Tooth pain at night – Causes and Tips to soothe the pain
Dr. D.Sendhil Nathan MDS, DNB Prosthodontics And Implantology
Tooth pain is caused when the root or nerves around the tooth get infected. It is a common dental ailment and most of us experienced a toothache at times. Toothache may be constant or throbbing, it maybe exists for a short span or persistent.
Whatever may be the level of pain, a toothache is bothersome as it obstructs the delight of eating, speaking and other daily activities including sleeping.
Pain thriving in and around a tooth while sleeping is a horrible thing. It will make you keep awake for the whole night. Toothaches aggravated at night especially when you lie down on the bed are due to various reasons which are explained here.
What causes tooth pain at night?
Infection in the underlying regions of a tooth is the primary reason for chronic toothache. If such infection is not diagnosed and treated early, it will cause dental caries and periodontal diseases that stimulate such atypical pain in the decayed tooth at times.
Apart from cavities and gum diseases, 3 other factors are also responsible for such throbbing tooth pain at night.
- Teeth Grinding – Regular clenching of teeth throughout a day will produce crack on the teeth surfaces. Likewise, the frequent clenching will exert pressure on the jaw bone that radiates pain in the jaw. The degree of damage in the teeth and jaw produces pain at night time.
- Your night time foods – Your dinner menu and midnight snacking are also responsible for the night toothache. Food debris trapped between the teeth and the acidic substances present in the eatables also lead to the accumulation of pain in
- Improper sleeping position – Few people do not have any dental infections or the habit of bruxism but they encounter unbearable pain in a tooth when they are lying on the bed. It happens because when we lay down at an improper sleeping position, excess of blood flow towards the head. It applies extra pressure on the sensitive areas in the teeth and causes toothache.
How can you lessen the toothache at night?
Reducing or fixing the pain which hurts your teeth at night is possible with some lifestyle changes. The important thing to notify are:
- Take over the counter medications suggested by your Dentist
- Brush and floss your teeth before going to bed
- Avoid carbonated, hot or cold foods at night
If the toothache is due to the blood flow, then keeping your head in an elevated position when lay down will help you to get rid of this problem.
Natural Remedies to ease the night time tooth pain
Besides the medications and in-office treatments, certain home treatments are also applicable to minimize the toothache.
- Gargle with lukewarm saltwater – Mix one teaspoon of salt with a glass of warm water and rinse your mouth with the solution when you encounter tooth pain at night.
- Chew garlic – Take one or two garlic cloves and chew them with the aching tooth to get relief from the toothache. Chewing onion is also helpful in easing the pain in the tooth.
- Apply ice packs – Take some ice cubes and cover them with gauze. Apply the pack outside the mouth on the side where you feel pain.
- Rinse your mouth with peppermint tea – Pluck some peppermint leaves and boil them in a cup of water for 20 minutes. Allow the drink to cool. Now swish your mouth the fluid. It will numb the aching region and help to soothe the pain.
- Clove oil – Apply clove with a cotton ball on the infected tooth.
- Prepare a mixture of salt and baking soda in the ratio 1:1. Soak a cotton ball in the mixture and apply it around the infected tooth (not directly over the tooth).
If you are aware of any home remedy tips to soothe the toothache, share it with us in the comment section.
