It’s possible that there is nothing worse than the pain from a toothache, especially when you have to wait to get into the dentist. Oral pain can be debilitating and can prevent you from being able to eat what you need or get enough sleep at night. If you find yourself in this situation there are a few things you can do to make yourself more comfortable while you wait to finally be able to go to the dentist’s office.
Rinse Your Mouth With Salt Water
Rinsing your mouth with salt water can help you to manage your pain and cut down on the bacteria in your mouth. It’s not a delicious experience, but it is very effective and can help to decrease your discomfort. The salt water can also help to cut down on swelling, which is also going to reduce your pain. Salt water serves as a good alternative to mouthwash, especially for avoiding the burns associated with using alcohol-based mouthwash when you have sores in your mouth. You want enough salt to make the water obviously salty, but you don’t want to use more salt than you can manage to gargle with.
Take Painkillers
If you have a bad toothache, you are going to need painkillers to help manage your pain. Taking over the counter painkillers can take the edge off and make your waiting time a little bit more manageable. Over-the-counter pain medication can help soothe tooth pain. If you find that it is not relieving your pain enough, you can call your dentist’s office to learn more about your options before you can get in for an appointment.
Be Careful of What You Eat
Some foods and drinks are going to cause you additional pain while you are waiting to go to the dentist. It’s important that you take time to adjust your diet so you can eat things that are easier on your mouth. Avoiding sugary and acidic things can help you to manage your pain and not add additional pain to your plate. There are some things, like clove oil that you can apply to the area causing you pain in order to numb the area.
Managing your pain can help you to make it to your appointment a little more easily. But if you find that you can’t keep your pain to a manageable level, you may need to make an emergency appointment. That way they can resolve your issue and get you feeling good again.
Check out this article on how to avoid serious dental problems later in life!