When you get a toothache, that usually means that there’s an abscess in your gums or in your teeth. That abscess is caused by bacteria that find their way into the tooth through cavities or a tear in the gum. If you indeed have an abscess the pain you feel could be throbbing and could be felt even down to your jaw, neck, and even your ears. 

Your first instinct when you get a toothache is to find a home remedy or perhaps some medicines that you can take to ease the pain. But what you might not know is that this is a dental health problem that you can’t solve by yourself. While there are things that you can do to lessen the discomfort you are feeling, you still need to see a dentist get the right treatment and prevent it from happening again.

To help you understand dental abscesses and what you can do to find relief, Edmonton Smiles, your trusted dentist for an emergency in Edmonton, shares some information about it that you should know:

What Could Cause Dental Abscesses

There are some possible causes of a dental abscess, including:

  • Lack of proper oral care routine
  • Trauma to the mouth or face
  • Faulty dental work

What Are the Symptoms of a Dental Abscess?

People with a dental abscess may experience these symptoms. If you have any of these, make sure to set an appointment with your dentist immediately to prevent further infection:

  • Persistent pain that might be felt not just in the mouth but also around the neck, jaw, and ear areas
  • Unpleasant taste in the mouth due to the draining abscess
  • Pressure and sensitivity to touch and food
  • Swelling around the infected area
  • Fever

How to Find Relief When You Have Dental Abscess

Before trying any home remedy, you should understand that it will not address the underlying issue not will it do anything about the abscess itself. What you’ll possibly get is temporary relief from the discomfort or pain.

Here are some of the things that you can do:

Take Over-the-Counter Medicine

There are pain meds that are available over the counter that are safe and could help alleviate the pain. Just make sure that you follow the usage instruction and the dosage recommended on the package. Another important note: just because the medicine took care of the pain doesn’t mean you should not schedule an appointment with the dentist anymore. Remember that the abscess is still there and could cause that horrible pain again soon.

Apply Cold Compress

If you have an ice pack at home, you can use that to help lessen the pain you’re feeling. If you don’t have one, a bag of frozen veggies or even just a washcloth thrown in the freezer for a couple of hours would work. Just remember to apply the compress for only ten minutes at a time. This should be done hourly.

Try Antiseptic Rinses

There are antiseptic mouthwashes that are available at your local pharmacy or convenience store. If you not up for a trip to the store, though, you can do a homemade recipe for salt-water rinse. Simply dissolve two to three teaspoons of salt in warm water and use that as a mouthwash. 

Conclusion

It can’t be stressed enough that while the home remedies mentioned here could help with the pain, they wouldn’t solve the problem itself which is the abscess. No matter how religiously you do these remedies, they won’t replace the treatment that you can only get from reputable Edmonton emergency dentists. Some cases of abscesses are more serious than others, and if the pain you are feeling is excruciating and already keeps you from doing your usual activities and prevents you from getting sleep, then that requires an immediate trip to the dentist.

For dental abscesses or any other oral health problems, trust Edmonton Smiles to take care of it for you. At our clinic, you’ll get seasoned dentists in Edmonton handling your case, so you won’t have anything to worry about. Contact us today to set an appointment!

Posted in Dental News & Advice