What To Do When Toothache Strikes?

Whether discomfort is minor or significant, dental pain should not be ignored

If there is one type of pain which is next to impossible to ignore it is a toothache. Even a relatively minor pain in the tooth is likely to distract us from our everyday life, perhaps due to its proximity to all of our major senses. Even if you are a hardy type that can tolerate a higher degree of pain; where toothache is concerned, you still shouldn’t ignore it.

It is almost inevitable that if you have dental pain, there is a problem that needs treating, and promptly.

Failing to do so will almost certainly lead to the problem becoming much worse, not only most likely leading to a greater degree of pain, but also damaging the tooth further. If allowed to worsen it could potentially lead to the need for an extraction. At the Foxhall Dental Practice in Ipswich, we believe in preventative dentistry and even where a problem has only just started, we advise that it should be treated as soon as possible to minimise any harm caused.

What to do

As soon as you notice a painful tooth, it is time to take action and this applies whatever the degree of pain. So what should you do when you first notice this?

Contact your dentist

This is the most important thing that you can do and you should do so straightaway. Ask for an emergency appointment and explain your symptoms to the receptionist. We will do all that we can to see you the same day if possible, but if not, then as soon as possible. We will always try to see those most in need first.

You should definitely not put off doing this, thinking things might get better. That is almost certainly not going to happen and you may find yourself, further down the road, in much more severe pain. Book an appointment today.

Take painkillers (where suitable) and follow advice

Now you have made an appointment, you can relax .. right? The fact is that if you have a painful tooth, relaxation might be quite difficult to do. Even a few hours can seem like a very long time when you are in pain, but there are a few things that you can do to make this time less stressful.

1. If you have been given any particular advice by our Ipswich dental team, please do follow it. Most of these are likely to be as per the following suggestions but, depending on the nature of your problem, you may have been given additional advice by our team. If this is the case, please make sure to follow it.
2. Take painkillers if suitable. Your dentist may have suggested a particular painkiller but if not, then your usual one should work fine. It may not remove the pain altogether but it should at least offer some level of relief. Anti inflammatory tablets may be helpful in some situations too, but do ask your dentist if they are appropriate in your particular case.
3. Avoid using the tooth – It is best to avoid harder foods anyway until after your treatment, but you should certainly not use the tooth to bite down on anything. In addition to any pain this might cause; if the pain is caused by a badly cracked tooth, it could make it worse or even break away altogether. Be kind to your tooth to be kind to yourself.
4. Avoid extremes of temperature – To avoid any unnecessary discomfort, try to keep your food and drinks at a lukewarm temperature. Anything that you put in your mouth that is too hot or too cold is likely to cause you some level of discomfort.

Naturally, the best thing is to avoid any instances of toothache or root canal infections etc. The best way to do this is to brush and floss your teeth well and to attend our practice for check ups and hygienist appointments on a regular basis. Regular check ups can detect any small areas of damage or decay and you can have the tooth restored using a small filling or similar. Only seeing a dentist when you find yourself in pain is a recipe for disaster and is much more likely to result in the need for more extensive treatment.

If you would like to make an appointment, whether an emergency one or not, please call the Foxhall Dental Practice on 01473 258396. If you require an emergency appointment, please try to call us as soon in the morning as you can as this will increase the possibility of a same day appointment.