A toothache can affect the type of foods and beverages you consume or keep you up all night. Whether you experience mild or severe tooth pain, you want relief as soon as possible. If you have severe pain, you should call your dentist for an evaluation. One of the questions you might have is what kind of medication is most effective in relieving a toothache. Continue reading to learn more about toothaches and the medications most effective in bringing relief and if that includes anti-inflammatory drugs.
Our emergency dental services at Trident General Dentistry can provide accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for your toothache. Contact us if you are experiencing dental pain.
What Causes a Toothache?
Pain in or around a tooth can occur suddenly without warning or gradually over an extended period. You can treat some toothaches at home with improved toothbrushing and flossing. However, you may need to see a dentist to treat some tooth pain to prevent the situation from worsening. There are many causes of toothaches, including:
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Tooth decay. A dental cavity is the most common cause of toothache. A cavity begins as a small hole in your tooth. While it is small, it may cause only mild sensitivity. However, if left untreated, a cavity gets more extensive. As it approaches the tooth’s nerve, it can cause severe pain.
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Cracked tooth. Hairline fractures can be caused by eating hard foods or grinding your teeth. A cracked tooth typically causes pain when you bite on your tooth.
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Defective filling. Dental fillings usually last several years but can wear down with time and require replacing. An important reason to have regular dental checkups is to examine for defective fillings before they cause a more severe problem.
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Abscessed tooth. If the inside of your tooth becomes infected, you can experience severe pain and swelling. This condition requires a dental evaluation and root canal treatment or tooth extraction.
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Wisdom teeth. If you experience pain in the very back of your upper or lower jaws behind your second molars, you may have a wisdom tooth problem. It is common to lack adequate space for these teeth to erupt normally into your mouth. When this occurs, you can have pain and swelling.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Toothache?
There is a wide range of toothache symptoms, such as:
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Mild and temporary sensitivity to hot and cold.
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Severe throbbing toothache that can interfere with your sleep.
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Pain that radiates to the ear, jaw, sinus, or another tooth.
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Sharp or dull pain when biting on the tooth.
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Swelling in the gum, neck, face, or cheek.
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Tenderness of the lymph nodes in the neck.
What Are The Treatments For A Toothache?
Some toothaches resolve on their own without any treatment. For example, suppose your pain is caused by biting on a hard object. In that case, the pain may go away in a few days with home treatments, such as warm salt water rinses, over-the-counter pain medications, and avoiding chewing on the painful tooth.
Other toothaches require dental treatment, such as:
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Dental filling
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Root canal treatment
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Tooth extraction
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Prescription pain medications and possibly antibiotics
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Nightguard to protect teeth while sleeping
Are Anti-inflammatory Medications Good For Toothache?
Managing dental pain is a priority for the patient and the dentist. However, one of the significant factors affecting the medications dentists prescribe today is the growing opioid crisis. In 2020, deaths from opioid overdose rose about thirty-one percent from the previous year. As a result, dentists have actively pursued prescribing effective but non-addictive medications for toothaches.
Fortunately, studies show that anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen are as effective or better in relieving dental pain than prescription opioids. According to the American Dental Association, the common anti-inflammatory medications used in dentistry include:
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Ibuprofen
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Naproxen
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Celecoxib
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Aspirin
Schedule an Appointment
Although you can avoid many dental emergencies with regular dental examinations, you may still experience an occasional toothache. Trident General Dentistry’s emergency services can help you at one of our six locations. Contact our office for assistance with a toothache or other dental emergency.