How to Relieve Pain From a Cracked or Broken Tooth

Cracked and broken teeth are extremely painful, and especially dangerous for oral health if the nerve of the affected tooth is exposed. If you have a cracked or broken tooth, it is crucial that you visit a local Highlands Ranch dentistry as soon as you can, but in the meantime, here are some tips to help ease the pain.

How to Temporarily Treat Toothache Pain

Here are the basic options for temporarily treating a toothache to use before you can get to your dentist.

• Use an over-the-counter pain relief medicine like Motrin or Advil (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen). Be sure these are safe to use with any other medications you may be taking. And you’ll probably want to avoid aspirin, which can slow blood clotting and cause problems if and when you need a root canal (it’s a bit of a bloody procedure).

• Floss between the teeth that are cracked or broken. Removing the food particles and plaque may help reduce the pain from a toothache. Be careful not to poke too deeply into the affected tooth.
• Use oil of cloves (eugenol), which can be found in most health food stores; it is used in various dental materials because of its anesthetic properties. Soak a small piece of cotton in the oil, then blot the cotton on a piece of tissue to remove the excess. Hold the cotton on the painful tooth for 10 seconds, making sure you do not swallow any of the oil.
• Try an over-the-counter dental anesthetic like Orajel (benzocaine) or Anbesol (lidocaine), which you can find at most pharmacies. Or you can seal the affected tooth with an over-the-counter temporary filling material (Dentemp).
• Sleep with your head elevated. The inflammation of the nerve of the tooth with a crack or break is very painful and is often what causes the most uncomfortable pain. If you elevate your head when resting, some of the pressure in the area of the toothache may diminish.
• Rinse with warm salt water two to three times a day which may help to relieve a toothache caused by a crack or break. Salt water works as an antiseptic to remove bacteria from the infected area.

Toothache Relief for a Cracked or Broken Tooth

 

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