Toothaches are never fun
There are many reasons why someone might suffer from a “toothache”, all of which need to be properly diagnosed by a registered dentist. Sometimes these situations occur in the middle of the night, or on a long weekend, and it may be hard to reach a dentist immediately. Many areas such as the city of Barrie provide emergency dental services in which a dentist is on-call for emergencies during weekend and after hours. It would be advisable to call this service if you cannot reach a dentist during business hours. A typical physician walk in clinic may also be able to provide some pain relief medication and advice. If there is large swelling in the face or neck, go to your nearest emergency clinic as soon as possible. Okay, so on to how to deal with a “toothache” on the short term.
The first thing would be to take an over the counter pain killer such as Ibuprofen or Aspirin (provided you have no allergy to these medications or other issues that may give you reason to not take them). Both of these pain killers provide mild pain relief and aid in slowing down inflammation. It is not advisable to hold the aspirin within the mouth or against the tooth to alleviate pain, as this can cause burns to the gums. Hot compresses on the skin are also not recommended, as this can draw inflammation towards the skin on the face.
Cavities are a main source of toothaches
If your teeth began aching immediately after eating, it is often (but not always) due to deep cavities within the teeth. It is advisable that you avoid chewing near these teeth, and see a dentist as soon as possible to diagnose the area and treat it. Often, toothaches caused by cavities will mostly subside after a short period of time from initial onset of pain. Generally when it comes to tooth pain, there are underlying issues that tend to get worse if ignored. A normal procedure can quickly turn into a more complicated and costly one if the problem is ignored too long. For example, a simple filling can turn into a root canal. It’s always best to maintain a regular check up schedule and complete fillings as soon as they are found.