Toothache in Mangaldai? What to do today

Right now, at home

• Rinse with warm salt water: half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water.
• Floss gently around the tooth. Food stuck under the gum can cause a lot of pain.
• Take paracetamol or ibuprofen as the packet says, if they are safe for you.
• Never hold a tablet against the gum. It burns.
• If your face is swollen, hold a cold pack on the cheek for 15 minutes at a time. Do not use heat.
• Avoid very hot, cold or sweet food, and chew on the other side.

Go to a hospital straight away if

• Swelling spreads towards the eye, under the jaw or down the neck.
• You have a fever and feel unwell.
• It is hard to swallow, breathe or open your mouth.
• Bleeding will not stop, or a blow to the face also hurt your head.

These can be signs of a spreading infection or injury. Get emergency care first, then see a dentist for the tooth.

What usually causes the pain

• Decay that has reached the nerve inside the tooth.
• A cracked or broken tooth.
• Gum infection, or food trapped under the gum.
• A wisdom tooth pushing through.
• Worn enamel that makes teeth sensitive to cold.

• Root canal treatment
• Broken or chipped tooth repair
• Scaling, cleaning and gum treatment
• Wisdom tooth removal

What happens when you come in

1. We find the cause

   The doctor examines the tooth and takes a digital X-ray if needed.

2. We numb the area

   Local anaesthesia comes first, so treatment is comfortable.

3. We start treating it

   Often the first visit takes the pain away, for example by cleaning out an infected nerve. If more sittings are needed, the doctor explains why.