What should you do if you have toothache at night? | Toothache at night – you should be aware of this

What should you do if you have toothache at night?

Depending on the cause of the pain and its quality, there are many different ways of remedying it.

• Cool the area and do not cover it with the warm blanket. Cold prevents the spread of the inflammation and the bacteria causing it multiply, especially in warm environments.
• Painkillers: Ibuprofen is always the remedy of choice for toothache, as it also has an anti-inflammatory effect.

  Be careful when taking Aspirin®or Thomapyrin®. Although the active ingredient acetylsalicylic acid has a good pain-relieving effect, it also dilutes the blood.

• Visit the dentist to clarify the cause
• Crunch splint: If the pain is more muscular or caused by pressing and crunching, the only lasting remedy is to wear a “crunch splint”. This splint made of plastic prevents the teeth from coming together at night and thereby relaxes the muscles and jaw joints.
• Physiotherapy: Physiotherapy can also help, with special exercises to relieve the muscles and joints and relieve tension. Physiotherapy can be prescribed by the dentist and is covered by health insurance.

Toothache at night worse/night better

Whether a toothache gets worse or better at night depends on the respective pain and its quality. In most cases the condition worsens and we feel it much more at night than during the day. This often indicates an inflammation.

The better blood circulation when lying down, as well as the increased release of inflammation mediators due to the warmth in bed, only make the inflammation signs stronger. The affected area becomes hot, swells, turns red and hurts tremendously. Often the opening of the mouth is restricted.

Toothache can also be caused by a cold and not at all by the teeth themselves. The roots of the teeth in the upper jaw are in direct contact with the maxillary sinus and if the sinus is infected by bacteria, this can radiate onto the teeth and cause severe discomfort when lying down. However, these symptoms should subside immediately after the cold is over.

If the toothache becomes less when resting, it may well be bruxism (grinding of teeth). It is also called grinding, when both jaws are unconsciously pressed together and the enamel is mechanically rubbed away by excessive force. This causes the bite to lower and the jaw joints have to adapt to the new condition.

This new condition is often not compatible with the anatomical conditions. This can lead to severe pain, which can also develop into jaw and headaches. When lying down, the muscles, which are permanently tensed by the crunching, are now relaxed and the strain is reduced.

However, this relaxed state does not last long, as many people actively process their stress and everyday events while sleeping and often grind even more while sleeping without being able to consciously control this. They wake up in the morning with strong muscle tension in the facial area combined with jaw joint and headaches.