YOU may justifiably ask, “If I suddenly get a toothache, what can I do about it other than going immediately to see a dentist (which is almost always unlikely)?” You may want to try any one of these as a temporary measure for alleviation.
First, take a double dose of the analgesic you normally would take for an ordinary headache. I usually recommend 600 mg of Ibuprofen (Motrin) for immediate relief. It is a good idea to keep Ibuprofen tablets at home, as they can relieve almost all types of pain.
Second, a tiny cotton ball soaked in clove oil and placed in the cavity invariably mitigates the pain right away. If you cannot get clove oil, pulverise a few cloves in a drop of olive oil and use that instead.
Third, apply a cold compress to the affected area, especially if the corresponding cheek has recently begun to swell. Cold is the only physical agent known to subdue inflammation, which includes symptoms such as pain and swelling. Occasionally, it may help to hold cold water in the mouth. But one should be careful when using heat or cold on aching teeth.
Fourth, an increase in blood pressure can cause a toothache. Clearly, the pulp chamber cannot distend to accommodate the changes in pressure because it is in the centre of the tooth. The increased pressure, therefore, compresses the nerves, resulting in pain. Elevating the head can decrease pressure. This method may be useful when the toothache attacks during the hours of slumber. However, even if relief is achieved, if the pain wakes you up at night, it is serious for the tooth.
Fifthly, tooth pain after eating sweets means the acid produced from the converted sugar is acting on the exposed nerve endings in the cavity. The way to resist this is to neutralise the acid. A home remedy is rinsing the mouth in the morning with a baking soda solution. Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, which can also be utilised.
The sixth and final recommendation to achieve emergency relief from a toothache is to clean out the cavity (the direct application of alcohol in the cavity usually numbs it for a short while) and then plug it completely with sugarless chewing gum.
It must be emphasised that these are only temporary measures to relieve a toothache. In every case of tooth pain, professional assistance should be sought for a permanent cure.
About 60 per cent of the people visiting the dentist do so because of a toothache. They naturally expect that the offending tooth will be extracted. But just because you have a bad toothache does not mean that the tooth will have to be extracted. Root canal therapy can save an abscessed tooth or one with a damaged pulp (a packet of nerves and blood vessels in the core) and should be the preferred procedure over extraction, provided the patient can afford it.
Incidentally, we need to remember that even if a pain in the mouth goes away on its own, it should not be ignored. Sometimes it could lead to serious conditions. For example, heart problems may first manifest themselves as pain in the lower jaw and teeth.
