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A toothache can be the cause of some of the most excruciating pain you will ever feel; we know that here at Southeast Family Dental. That’s why we suggest patients call right away when a toothache begins. We don’t want anyone to suffer through a toothache and will try to get you in as soon as possible.

That being said, we know that when a toothache comes on in the middle of the night, many people will resort to the internet for ways to relieve the pain. One of the suggestions you might see on a list of “home remedies” is to put an aspirin on the tooth.

Please don’t do it!

Putting an aspirin next to the tooth is a bad idea because aspirin contains salicylic acid, that can actually burn and damage your gum tissue. So not only will it not relieve the pain of a toothache, aspirin on your gums can cause greater damage and pain.

Think of it this way: if you had a headache, you wouldn’t rub an aspirin on your head; no, you would swallow it. An analgesic might relieve some of the pain in the interim until you can reach us to schedule a time for you to come in.

The thing about toothaches is that until you address the reason behind the pain, it is not going to “just go away.” Pain is an indicator that something is not right and the only way to really uncover the cause is to see your dentist. Toothaches can be caused by many things. Some are a simple fix such as repairing a cavity, others might require more advanced restorative care. Either way, the pain of a toothache will only be relieved when the cause is uncovered and fixed.

Emergency care

Not all toothaches are an emergency, unless there has been a traumatic experience such as knocking a tooth out, having an accident or if there is severe pain or swelling. When emergencies strike, they are treated like emergencies in our practice. We encourage anyone experiencing a dental emergency to call our main office number. The on-call doctor will promptly return your call. Emergency care is just another way you can count on Southeast Family Dental to help you take care of your teeth and oral health.

If you decide to use aspirin for a toothache, swallow it; don’t put it on your tooth or next to your gums. It just won’t do any good. In fact, you could complicate the situation or add more pain to the equation. The best course of action is to see your dentist ASAP!