Infection Emergency

Toothache: What to do

• Here for you: In Scottsdale, Dr. Andrews is here to help you resolve your tooth pain as soon as possible.
• Call: When a dentist office is open, hours, call to make the next available appointment.
• Communicate: Let the staff know what you are experiencing, and  the pain level of your toothache.

Sometimes it is not always possible to get into an emergency dental appointment immediately for a toothache, and your appointment may be a few hours to the next day or two away.

What can you do for temporary relief, before you are able to get to the dentist and have the reason behind your toothache assessed, treated, and solved?

Toothache First Aid: While you Wait for an Emergency Dental Appointment

Here are three steps to follow while to wait for your dental appointment:

1. Clean: Cleaning teeth and its surrounding areas in your mouth is a good next step. There may be food trapped in between the tooth  or some other debris. To do this, rinse and clean the tooth and mouth using warm saltwater.
2. Relief pain: Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen. You may also use an oral pain reliever. . All three of these are great options if you are temporarily aiming to reduce the pain level of a toothache for an adult or child. If treating a child be sure you are using medication intended for children.
3. Swelling: To reduce swelling of the face use a cold compress.

Things Not to Do for a Toothache

Here are two things you should not do if you or a child has toothache:

Eating and drinking: Avoid eating and drinking after midnight the night before your emergency dental appointment.  This is recommended because there is a chance that you will need to receive an anesthetic, and this will help reduce the possibility of an adverse reaction.

Aspirin: Aspirin is or even Tylenol is intended to be ingested. No not place an aspirin on the tooth or gum that is aching. This is not how this is intended to be used.

Lastly,  when going to an emergency dental appointment for a toothache, it is always a good choice to either have someone come to your emergency dental appointment, or have them come to the office after your dental visit has been completed.

Why?

So, you can have someone to drive you home. This will help ensure safe driving after a dental appointment.
When Not to Wait for an Emergency Dental Appointment

Many people wonder if they should go to the emergency room for a toothache. The answer is: Yes if you also have:

Difficulty breathing due to swelling
A fever but no there symptoms that are associated with the flu or common cold
A bad taste in your mouth