Toothache while lying down

Many patients who suffer from acute toothache describe that it increases in intensity during the night and can also be perceived as a strong throbbing. It is often discussed whether this perception is just a fantasy or whether there are actually factors that explain an increase in toothache during the night. In order to answer this question, it is important to realize that pain is closely causally related to inflammatory processes within the organism.

Various inflammatory mediators are able to couple to pain receptors and thus transmit pain stimuli to the brain. Inflammatory processes in turn are promoted by a strong blood supply to the affected tissue. Toothache can actually be stronger at night than during the day.

At night, the blood flow to the head increases because the person remains in a lying position while sleeping. Gravity therefore has less influence on the distribution of blood volume within the body at night. When standing, a large part of the blood volume is located in the area of the lower extremities.

The head, on the other hand, is relatively poorly supplied with blood. At night, however, while lying down, the total blood volume is distributed completely differently. The result is an increased blood supply to the head and the structure within the oral cavity responsible for the toothache. As a result of the increased blood flow, the inflammatory processes are enhanced by the increased release of inflammation mediators and thus an increased perception of pain.

Causes of toothache

Toothache is unpleasant and is one of the most common problems in the oral cavity. There can be various reasons for the development of toothache. If the toothache persists for a long period of time, it should always be kept in mind that the annoying throbbing is a symptom of a disease in need of treatment and that a dentist must be consulted promptly

Caries,
Gingivitis
Diseases of the periodontium
Sinusitis/general cold: Especially in cases where it can be observed that the pain is intensified when bending down or bending forward, it can generally be assumed that there is no disease of the teeth.
Toothache after alcohol consumption: If the toothache occurs during the night whenever you have consumed alcohol before, the toothache may also be a delayed reaction to it.