9 Effective Ways to Prevent Toothache at Night

Do you have a toothache at night? If yes, then it can make falling asleep very difficult. There are some methods to ease the pain which range from taking necessary medication to chewing on a clove or using an extra pillow. You can also apply cold compress to lessen the toothache and sleep peacefully.

Here are 9 home remedies to get rid of a toothache during the night.

1. Medication to ease oral pain – There are over-the-counter medications like anti inflammatory drugs which can be a suitable way to lessen dental pain. Talk to healthcare experts who suggest about the recommended dosage on your packaging. If the toothache is extreme, see a dentist to get rid of it quickly.
2. Use cold compress – Another symptom of a toothache is swelling. Apply cold compress to lessen the pain and swelling as soon as possible. Take an ice bag wrapped in a towel on the affected side of your jaw or face. This may constrict blood vessels in the area which deceases pain and allows you to sleep peacefully. Put cold compress on the area for 15–20 minutes every few hours in to prevent pain before going to bed.
3. Elevation – Pooling blood in your head can be the reason for inflammation and pain. Some people need to elevate their head with an extra pillow to lessen the pain and sleep properly.
4. Medicated ointments – Some medicated ointments can help to deal with extreme toothache. Take over-the-counter numbing gels and ointments having ingredients such as benzocaine to numb the area. But benzocaine is not a suitable choice for use by kids below 2 years.
5. Rinse with salt or warm water – This is an effective home remedy to deal with a toothache. Saline or salt water solution is an antibacterial and natural agent that may help to lessen inflammation. This can protect your damaged teeth from any kind of infection. Try to rinse with salt water and get rid of food particles or other debris which get stuck in the teeth or gums. After rinsing, you may use dental floss gently to remove any food or debris in between the teeth.
6. Use hydrogen peroxide to rinse – Rinsing with hydrogen peroxide can lessen the problem of bacteria, gingivitis and plaque. But it may not be very effective like other mouthwashes. You need to reduce food-grade hydrogen peroxide with equal water parts. Swish this solution in your mouth but never swallow it. This solution is not suitable for kids as there is a risk they may swallow the mixture accidentally.
7. Peppermint tea – It consists of antioxidant and antibacterial compounds. Peppermint contains menthol, which may leave a numbing effect on the sensitive areas and alleviate pain sensation. You need to swish on peppermint tea or suck peppermint tea bags to relieve the pain from a toothache.
8. Clove oil – Eugenol or clove oil, is a herbal oil that can lessen the problem of toothache. Using eugenol may relieve the pain from the pulpitis, which is a tissue in the center of a tooth or an inflammation of the dental pulp. Some dentists refer pulpitis as toothache. Eugenol acts like analgesic, which means it will numb the area. In order to treat toothache by using clove, you need to soak ground cloves in the water for preparing a paste. After this, apply the paste to your tooth or put it in an empty tea bag and place it in the mouth. Chew or suck on a single clove gently and let it sit near painful tooth to relieve the pain. This is not an effective remedy for kids as they swallow lots of clove.
9. Garlic – It is a common ingredient which can be used to get rid of toothache. Allicin is the main compound present in garlic that has strong antibacterial effect. Garlic can be effective against cariogenic bacteria, leading to tooth decay.

Causes

Tooth decay is a common cause for toothache. It can lead to cavities without proper treatment. Cavities take place when acids and bacteria break through the teeth enamel and eat away at the delicate tissues inside your tooth. This may expose your nerve from mild to extreme pain. So, sinus infections may be the reason for toothache and the symptom happens as this infection drains from your head.

Other possible causes for a toothache are the following:

• Dental abscesses
• Gum disease
• Wisdom tooth
• Lose filling
• Trauma to your jaw
• Teeth grinding during the night
• Food stuck in between the teeth or gums

Why do some toothaches hurt more during the night?

Toothaches might be extremely painful in the day but they may get worse at night. One reason this occurs is when you lie down, the blood rushes to your head and this extra blood may increase pressure and pain that you feel due to a toothache.

Another reason why toothaches get worse during the night is there are fewer distractions. This is the reason you may find it difficult to sleep at night.

When you need to visit a dentist

People who suffer from constant toothache at night should see a dentist soon. Any home remedies are for temporary relief only. If the toothache happens with other signs of an infection, you require taking antibiotics to get rid of the infection.

When a decayed or cracked tooth causes the pain, see your dentist and find permanent solution to overcome the problem. Neglecting the signs of tooth decay like aching tooth, may cause serious concerns including tooth loss, gum disease and abscesses.

Dealing with a toothache is extremely painful. Though different home remedies can give temporary relief and help you to have sound sleep, they are not a permanent solution. Thus, if you are experiencing a toothache for more than 1 or 2 days without any symptoms of sinus infection, visit a dentist for complete diagnosis and proper treatment. You may have to clean out a tooth cavity or more serious options like tooth extraction or root canal therapy.