Toothache in pregnancy

Having a toothache in pregnancy is not something that most pregnant women want to deal with. Being pregnant is painful and tiring all on it’s on without any added inconveniences or illnesses. However, like any other type of sickness a toothache in pregnancy isn’t really that uncommon and should be treated as soon as possible. Many women choose to ignore the fact that they have a toothache and will not go to the dentist because they think it can hurt their unborn baby.

Unfortunately if not treated and depending on what is causing the toothache in pregnancy it can be dangerous if not treated right away. It can be even more dangerous if you have some type of infection or if the tooth has become impacted or abscessed. The best way to deal with a toothache in pregnancy is to be seen by your dentist as soon as possible. If that is not possible there are a few things that you can do from home to treat the pain until you are able to make an appointment.

The first thing that you will want to do is to attempt what caused the pain. Were you eating something hot or cold when your tooth starting hurting? If so it may be a good idea to stop eating or drinking immediately. Often one of two things happens when food or drinks are available. It could have been that the hotness or coldness from your food hit a nerve causing the pain. Or it’s possible that if you were eating something sharp that it hit a nerve or broke off digging itself into the tooth causing the severe pain that you are feeling. A toothache in pregnancy may be helped by gurgling salt water around in your mouth for a few minutes and then spit it out. This will not only help the pain but will help to wash away any particles that may be stuck in your teeth.

Apply pressure with a cold compress may also help to relive the pain from a toothache in pregnancy. You should gently apply pressure to the affected area by lying down on the opposite side of the area that hurts and placing the compress on the area and then placing your hand on top of it. The cold will act as a numbing affect. You should try this on and off for about an hour and if it does not help then try a warm compress instead of a cold one.

If you have a pharmacy close by you may consider sending someone out to pick you up some type of toothache medicine. Most over the counter toothache medications are safe and can be purchased either in a gel or liquid form. Either can be applied by using your fingertip, a q-tip or cotton ball. Unless the pain is severe this will usually give you fast acting relief but will only last for a short period of time. Avoid using too much of the medication because it can make you nauseas.

There are pain medications such as aspirin that may also help with the pain as well but should be discussed with your doctor before you use any type of pain medication.