When it comes to dental pain, the throbbing, severe pain can be unbearable. It doesn’t just point your attention to the fact there’s something wrong – it hijacks your entire life. From making it impossible to sleep, eat or even think about anything else. 

So naturally, the most pressing question that comes to mind would be – “How do I make this unbearable tooth pain stop?”

While seeking dental care is important, knowing exactly what to do can make all the difference. At Brisbane Implants, we want to equip you with this knowledge so you can find relief and get back to smiling, pain-free as soon as possible. 

Understanding Unbearable Tooth Pain

When it comes to tooth pain, there’s no one-size-fits-all. It can either come in dull, constant aches or sharp, sudden stabs that make focusing on even the simplest of tasks a major challenge. This kind of unbearable tooth pain can arise due to various reasons such as tooth decay, gum disease, teeth grinding or even dental injuries. If you have dental restorations or implants, conditions like infections, loose implants and peri-implantitis may also cause pain.

But when you are in pain, the reason seems almost indifferent to you because all you want to do is find relief. And find relief fast. So, until you wait to see your dentist to get to the root cause of it, you can try out some effective strategies for managing unbearable toothaches at home.

How to Deal with Tooth Pain at Home

Toothaches don’t strike when it's convenient for you. In fact, they have a knack for striking at the most inconvenient and unexpected moments. Here are some things you can do to manage your pain and make it through without counting every minute: 

• Rinse Your Mouth: Take some warm (not hot) water and swish it around your mouth very gently. Doing so will clean out the area, dislodging food particles that might be adding to the pain. 

• Floss Gently: Gently floss between your teeth to remove any stubborn food particles. The keyword here is gentle because we only want to relieve the pain, not add to it. 

• Over-the-Counter Pain (OTC) Medications: If the pain is on an entirely different level, take some OTC pain relievers. These medications can reduce inflammation and ease pain temporarily. 

• Place a Cold Compress: Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek near the painful area. Place it in intervals, for 15 minutes at a time, to help with swelling and numbing the area. 

• Avoid Hard Foods: If you are experiencing unbearable tooth pain, soft, non-acidic and non-sugary foods and drinks are your best friends. 

• Keep Your Head Elevated: Elevating your head can help reduce blood flow to the affected area, making the pain a bit more manageable. So, prop yourself up using an extra pillow. 

• Topical Anaesthetic: You can apply an over-the-counter topical anaesthetic gel to numb the area and ease the pain. Make sure to follow the directions and avoid using OTC gels directly on broken teeth, as it can aggravate the pain.

• Stay Hydrated: Keep sipping water to maintain saliva production and avoid dry mouth which can worsen the pain. 

These methods can provide some much-needed relief. However, do keep in mind that these are temporary solutions until you make your way over to the dentist. Persistent and unbearable tooth pain is often an indication of a bigger underlying problem, so a professional assessment by a dental professional is the best way to get to the root of it and lasting relief. 

Now that you know how to manage unbearable tooth pain, let’s talk about prevention. By building a strong oral hygiene routine, you can keep unbearable tooth pain at bay and smile and live without pain. All you need to do is visit your dentist every 6 months, brush and floss daily, be mindful of your eating habits, stay hydrated and limit smoking and alcohol.