Every individual, at one stage or the other, has either suffered or is suffering or would suffer a toothache. Toothaches are the most irritating and distressing pain one can face. The discomfort is further enhanced simply because the pain directly hits one’s brain and overtakes all other functions. Toothaches can be of varying degrees. While some have a mere dull throb, others might face a sharp and severe stabbing pain.
The distress and discomfort of such toothaches further increase when such pain aggravates during the night and disturbs one’s precious sleep. This can further spill over to the next day and prevent us from enjoying all the daily activities of any individual. Lack of sleep accompanied by the mounting pain in one’s tooth can seriously spoil a precious day. It is therefore important to research and understand ways to deal with a toothache at night.
Why Do You Get Toothache at Night?
Often toothaches become worse during the night. In fact, some people complain that their tooth hurt only during the night but not during the day. Usually, such complains is primarily because such people have a toothache only at night while they lay down. Some of the probable reasons for the same include
- Stacking of food particles in the teeth due to improper brushing or rinsing post dinner
- Cavities which is basically a hole in the tooth due to the decay of tooth. This happens because of poor oral care, or a bad diet.
- Increase in pressure due to the increased flow of blood in the head and neck region while lying down in a horizontal position. This increased flow of blood can put pressure on the sensitive areas which aggravates the sensation of a toothache thus disturbing the sleep.
- Periodontal Disease which is basically an infection of the supporting structures which surround the teeth, including gums. This happens because of the growth of bacteria in plaque. Thus, practising good oral care in order to prevent the formation of plaque can relieve such pain. Some of the symptoms of such infection include swelling, reddening, bleeding, the formation of pus, and tenderness of the gums.
- Damage of teeth where a tooth gets cracked, broken or chipped due to some trauma can cause mild to severe tooth pain depending on how bad the damage is. If you cannot see the crack then the symptoms could be pain from chewing or pain when exposed to hot or cold extremes.
- Sinusitis or Ear Infection can also cause toothaches since an immense pressure due to sinus infection develops around the area just above the molar teeth roots.
- Tooth Nerve Pain which is also known as Pulpitis which causes severe tooth pain. Pulpitis usually occurs due to tooth decay and when such infection spreads towards the outer layers of the tooth which includes the entire pulp consisting of blood vessels and nerves.
- Many people have a habit of grinding their teeth while experiencing stress throughout the day. Too much of grinding action on the tooth can lead to a toothache at night due to the strain on the jaw.
- Increase in awareness of such pain during the night while the body relaxes since during the day there are too many distractions which don’t allow focusing on the body
[Read – Broken Jaw Heal On Its Own]
How to Deal With a Toothache at Night?
Some of the Healthy Remedies in Order to Solve the Problem of a Toothache at Night Include
- Flossing: Flossing would help remove any food particle clogged or stacked inside the teeth, thus helping in preventing such toothache
- Using Salts and Baking Soda: This remedy works well in case of an abscessed tooth. It is recommended to take equal proportions of salt and baking soda and pat a cotton ball in some water prior to dipping the ball in this powder. Then the cotton ball should be placed in between the teeth and the cheek rather than directly putting it inside the tooth. This cotton ball should be kept inside the mouth overnight to get relief from a toothache.
- Using Warm Salty Water and Peroxide: This combination should be used for rinsing the mouth after having food in order to maintain oral hygiene and prevent toothache.
- Using Clove Oil: Clove Oil is very beneficial for reducing toothaches. Dipping a cotton ball in clove oil and inserting it in the tooth or applying it on the gum can help relieve pain and thus enabling the individual get some sleep at night.
- Applying a Pack of Cold Ice: Heat can make a toothache worse and therefore a cold ice pack compress by soaking a cloth in icy water and placing externally over the affected area can help the individual get some relief from a toothache at night.
- Rinsing the Mouth with Whisky: This tip might be beneficial for some people. This tip involves sipping some whisky and then spitting it out after rinsing the entire mouth before sleeping. The mouth gets clean while the pain is also relieved to some extent, thus the individual can catch on some sleep.
- Sleeping in an Elevated Position: One of the primary reasons why toothaches aggravate during the night is because of the increased pressure on the head while trying to lie down. Thus, trying an elevated position, such as by stacking two or three pillows under the neck so that the head is elevated while sleeping might limit the effect.
- Taking over the counter pain medications such as paracetamol and acetaminophen with a caution of not overdosing on such medicines.
- Avoiding cold, hot or sweet foods since that can aggravate the sensitivity of the tooth
- Using a desensitizing toothpaste and mouthwash before bed
In case of extreme pain, however, it is advised that the individual can take a painkiller and check with a dentist as soon as possible.
Medically Reviewed By
Samarpita is a dedicated freelance writer with avid experience in the space of health, she specializes in topics related to diet, nutrition, immune-related diseases, detection and prevention of diseases and taking a natural route to cure such diseases.
