J. Giordano and Dr. Joseph A. Khalil work together to serve patients in the Oakland community. With their combined experienced and expertise, patients can get pretty much anything they need under one roof. If you have a toothache, they would be happy to help you get some relief. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit their website or call (703) 938-4300.