How to Relieve Toothache at Night and Get More Sleep? 7 Expert’s Advice

Toothache hurts like hell. But it gets even worse at night. You won’t have any distractions to stop you from thinking about the throbbing pain in the gums. 

It feels like the toothache has increased multifold from day to night. Moreover, you don’t have the advantage of rushing to a doctor at that time. 

So how can you find relief from toothache and get some sleep at night? Is there a way to deal with the pain until the next morning? The answer is yes. 

You can reduce toothache to a great extent and have a decent sleep. And for that decent sleep in toothache, you can apply some of the best sleep positions to reduce toothache. But, first, let’s find out the causes, and then we will discuss how to achieve that sleep during toothache. 

Causes of Toothache 

A person of any age can suffer toothache (if they have teeth). The most effective way of preventing this is by regularly taking care of your oral health and routinely visiting a dental clinic. The following are some common reasons for toothache, especially at night. 

• Gum disease 
• Tooth decay/ infection 
• Food stuck between teeth 
• Sinus infection 
• Injury to the mouth 
• Loss of tooth filling 
• Grinding teeth during sleep
• Wisdom tooth
• Trauma 
• Additional blood flow to the head 
• Food with sugary/ acidic/ starchy components 
• Excessive/ rough nighttime brushing 

No matter the reason, you need to find temporary relief from pain to fall asleep. We use the word temporary because you should not ignore a toothache. Consult a dentist for proper diagnoses and treatment.

What is best for the dental profession and its members, but the more critical issue is what is best for the patients. In 2008, 71.2% of adults had seen a dentist or visited a dental clinic in the previous 12 months.  An introduction of primary health care activities in the dental office can positively impact the overall health, not just the oral health, of dental patients. This can occur regardless of the name used to describe the providers of dental care.

How to Relieve Toothache at Night? 

Below are some sure-shot ways to deal with a toothache at night.

• Use Cloves

Cloves are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. The spice has been used as a home remedy to reduce toothache for years. There are different ways to use clove on the affected area. 

• Make a paste with ground cloves and water. Apply to the tooth that hurts. 
• Suck on a whole clove for a couple of minutes and place it where you have pain for another twenty minutes. 
• Add a drop of clove oil on a Q-tip and gently apply it to the affected area in your mouth.  
• Grind a few whole cloves into a powder and mix it with a small amount of olive oil to create a paste. Apply the paste directly to the affected tooth and surrounding gums. Remember that the compounds in cloves, including eugenol, have natural pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties.
• You can also place a whole clove directly on the affected tooth

Don’t follow all the above methods. Pick the most convenient one. For example, clove oil is a better choice when kids have a toothache. However, it’s worth noting that cloves and clove oil should be used with caution, as they can cause skin irritation, allergies, and oral irritation when used in excess. Remember not to fall asleep with a clove in your mouth. 

• Elevate the Head 

This is the easiest remedy. You don’t have to get up from the bed. Just grab another pillow to elevate your head when sleeping. 

This will reduce the blood flow towards the head and ease pressure on the swollen gums. Make sure not to elevate it too much, or you might end up with neck/ shoulder pain. 

What if you can’t sleep with more pillows? Try a wedge pillow. Another solution is to elevate the bed itself. Place a couple of books (grab that directory or encyclopedia) and stack it under the foot of the headboard.

• Use Peppermint 

Peppermint has antibacterial properties and can create a cooling effect to soothe toothache. Drink a large sip of peppermint tea and swish it in your mouth. 

Do it a few times and drink the remaining tea. You can also place a warm/ cold peppermint tea bag on the affected area to get relief from pain.

Another way to use peppermint is to crush a few peppermint leaves and place them directly on the affected tooth or apply peppermint oil on a cotton ball and place them on the tooth.

• Cold/ Hot Compress 

Notably, you can use a cold or hot compress to relieve toothache pain. A cold compress can help to numb the pain and reduce inflammation by constricting blood vessels, while applying a hot compress can improve blood flow and lessen discomfort.

Cold compress works for some while hot compress provides better relief to others. Hold the compress against the cheek where it hurts in your mouth. If using a bag of frozen peas, wrap it in a towel before pressing it against the cheek.

You can also wrap a few ice cubes in a clean cloth or use a cold pack explicitly made for teeth and apply it to the affected area for about 15 minutes. You can repeat this procedure as necessary.

Let it numb the affected area to provide relief. That said, don’t apply cold/ hot compress for more than twenty minutes. Reduce the time to ten minutes for kids. 

• Warm Water and Salt 

Take a cup of warm water and add salt until it no longer dissolves. Swish the water in your mouth and hold it for a couple of minutes (target the affected area). Spit it out and repeat. Rinse your mouth with plain water and go to bed. The antibacterial properties of salt can provide relief from toothache and dislodge any remaining food particles stuck between the teeth. 

You can follow a similar swish and rinse method with food-grade hydrogen peroxide. Be careful not to swallow it, and never use hydrogen peroxide for kids. 

• Topical Ointments/ Gels 

Topical gels with antibacterial components can relieve toothache. Have one handy at home for emergency situations. Wash your hands thoroughly and apply a bit of gel to the affected area. Follow the instructions on the tube. However, topical gels are not recommended for children unless specially prescribed by the dentist. 

• Garlic 

Fresh garlic has allicin with antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Place the garlic on the affected area or crush it with salt and apply it to the targeted region. Be prepared for garlic breath, though. 

Final Words 

Make sure to book an appointment with the dentist the next day. Delaying it can cause further damage to your teeth and gums. Oral hygiene is vital for your health.