Don't Let a Toothache Ruin Your Holiday Fun

A toothache is the last thing you need during the holidays. To save you from downtime and keep your celebrations on track, here’s what to do when you have pain and need to wait to see a dentist.

As Murphy’s Law states, anything that can go wrong will go wrong — and getting a toothache during the holidays fits the bill perfectly. With many dental offices running on limited schedules, you may be stuck dealing with pain while waiting for a visit.

At the office of Sabrina E. Mickel DDS & Associates in Beachwood, Ohio, we recommend an active dental hygiene program to keep toothaches to a minimum. However, not every incident can be anticipated, so to help you make it through the holidays with minimal discomfort, we recommend the following steps when toothaches arise.

Contact your dentist immediately

When a toothache strikes, contact our office right away — even if it’s after our regular office hours. This ensures our fastest response when a dental emergency arises.

Take immediate self-care steps

Begin your self-care routine with these four steps:

Rinse out your mouth with warm salt water.
Use dental floss to remove unseen food particles (if there’s no sign of tooth damage).
Take an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like ibuprofen to dull the ache and control inflammation.
Apply cold compresses to the cheek outside the affected tooth.

Reevaluate your pain. If it hasn’t subsided enough, consider the steps in the next section.

Try safe home remedies for pain relief

While you wait for your appointment, use these effective and safe home remedies to temporarily calm a toothache:

Hydrogen peroxide rinse

Make a mouthwash of equal parts 3% hydrogen peroxide and water. Rinse for 30 seconds and spit to gain its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving benefits.

Hydrogen peroxide is also antibacterial and it can relieve bleeding gums and reduce plaque buildup. Don’t swallow this solution.

Clove oil

A natural pain reliever that’s excellent for toothaches, a few drops of clove oil applied to a cotton ball and applied to the problem tooth controls pain and inflammation. It has a strong flavor though, so try a sample before using it full strength. It can be diluted with a neutral cooking oil.

Teabag compress

Cooling a used teabag and applying it to a toothache for 20 minutes at a time can ease pain and inflammation due to the tannins in black tea, which are natural antiseptics. Peppermint tea adds the numbing effects of menthol.

Vanilla extract

Containing eugenol, the same active compound as in cloves, apply vanilla extract in the same way, via a cotton ball, several times throughout the day.

Schedule follow-up care

Home remedies can temporarily dull your toothache until you can visit Dr. Mickel. Even if your home care steps relieved your pain, schedule a dental follow-up as soon as possible.

Contact Sabrina E. Mickel DDS & Associates by phone or online to request your appointment now.