Infection How To Stop Tooth Pain Fast?

Infection How To Stop Tooth Pain Fast
1. Apply a cold compress. – In general, there are two ways to stop or blunt toothache pain. The first involves reducing inflammation, while the second centers on interrupting the signals from the injury to the brain. You can accomplish the first goal by applying a cold pack or bag of frozen vegetables to the side of your face for 20 minutes at a time.

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Why does it hurt when I eat with a tooth infection?

Ways To Tell If You Are Living With An Infected Tooth – Are you suffering from a debilitating toothache? Perhaps youve noticed a little gum or jaw swelling, or your tooth seems to be a different color? It could be a serious tooth infection. Your teeth are packed with nerves. Thats why a toothache, though it may only affect one part of your mouth, is excruciating.

Whats more, the pain may sometimes be related to a deeper oral health issue. If your tooth feels sore, sensitive, or youre experiencing sharp pains in your mouth, you may have a tooth infection or a tooth abscess. Why a tooth becomes infected There are a number of causes of tooth infections. One of the most common causes is older root canals.

When you have a root canal, your dental professional removes a nerve from the affected tooth. Unfortunately, bacteria can grow in that area, leading to an infection that your body struggles to fight off. Its important to recognize the signs of an infection, so you can seek immediate treatment.

How to tell if your tooth is infected If you experience pain when eating, you may have a tooth infection. The infection or abscess spreads out of the root tip, which causes the gum and bone to be affected. Sometimes the pulsating pain and throbbing may be so severe that pain medication does not relieve your aches.

This could be because the infection has spread, and theres more pressure on the gums and bones. Your tooth has turned a darker color compared to your other teeth. How to cure a tooth infection

How do you get rid of a tooth infection fast?

– For many people, a saltwater rinse is an effective first-line treatment. Salt water is a natural disinfectant, and it can help loosen food particles and debris that may be stuck in between your teeth. Treating a toothache with salt water can also help reduce inflammation and heal any oral wounds.

How can I Manage my tooth abscess pain?

3 Simple Ways to Relieve Tooth Abscess Pain

  1. 1 Take over-the-counter NSAIDs to relieve pain and swelling. NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) help reduce inflammation, which relieves your pain. This can provide you with fast pain relief.
    • Ask your doctor before taking NSAIDs, as they’re not right for everyone.
    • Always read the label and take the medication only as directed. It’s possible that the medication won’t relieve all of your pain, but it isn’t safe to increase your dosage.
    • If you can’t take NSAIDs, try over-the-counter acetaminophen (Tylenol) instead. Although it won’t help with swelling, it can help with your pain.
  2. 2 Rinse your tooth with warm salt water 2-3 times a day to soothe the pain. Stir 1 tsp (5) of salt into 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water. Take a sip of the water, but don’t swallow it. Instead, swish the salt water around your mouth, then spit it out.
    • The best time to rinse with the salt water is after your meals, as it will help remove food particles from around the tooth. Plus, the salt sanitizes the area.
    • The salt water won’t cure your abscess, but it may help reduce your pain and will help keep the area clean.
    • Don’t swallow the salt water once you’re done swishing. Doing so can cause you to have an upset stomach.

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  3. 3 Avoid using a hot or cold pack on the abscess. You may be tempted to put a warm or cool compress on your tooth to help with the pain and swelling, but this isn’t a good idea. Since the swelling is caused by an infection and not inflammation, the hot or cold pack won’t help the swelling.
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  1. 1 Floss around your tooth after meals to reduce pain from food particles. Pieces of food can worsen your abscess pain by clogging the area around the abscess. This adds to the pressure and inflammation around the area, causing you more pain. Although flossing might not be comfortable, it can help you reduce pain caused by food particles.
    • Clean around the abscessed tooth immediately after you eat.
    • If flossing around your tooth is causing you intense pain, avoid flossing around the tooth. However, see your dentist immediately to get the tooth treated.
  2. 2 Cut out cold and hot foods until your pain goes away. Extreme temperatures will cause pain in your tooth, sometimes extreme pain. That’s because the protective layers on your teeth are eroded away, leaving the sensitive part of your teeth exposed.
    • As an example, temporarily avoid things like coffee, hot or iced tea, cold drinks, ice cream, or hot soup.
  3. 3 Avoid sugary and acidic foods and drinks, which can aggravate your tooth. These types of foods alter the pH in your mouth, which can increase the pain and irritation in your abscessed tooth. Until your tooth is treated, it’s best just to cut these items out of your diet.
    • For instance, foods like citrus fruits, candy, baked goods, and ice cream aren’t good options while you’re dealing with an abscess. Similarly, stay away from drinks like soda, juice, and sweet tea.
  4. 4 Sleep with your head elevated to reduce pressure and pain. Pile the pillows below your head so that it’s propped up. This will prevent more pressure from building up in your tooth, which could cause more pain.
    • If you have a wedge pillow, use it to keep your head propped up while you’re sleeping.
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  1. 1 Visit your dentist to get your infection treated. Call your dentist and let them know you think you have an abscess. They’ll examine the area and tap on your tooth to see if it feels sensitive. In some cases, they may also apply heat or cold to the tooth to see if it causes discomfort. Then, they’ll do X-rays to determine if you may have an abscess. This will help them make a diagnosis and recommend treatment.
    • If the dentist thinks the infection has spread, they may recommend you get a CT-scan to check for the infection.
    • Since an abscess is caused by a bacterial infection, you may need to treat it with an antibiotic. It’s unlikely that an abscess will go away on its own.
  2. 2 Get emergency medical care if you have fever, chills, and nausea. You may also experience vomiting. These symptoms are serious and may be a sign of a worsening infection. Your infection may have spread, so you need prompt medical treatment.
    • Visit your doctor for a same day appointment or go to an urgent care clinic.
  3. 3 Allow the dentist to drain your abscess to help it heal. First, the dentist will numb the area around your abscessed tooth. Then, they’ll make a tiny cut over the abscess to drain away the pus. Next, they’ll wash the area with a salt (saline) solution to sanitize it. If there’s still swelling, they may put in a tiny rubber tube so the remaining pus can drain away.
    • As your body tries to fight the infection, it sends white blood cells to the area. This produces pus, which collects in your tooth and can’t drain away. Instead, it causes pressure and pain inside your tooth. Draining away the pus will provide you with pain relief.
    • This procedure may cause discomfort, but it shouldn’t be painful.
  4. 4 Let your dentist do a root canal to help save your tooth. After numbing the area around your tooth, your dentist will drill down into your tooth. Then, they’ll remove the infected pulp in your tooth and drain your abscess. Next, the dentist will refill your root canals and tooth. Finally, they’ll cap your tooth with a crown to protect it.
    • A root canal can cause a lot of discomfort, but your dentist can provide pain relievers to help you recover.
  5. 5 Let your dentist pull the infected tooth if it can’t be saved. Your dentist will numb the area around your tooth, then they’ll use a professional tool to pull out your tooth. Next, they’ll drain away the abscess and clean the area with a salt (saline) solution.
    • You should get pain relief once the abscessed tooth is gone.
    • Your dentist may recommend this for a back tooth.
    • Getting your tooth pulled is often the least expensive procedure.
  6. 6 Take an antibiotic if your infection has spread. Since an abscess is caused by a bacterial infection, your dentist may give you an antibiotic to treat it. If the infection has spread to other teeth or parts of your mouth, you may need the antibiotic to get rid of it. Make sure you take all of your medication as prescribed.
    • Your tooth should start feeling better after a few days of taking the antibiotic. However, you need to finish the entire course of treatment, or the infection could come back.
    • Your doctor may also prescribe an antibiotic if you suffer from a weakened immune system.
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  • Question How do I know if I have an infected tooth? Board Certified Dentist Dr. Tu Anh Vu is a board certified dentist who runs her private practice, Tu’s Dental, in Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Vu helps adults and kids of all ages get over their anxiety with dental phobia. Dr. Vu has conducted research related to finding the cure for Kaposi Sarcoma cancer and has presented her research at the Hinman Meeting in Memphis. She received her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College and a DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. There’s no way you for you to figure it out on your own without having a dental professional look at it. A dental professional will take an X-ray and examine the tooth to make a diagnosis. Most tooth infections are asymptomatic, which means you won’t feel like anything is wrong with your tooth. You may get extreme pain with an infection if it’s really bad, but even then a dentist needs to take a look. This is why it’s important to see your dentist every 6 months or so, since they’ll catch something like this before it gets bad.
  • Question How often should you rinse your mouth with salt water? Board Certified Dentist Dr. Tu Anh Vu is a board certified dentist who runs her private practice, Tu’s Dental, in Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Vu helps adults and kids of all ages get over their anxiety with dental phobia. Dr. Vu has conducted research related to finding the cure for Kaposi Sarcoma cancer and has presented her research at the Hinman Meeting in Memphis. She received her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College and a DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. Rinse your mouth with salt water after every meal. The salt water will help dislodge food from around your teeth. Additionally, salt sanitizes your mouth.

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As a small thank you, we’d like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full price—wine, food delivery, clothing and more. Enjoy!

Advertisement This article was co-authored by and by wikiHow staff writer,, Dr. Tu Anh Vu is a board certified dentist who runs her private practice, Tu’s Dental, in Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Vu helps adults and kids of all ages get over their anxiety with dental phobia.

  • Co-authors: 2
  • Updated: November 19, 2021
  • Views: 24,551

Categories: Medical Disclaimer The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 24,551 times. : 3 Simple Ways to Relieve Tooth Abscess Pain

How to cure a tooth infection?

Tooth Infection Home Care – You can do some things to ease your symptoms:

Take over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen for the discomfort.Try to chew on the side of your mouth away from the tooth,When you brush your teeth, use a toothbrush with soft bristles.Don’t eat foods that are hot or cold.Put a cold compress on your jaw where your tooth hurts.Use a rinse of water and salt or diluted hydrogen peroxide,

What causes extreme dental pain?

  • Frequently Eating Acidic Foods and Beverages. Over time,acids from food can break down tooth enamel and leave the tooth’s roots exposed,causing sensitivity and discomfort.
  • Gum Disease. Swollen or receding gums increase tooth sensitivity.
  • Tooth Whitening Toothpaste and DIY Home Whitening Treatments.
  • Grinding Your Teeth,Especially at Night.

What is the best treatment for dental pain?

– When to See a Dentist – 10 Ways to Relieve a Toothache 1. Apply a cold compress.2. Take an anti-inflammatory.3. Rinse with salt water.4. Use a hot pack.5. Try acupressure.6. – What to Expect at the Dentist – Preventing Tooth Pain

What can you do for tooth pain?

Your head pounds, your gums throb, and your mouth is sore and tender. You’ve got a toothache, See your dentist ASAP. In the meantime, use these home remedies to get short-term relief. Saltwater rinse Until you can get to the dentist, one of the best things you can do is swish warm, salty water around in your mouth,

A good mix is half a teaspoon of table salt to 8 ounces of water. Spit it out, don’t swallow it. You can also gently floss around the sore tooth to remove any bits of food that may be stuck. Hydrogen peroxide rinse As an alternative to saltwater, rinse with a solution of equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water.

Rinse thoroughly and spit it out. Don’t swallow hydrogen peroxide. OTC pain relievers Dentists suggest acetaminophen for children. For adults, take your pick of over-the-counter medicines like ibuprofen and naproxen. If you choose aspirin, swallow it – don’t put it right on the tooth or your gums.

That folk remedy doesn’t work and might harm the inside of your mouth, Cold compress If your face is swollen, put an ice pack on your cheek for the first 24-36 hours. It may help ease the pain, especially if you’ve chipped your tooth or knocked it loose. Swelling could also mean you have an abscess, a sac of pus and gunk deep in the roots of your tooth,

This can cause serious infection in your jaw and other teeth. Signs include fever and red gums. OTC anesthetics Apply these pain-relieving gels and liquids directly to the sore tooth and nearby gums. They contain benzocaine, which will numb your mouth for a little while.

  • But they’re meant for short-term use only.
  • Ice Put some ice in your hand, on the same side of the body as your sore tooth.
  • Rub the ice in the space between your thumb and forefinger for 7 minutes, or until the area turns numb.
  • Why does it work? Researchers believe ice stops pain signals to your brain,

Clove oil This natural remedy numbs the pain. Rub it directly on the sore area, or soak a cotton ball and dab it against the tooth and gums. It may be as effective as benzocaine, the numbing ingredient in over-the-counter toothache gels.