Easy Ways You Can Help Relieve Wisdom Tooth Pain from Home While Waiting to See Your Dentist

When you visit Dr. Matthew Church and the team at Washington Street Dentistry in Indianapolis, Indiana, for a routine examination, X-rays could be a part of this exam. For patients in their teenage years, regular X-rays will help Dr. Church track the progress of emerging wisdom teeth, as these third molars on both top and bottom begin to erupt in your teenage years. For some, the wisdom teeth will erupt from the gums without issue. However, for many others, extracting the wisdom tooth may become necessary to prevent issues like impaction, which can result in significant discomfort.

Here are some wisdom tooth pain relief tips that can be followed to help with this pain.

Reducing Wisdom Tooth Pain at Home

If you begin to feel pain caused by incoming wisdom teeth but getting an immediate appointment is not possible, there are some remedies you can implement from home that can help with any pain you are feeling.

Numbing Gel

If, for whatever reason, you are unable to see your dentist about your wisdom teeth, you may want to give the numbing gel a chance. Dental numbing gel is readily available over the counter at your local drug or grocery store. These numbing gels contain benzocaine. This local anesthetic does a great job of temporarily numbing the area of the mouth, which is giving you issues. Run the gel onto the affected area as needed throughout your day. It is essential to read the instructions on the box to avoid any possible complications.

Ice Packs

You have likely been told that putting ice on a swollen area can help reduce inflammation, but ice packs can also numb the area it is being applied to. Simply hold the ice pack to the painful area for about 15 minutes, then remove it for 15 minutes. You will notice that this will temporarily numb the area, providing fast relief. You may repeat this cycle of “15 minutes on/15 minutes off” as often as needed.

Rinse With Saltwater

A saltwater rinse acts as a natural disinfectant. Simply mix two tablespoons of salt into a small, eight-ounce cup of water and stir until the salt has completely dissolved. You will want to rinse for as long as you can stand the taste of the saltwater before spitting it out. You can repeat this action twice or thrice daily to help with pain.

Clove Oil

Did you know that there are many common items you can buy at your local grocery store that can act as a natural anesthetic? One such substance is clove oil. Add a few drops of clove oil to a cotton ball. Take the oil-absorbed cotton swab and place it on the area of the mouth causing you pain. When the pain begins to subside, you can remove the cotton swab.

Over-The-Counter Pain Medications

And finally, of course, we have over-the-counter pain medications. Ibuprofen is particularly good as it treats pain and fights any existing inflammation. Simply take the recommended dosage to reduce existing pain.

We hope that some of these tips will come in handy if you find that you are in pain from a wisdom tooth. If you need the tooth extracted, please do not hesitate to call our office today at (317) 333-6788.

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