Toothaches are among the most dreadful pains of everyday life. They are sometimes consecutive to the fitting of dental implants , a bone graft , the removal of a tooth or any other surgical procedure. Other times, they occur after a shock or dental trauma. They can also be caused by a dental condition (caries, abscess, pulpitis), or by dental hypersensitivity related to lifestyle and eating habits.
Fortunately, taking painkillers will relieve you. And while waiting for a prescription or the opening time of the pharmacy, you can perform a few simple actions to try to calm the pain.
Remedies that relieve
After an intervention, the pain is anticipated by the dental surgeon. A prescription for analgesics is issued to you (which may also provide for the taking of antibiotics to prevent post-operative infections).
Things get tough when the pain appears unexpectedly. You may not have the medications you need on hand. If the situation is characterized by urgency, do not wait. Seek immediate medical attention. Otherwise, performing the following actions can help you wait until the opening of the pharmacy or until the appointment.
Brush the aching tooth(s) using a soft-bristled toothbrush and sensitive toothpaste (apply a generous amount!). Practice a mouthwash to prevent bacteria from proliferating.
You can use the clove (if you have any), immersed in boiling water . Practicing your mouthwash with this water can reduce pain, clove being known for its anesthetic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. For a more direct action, you can also massage your gums with cloves near the painful area, or even bite into it. Clove is also used in essential oil: apply a few drops near the painful area with a cotton ball. If you don’t have one but you still have a nice oil cabinet, you can do the same with essential oil of lavender or peppermint.
Or if you are not equipped with essential oils, simply apply ice against the cheek, on the other side of the painful tooth.
The use of analgesics
Once in consultation, the dentist will assess your pain to prescribe the medication best suited to your situation.
Pain is sometimes assessed using a paper ruler. You will have to quantify the intensity on a scale ranging from 1 to 10. The fact of using a visual sometimes takes distance from your pain and allows you to measure it with more hindsight. For children, the ruler often displays faces expressing more or less violent feelings.
The practitioner then establishes his prescription taking into account the intensity of the pain, but also your profile: terrain, history, age, etc. He can also refer to the recommendations of the High Authority for Health (Has), which are as follows:
For low pain: prescription paracetamol. Dosage adapted to the weight and age of the patient, but always limited to 4g per day.
For moderate to severe pain: prescription of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), or tramadol, or paracetamol+tramadol, or paracetamol+codeine
In case of persistent pain (not relieved by previous protocols), prescription of NSAIDs+tramadol or NSAIDs+codeine paracetamol. In some cases, possibility of prescribing an opioid. Warning: investigations must be carried out in parallel with the treatment in order to determine the causes of these persistent pains.
