What Does the Dentist Do When He Gets a Toothache?

What Does a Dentist Do When He Gets a Toothache? I feel embarrassed to admit that this past week I had a toothache. Having a toothache made me feel like I could have been doing a better job taking care of my teeth. However, I’m not sure what more I could do. I floss and brush regularly, I get a check-up and cleaning twice a year. I have x-rays taken once a year. The only thing I don’t do that I know I should is wear my night-guard every single night. So how did I get a toothache? Well it wasn’t a cavity gone wild. When I was in dental school, I had a tooth that needed a root canal. Now 13 years later, that same tooth got re-infected. We see many patients that have had a root canal and it gets re-infected. Most are disappointed to learn that the tooth needs another root canal or surgery to correct the infection. Let me explain why root canals don’t always last forever. Teeth are hollow in the center. That hollow space is usually filled with nerves and blood vessels. When a cavity gets big enough that it reaches the nerve, you get a toothache. You treat that toothache by removing the infected nerve and blood vessels and sealing the hollow space and fixing the cavity. Cleaning and sealing that space it what is called a root canal. The hollow space is sealed, kind of like caulking around a window or sink. But sometimes that seal breaks down, just like around a window or sink, allowing bacteria to re-infect the area around the tooth causing another toothache. So what did I learn from this experience? Toothaches are very uncomfortable. We always do our best to take care of the toothaches of our patients and their friends and family A.S.A.P. That sometimes means staying late or coming early. But we don’t want anyone of our patients to suffer. That’s important to us. I also was reminded of how important my teeth are to me. Day to day I eat, smile, and speak without giving my teeth and the role they play a second thought, but my 72 hours of tooth pain really interfered with my life and my ability to enjoy it. Teeth and taking care of them are important to being healthy and happy. Finally, I was reminded that we should always take care of things as soon as possible in the way that lasts as long as possible. That goes for teeth and everything else in life. We hope none of you ever get a toothache, but if you do we’ll be here.

Dental Emergencies First Aid by a Salt Lake City Emergency Dentist

Toothaches and abscessed teeth can be nearly impossible to ignore and your best bet is to see an emergency dentist as soon as possible. However, sometimes it can be difficult to make arrangements to be seen right away. So what can you do?

1. Clean the area well with warm salt water rinses. Floss and brush carefully.
2. If there is a broken tooth cover the broken area. You can use a temporary filling from the drugstore, or a soft wax.
3. Take an anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen. If the ibuprofen is not enough take some acetaminophen as well. Make sure to ask your pharmacist if these medications are safe for you to take. Combined ibuprofen and acetaminophen make a pretty good pain reliever.
4. Use Anbesol, OraJel, or Benzocaine. These are anesthetic gels that can numb the area. They are similar to what the dentist might use prior to giving an injection. Don't place aspirin on the gums it will create a burn and will not provide pain relief.
5. Experiment with different temperature liquids. Some toothaches are soothed by warm liquids others by very cold liquids. Oviously, if the tooth has been sensitive to cold, don't use cold liquids and if it has been sensitive to hot don't use warm liquids. But if it has not been particularly sensitive to variations in temperature, you may find that bathing or rinsing with warm or cold liquids may temporarily relieve the pain from your toothache.
6. Try moist heat applied over your cheek or jaw. The best way to do this is to run warm water over a washcloth and then apply to the area.
7. Try a cold pack or ice pack. Cold can numb the area.
8. If you have swelling, you should be seen right away. Swelling from an abscessed tooth can become life threatening and require hospitalization. 

Those are the techniques I would recommend. The main thing is to see a dentist. Pain is a sign from the body that something is not right. Even if your toothache goes away on its own, without treatment it will come back, and the damage may be even more extensive.

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The emergency dentists at Legacy Dental, in Salt Lake City, UT are on-call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. We always have same day dental appointments and will make every effort to see you as soon as possible. We'd love to help you.