How to Handle a Toothache?

Find out what you should do to properly treat a toothache.

At some point in many of our lives we will have to deal with a toothache. While some reasons are more minor, most of the time tooth pain warrants a trip to see your Laurel, MD dentist Dr. John N. Kim. Learn more about the telltale signs that it’s time to come into our office for treatment.

Classic Signs of a Toothache

While a toothache might seem like a pretty obvious symptom in and of itself, those with toothaches may experience a nagging or throbbing pain while others may experience sharp or shooting pains. Your toothache may come and go throughout the day while others may be more persistent. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms then you need to talk to your Laurel, MD dentist right away.

Causes of a Toothache

The main cause of a toothache is dental decay. If you’ve gotten to the point that you are experiencing a toothache then you’ll need to seek treatment from your Laurel, MD dentist Dr. Kim. The quicker you address the issue the more likely you’ll be able to preserve the majority of the tooth.

Other causes of a toothache can be due to a sinus infection, ear infection or even gum disease.

What to do About a Toothache

The only way to stop a toothache altogether is to see your Laurel, MD dentist Dr. Kim as soon as possible. A toothache is considered a dental emergency and should be treated right away. Don’t put off treatment! When you call our office be honest about the severity of your pain and condition. We are here to accommodate dental emergencies.

In the meantime, you can find relief from your tooth pain by opting for over-the-counter pain medications and anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or aspirin. While this alone isn’t the way to fix the cause of your toothache, this can be a great temporary relief until you get to our office.

Another way to ease swelling and discomfort is to ice the side of the face where your toothache is. Just be sure to wrap ice in a towel before applying it to your skin.

Rinsing your mouth out with warm salt water rinses can also help reduce your symptoms. Add ¼ tsp of table salt to an 8 oz. glass of warm water. You can rinse your mouth out with salt water several times throughout the day to keep pain and swelling down.

Suffering from a toothache? Don’t suffer in silence. Call your Laurel, MD dentist Dr. Kim today and get the relief your smile needs.