Bedtime, Blankets… and a Toothache? Sleep-Saving Tips to Try

As you get ready to lie down in your bed and call it a night, your blanket may wrap around you, making you feel safe and warm. But then you start to feel a toothache creep up, and it keeps you awake! What can you do in this situation? If you have a troubled tooth, then you should call your dentist first thing when you wake up! In the meantime, here are some quick tips on what to do if you have a toothache during bedtime.

How You Can Get Through the Night with a Toothache

Since it’s nighttime, you unfortunately can’t head to your dentist to find relief right away. However, you don’t have to deal with discomfort throughout the night! You should get the rest you deserve, so here are some tips you can try out:

• Use an Extra Pillow: When you lie down, your blood pressure rises! It happens normally as your heart becomes in line with your body, making it easier to pump blood around your body, including your head and mouth. You may experience some extra pressure that’ll make your toothache hurt some more! Keeping your head elevated with an extra pillow can help reduce some discomfort.
• Floss Your Teeth: If you had a late-night snack, a piece of it could be stuck in between your teeth. Doing your oral care routine can help dislodge any food and, in some cases, may even fully stop the toothache!
• Rinse Your Mouth with Warm Saltwater: If you are experiencing some inflammation, then swishing warm saltwater can help lessen it and some pain. Just add a tablespoon of salt to a glass of water, rinse, and spit.
• Take Pain Relievers: To help dull out your toothache, you can even consider taking over-the-counter medications. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can reduce the discomfort for enough time to let you hit the hay.

What You Should Do in the Morning

It’s important to remember that these tips are only temporary solutions! They let you get the rest you need for a night or two, but you should schedule a visit with your dentist as soon as possible. Oral health issues cannot go away on their own, so they can get more serious and cause major complications!

While a toothache can be annoying to deal with at night, it can definitely stop you from closing your eyes and drifting off to dreamland. You deserve to get the rest you need, so hopefully one of these tips can get you through the night! Be sure to call your dentist in the morning and get a permanent fix, so you can look forward to counting sheep.

About the Author

Dr. Kevin Shively earned his dental doctorate at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry. He has dedicated his time and passion to advancing his expertise by completing an advanced externship and has taken over 600 hours of continuing education!

Dr. Shively wants you to feel confident in going to him with your oral health issues like a nagging toothache. With state-of-the-art equipment, he gets to the root of the problem and fixes it, so that it doesn’t keep you up during the night any longer. If you have dental discomfort, schedule an appointment or call us at (806) 698-8660.