Can't Sleep Because of a Toothache? Here Is What to Do Tonight
It is 2 AM and your tooth is throbbing. The pain might be sharp, constant, or pulsing with your heartbeat. Either way, sleep is not happening. You are not alone. Toothaches that flare up at night are incredibly common, and there are real reasons why they tend to get worse when you lie down.
When you are upright during the day, gravity helps blood flow away from your head. When you lie flat, blood pressure in your head increases, which puts more pressure on inflamed tooth nerves. Your body also produces less cortisol (a natural anti-inflammatory) at night, which means less natural pain suppression. And then there is the fact that you have fewer distractions at night, so the pain demands your full attention.
Here is what actually helps:
Take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). This is the single best over-the-counter option for tooth pain. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory, which means it reduces the swelling around the nerve that is causing the pain. Take 400 to 600 mg with food or water. You can alternate with acetaminophen (Tylenol) 500 mg every 4 hours if the ibuprofen alone is not enough. Do not exceed the daily maximum on either bottle.
Elevate your head. Use an extra pillow or two to keep your head above your heart. This reduces blood flow to the area and can noticeably decrease throbbing pain.
Apply a cold compress. Wrap ice or a bag of frozen peas in a thin towel and hold it against the outside of your cheek near the painful tooth. 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off. Cold constricts blood vessels and reduces inflammation.
Rinse with warm salt water. Dissolve half a teaspoon of table salt in 8 ounces of warm water. Swish gently for 30 seconds and spit. Salt water reduces bacteria and can soothe inflamed gums. Do not use hot water.
Avoid certain things. Do not apply aspirin directly to the gum (it burns tissue). Do not use heat (heat increases blood flow and inflammation, making it worse). Do not drink alcohol to numb the pain (alcohol is a vasodilator and can increase swelling). Do not eat sugary foods or drinks.
What about clove oil? Clove oil contains eugenol, which is a natural anesthetic. A tiny drop on a cotton ball applied directly to the painful area can provide temporary relief. But it tastes terrible and it burns if it touches your gums, so use it carefully. It is a stopgap, not a treatment.
Here is the most important thing: if your toothache is bad enough to keep you awake, you need to see a dentist. The pain is a symptom of something that needs treatment, whether that is a deep cavity, a cracked tooth, an infection, or an abscess. Pain management gets you through the night, but it does not fix the problem.
Call 520-317-6362 first thing in the morning. We keep same-day emergency appointments available Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Tell us you were up all night with tooth pain and we will get you in as quickly as we can.