Using Painkillers for Dental Pain

When using any kind of pain relief, it’s important to be aware of all the safety precautions, whether you’re taking over-the-counter tablets or some stronger prescription medication. It can often be difficult to deal with dental pain, particularly if you struggle to get an appointment with your dentist right away, so you might benefit from a visit to your GP, even if it’s just for advice about how best to manage your situation.

Is it safe to use painkillers for toothache?

It’s perfectly safe to use painkillers for toothache, you can purchase tablets such as Ibuprofen or Aspirin over the counter at your nearest pharmacy or local shop, and they don’t normally cost more than a few pounds. Mild to moderate toothache can be treated in this way, but you should always follow the instructions of your dentist or doctor when taking any kind of pain relief, and remember that getting rid of the pain doesn’t mean the problem has gone with it, the toothache will most likely be a symptom of an underlying issue that needs dealing with before it develops into something more serious.

Here are some things to remember when taking painkillers for toothache:

Stick to the recommended dose – This is an important rule and should always be adhered to; overdosing is easier than you think, especially with high strength prescription pills. Over-the-counter tablets come with an instruction booklet, providing you with information about dosage and what to do if you think you have taken too many, but sticking to the right dose is an easy way to avoid problems. Also, be extra careful if you have taken some prescription pills beforehand, combining the two products can be fatal and you might want to check with your dentist or GP about a safe dosage. Lastly, be wary of taking strong pain relief medication for an extended period of time, you may become addicted – something which you really want to avoid.

Choose your pain relief carefully – Different painkillers are used for different levels of pain, but there are also some health complications that could be exacerbated by certain medications, for example; you shouldn’t take Ibuprofen if you have ever had problems with stomach ulcers, or you have severe asthma. Speak to your GP about your current condition, they will be able to advise you on which painkillers are suitable and which aren’t. Age can also affect what kind of drugs can be used to relieve toothache, as most painkillers are available in a milder form for children under the age of twelve and in liquid form for infants.

Don’t take aspirin if you’re pregnant – This is quite a well-known rule among mothers and mothers-to-be; taking aspirin can affect a baby’s development at any stage, from conception to labour. Aspirin can cause heart and lung problems in the unborn child, there may be an increased risk of miscarriage, labour could be delayed, as well as several other problems. Although the extent of the effect is not fully known, it’s best to remove even the smallest risk, and avoid taking aspirin at all.

Using Painkillers for Dental Pain – As mentioned earlier, getting rid of the pain doesn’t solve the problem, so don’t rely on pain relief to help you long term. Whilst medical advances mean that modern day pain relief is a wonderful thing for those in need, it can’t produce miracles, so if you’re really suffering, you need to speak to your dentist about dealing with the problem permanently.

Can antibiotics help with toothache?

Antibiotics are designed to fight infectious bacteria that have entered the body, and although they aren’t specifically aimed at relieving the pain, the overall treatment often alleviates toothache as a side effect. If you notice any of the following symptoms, you could be in need of a course of antibiotics; tender, swollen tissue around the area causing you pain, high fever, swollen glands or feelings of nausea and dizziness. It’s important to begin dealing with the problem as soon as you notice any signs of infection, because the pain will only get worse if you ignore it, and blood poisoning can be fatal if it isn’t treated in a timely fashion.

Depending on what kind of antibiotics your physician prescribes, you may be able to combine them with painkillers, as part of your overall recovery, however, it’s essential that you speak to both your doctor and your dentist if they are providing you with any prescriptions, don’t just assume you are safe to take both medications at the same time.

 Is it ok for me to try some home remedies on my teeth?

Some people are only too happy to take whatever pain relief their dentists offer them, but if you would prefer a more natural solution, there are lots of home remedies you could try, while you wait for your dental treatment to begin. Treating toothache with home cures is experimental in nature, because there’s no guarantee that what works for someone else will work for you, so you might need to be patient and try a few different products.

Many of the ingredients in home remedies have proven cleansing properties, and some are even used in medical practice, but they are generally suited to mild toothache, rather than extreme pain that stems from major dental complications. If you have large abscesses or escalating toothache that doesn’t respond to any type of pain relief, it won’t do you any good to rub onion on it or wash it out with salt water, at the most, it will dull the pain for a short while, what you really need is medical attention. Furthermore, if you have on-going toothache that occurs after you eat or while you are sleeping, you could benefit from some natural remedies, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the underlying reason for the pain, prolonged relief comes from taking decisive action, so make an appointment with the Pearl Dental Clinic if you would like to get rid of your toothache for good.