None of us are strangers to emergencies, especially when it comes to medical emergencies. When it comes to oral health, it’s common to run into temporary emergencies such as a broken tooth, abscess, etc. A dental professional isn’t always available immediately and it can often take a couple of days to even get in. When this happens, it can seem hard to deal with the pain until the issue can be fixed. Thankfully, there are a few options when it comes to tooth pain relief for emergency dental care.
Over the Counter Options
Of course, there are always the over counter options such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen, etc. These work really well for temporary pain relief until something stronger can be prescribed, if need be. Be careful to not take too many at once, although it might seem tempting depending on the pain level. If you’re unsure, a quick call to your dental professional will allow them to tell you a safe dosage amount to not exceed.
Essential Oils
Essential oils have quickly become popular in recent years and for good reason. Essential oils have a lot of health benefits including pain relief when it comes to tooth pain. For example, clove oil does an amazing job at numbing painful areas and is even used when babies are teething. Of course, it’s important that you’re careful to use it as directed for topical use because some concentrated oils aren’t safe for topical use without being diluted.
Mouth-Numbing Creams and Gels
Many of us are familiar with Orajel and its quick-numbing abilities when it comes to oral pain. There are other brands and options as far as numbing relief goes. These are great options although they are a very short-term fix and won’t as long or as well as something like Tylenol would. Therefore, these are best when it’s something smaller or less abrasive.
Tea Bags
Some of us may have been told by our grandparents to put a tea bag on our sore tooth. They weren’t crazy, this actually works! Certain tea bags such as peppermint tea, brings pain relief and sooth sore teeth.
Ice Pack or Cold Compress
Often times, whatever is causing the pain in our mouth can be exacerbated by swelling. In order to reduce pain caused by swelling, place an ice pack or a cold compress of some sort on your face, over the affected area. The extreme cold also has a numbing affect which will also provide some relief.
It’s important to note that these are only temporary pain relief options. If you are experiencing pain, it’s important to seek a dental professional as soon as possible. These temporary options for relief aren’t meant to be used long-term. Often times, ignoring pain in your teeth can lead to more serious health issues.
