Tooth pain at night is hard to deal with. You cannot sleep, and most dental clinics are closed. Here is what you can safely do at home, what to avoid, and the signs that mean you should not wait until morning.
Home care can make tooth pain easier to live with for a few hours. It does not treat the cause, so the tooth still needs a dentist. If you are in HSR Layout, Pristine Dental Clinic is open every day until midnight, so a late evening visit is often possible.
Some signs mean you should not wait for a dental appointment. The NHS says to go to a hospital emergency department if you have toothache and:
Do not drive yourself. Ask someone to take you, or call an ambulance. Take any medicines you use with you.
Many people notice that a toothache gets worse at night, especially when they lie down. Medical News Today, in an article reviewed by a dentist, gives two reasons. When you lie flat, more blood flows to the head, and this extra blood can add to the pain and pressure around the tooth. There are also fewer distractions at night, so the pain is harder to ignore.
Cleveland Clinic adds that toothache can be dull, sharp or throbbing, and that grinding or clenching your teeth (bruxism), which often happens in sleep, is one cause of tooth pain. Painkillers can ease the pain, but Cleveland Clinic notes the relief is temporary until the underlying cause is treated.
These steps come from the NHS advice on easing toothache while you wait to see a dentist:
Two more steps can help at bedtime. Cleveland Clinic suggests a cold compress: an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a clean towel, held against the outside of your jaw. Medical News Today suggests raising your head with an extra pillow, so less blood rushes to your head when you lie down.
If you already take other medicines, or you are pregnant, ask a pharmacist which painkiller is safe for you.
Toothache has many causes. The NHS lists these:
Sensitive teeth can also cause sharp pain, often with cold or sweet food. You cannot tell these apart at home. A dentist finds the cause by looking at the tooth and, when needed, taking an X-ray.
The NHS says to see a dentist if your toothache:
A general doctor cannot treat the tooth itself. For tooth pain, go to a dentist.
At Pristine Dental Clinic, the dentist first asks where it hurts and when it started, then looks at the tooth. If an X-ray is needed, it is taken at the clinic. You then hear what is causing the pain, what can be done, how many visits it may take and what it will cost, before any treatment starts.
What comes next depends on the cause. It could be a filling, a new filling, treatment for the gum, or root canal treatment if the inside of the tooth is infected. The dentist explains the options so you can decide.
The NHS advice for keeping teeth and gums healthy is simple:
You can read the full advice on the NHS toothache page.
Tooth pain in HSR Layout?
Pristine Dental Clinic is in Sector 2, HSR Layout, and is open every day from 9 am to 12 midnight. Call before you come, and the team will tell you when the dentist can see you.
Cannot find your question here? Call the clinic and the team will answer.
Call 090193 67756Yes. Pristine Dental Clinic in Sector 2, HSR Layout is open every day from 9 am to 12 midnight. Call 090193 67756 before you come, so the team can tell you when the dentist can see you.
The NHS suggests painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, taken as the pack says. Children under 16 should not take aspirin. If you take other medicines or are pregnant, ask a pharmacist first.
Medical News Today explains that when you lie down, more blood flows to your head, which can add to the pain and pressure. There are also fewer distractions at night. Raising your head with an extra pillow may help.
The NHS lists a warm salt water rinse as one way to ease toothache while you wait. Mix half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, rinse and spit it out. Children should not do this.
Go to a hospital emergency department straight away if the area around your eye or neck is swollen, or if swelling makes it hard to breathe, swallow or speak. Do not drive yourself.
The pain can come and go. But if it is caused by decay, a crack or an infection, that cause stays until a dentist treats it. The NHS says to see a dentist if the pain lasts more than 2 days.
Pristine Dental Clinic, 1703, 19th Main Road, Sector 2, HSR Layout. Open every day, 9 am to 12 midnight.
Call 090193 67756This article gives general information. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace a check by a dentist. If you have swelling near your eye or neck, or trouble breathing, swallowing or speaking, go to a hospital emergency department straight away.
A dental clinic in Sector 2, HSR Layout, Bengaluru, led by Dr. Athhar Maswood K. Open every day, 9 am to 12 midnight.
Call 090193 67756