Tooth pain is not always an unforeseen occurrence. But, most dental injuries often happen when we least expect it. Dental pain usually involves the teeth or gingiva (gum) areas of the mouth. When pain occurs, even when it seems minor, it is usually a sign of a severe underlying problem that could worsen with time. Contact a dentist immediately for a professional examination to minimize damage to the teeth, gums, and supporting bone. But, did you know that short-term action can be taken for tooth pain until you are able to see the dentist? Knowing what to do when one occurs can mean the difference between saving and losing a tooth.

If your dental emergency involves severe tooth pain, clove oil, which contains eugenol, can be used as a pain reliever. Apply a drop with a cotton swab to relieve the pain. After a wisdom teeth extraction, a condition known as dry socket can develop. This is because nerve endings are being exposed to air. After cleaning the socket with a saline solution, place a piece of sterile gauze or cotton soaked in clove oil in the socket to lessen the tooth pain.

Analgesics such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen are also recommended to relieve tooth pain. Both are anti-inflammatory. Ice and/or heat are also frequently recommended. Your dentist can also prescribe additional medications if necessary. For any dentist emergency, comply with any instructions for follow-up care. Proper treatment often means reassessment, multiple visits, or referral to a dental specialist.

The following information explains the various ways to handle tooth pain that is associated with specific dental problems. Select the specific tooth problem and be provided with information on handling that particular emergency.

If possible, rinse and save any broken pieces. Also rinse your with warm water. If there is bleeding, place a piece of gauze to the area for about 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. If tooth pain develops as a result of swelling at the area of the broken tooth, use a cold compress to keep the swelling to a minimum. Call your dentist immediately.

Jaw - Possibly Broken

Apply cold compresses to control swelling. Immediately go a dentist or hospital emergency room.

Tooth Knocked Out

Hold the tooth by the crown and rinse off the root of the tooth in water. Do not scrub it or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, try to gently insert the tooth back into its socket. If this is not possible, place the tooth in a cup of milk or a cup of salt water (just a pinch of salt), or in a product such as Save-a-Tooth.

IMPORTANT: You must get to a dentist within 1 hour. Knocked out teeth have the highest chance of being saved if seen by a dentist and returned to their socket within 1 hour of being knocked out. REMEMBER TO TAKE THE TOOTH WITH YOU!

Objects Caught Between Teeth

If an object gets caught between your teeth, try to gently remove the object with dental floss. Never use a sharp instrument to remove any object that is stuck between your teeth. If you can’t dislodge the object using dental floss, contact a dental provider. Dental floss is one item that should always be in your family's oral hygiene cabinet. If it is not, check this page for those items considered necessary for combating oral diseases and see this page for money saving coupons to apply towards those products.

Lost Filling

As a temporary measure, stick a piece of sugarless gum into the dental cavity (sugar-filled gum will cause pain) or use an over-the-counter dental cement. See a dentist as soon as possible.

Lost Crown

If the dental crown falls off, make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as possible and bring the crown with you. If you can't get to the dentist right away and the tooth is causing pain, use a cotton swab to apply a little clove oil to the area. If at all possible, coat the inner surface of the crown with an over-the-counter dental cement or denture adhesive and place the dental crown back over the tooth. IMPORTANT: DO NOT USE SUPER GLUE!

Toothache Treatment

Rinse your mouth with warm water to clean it out. Then gently use dental floss or an interdental cleaner to remove food or other debris caught between the teeth. You can apply a little clove oil to the area to subside the pain. If your mouth is swollen, apply a cold compress to the outside of your mouth or cheek. Never put aspirin or any other painkiller against the gums near the aching tooth because it may burn the gum tissue. See your dental provider as soon as possible.

Partially Dislodged Tooth

See your dentist right away. If there is swelling or pain, apply a cold compress to the outside of the mouth at the affected area. If you need to, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol or Advil.

When teeth that have orthodontic braces move, the end of the arch wire may become displaced, causing it to poke the back of the patient's cheek. If a wire breaks or sticks out of a bracket or band and is poking the inside of your mouth and causing you severe pain, it may be necessary to carefully bend the edge of the wire. Try using a tweezer or the eraser end of a pencil to push the wire into a more comfortable position. If this cannot be done, cover the end of the wire with dental wax, a small cotton ball, or piece of gauze to cushion the protruding wire. The orthodontist must be called immediately to have it clipped, or a painful mouth ulcer may form. Do not cut the wire yourself.

Some individuals with new braces may experience problems such as allergic reaction, mouth sores, or white spot lesions.

Allergic reaction: Because of the use of latex rubber in elastics or the metal in braces, there is a slight chance of having an allergic reaction. If you believe you are allergic to your braces, it is very important to contact your orthodontist immediately.

Mouth sores: Irritation from some parts of your braces may result in mouth sores. Some products that can be used to sooth the area are oral rinses, dental wax, dental silicone - any products designed to help in the healing process.

White Spot Lesions: Because of the way braces are designed, it is difficult to effectively brush and floss the teeth to remove plaque. This increases the risk for tooth decay and a condition known as white spot lesion. White spot lesion is the result of plaque dissolving away the mineral content of a tooth’s enamel. This process changes the the tooth's mineral content and changes the appearance of tooth enamel to an opaque whitish color. When plaque accumulates around a person's braces, white spot lesions form on the area of the tooth enamel that is around the orthodontic brackets. The enamel that is underneath the orthodontic bracket is protected. So when the braces are removed, a white spot lesion outlining the original position of the orthodontic bracket is apparent, effecting the cosmetic appearance of the tooth. Additional dental work (and more money) will be needed in order to correct this problem. It is extremely important to take your time and properly clean your teeth if you where braces to avoid getting white spot lesions. The video below, provided courtesy of Fry Orthodontic Specialists, illustrates the proper way to clean your teeth if you wear braces.

An abscess is a collection of infected material (pus) resulting from bacterial infection of the center (pulp) of a tooth. It can be very painful when tissues become inflamed. Pus collects at the site of the infection and will become progressively more painful until it either ruptures and drains on its own or is drained surgically. Sometimes the infection can progress to the point where swelling threatens to block the airway, causing difficulty breathing. Dental abscesses can also make you generally ill, with nausea, vomiting, fevers, chills, and sweats. The signs of an abscess typically include, but are not limited to, cavities, gum inflammation, oral swelling, tenderness with touch, pus drainage, and sometimes difficulty fully opening your mouth or swallowing.