Although brushing and flossing are easy and effective ways to prevent many oral issues, unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that you’ll never have a dental emergency. For instance, you might develop a sudden or severe toothache in the evening or over the weekend when your dentist’s office is closed for regular business hours.
That means you might have to struggle to sleep through the throbbing until you can contact your provider for an appointment. If you’ve noticed that the ache seems worse when you try to rest, continue reading to learn why this happens and how to reduce discomfort!
Why Does My Tooth Hurt More When I Lie Down?
There are many potential causes behind toothaches, and some are more serious than others. For instance, you might feel sensitive if you have something trapped between your teeth or have been brushing overly aggressively.
However, persistent or severe aches are often due to an underlying infection in the roots. If you’ve noticed that the pain worsens when you try to sleep, this might be the underlying culprit. When you rest your head horizontally, gravity allows blood to pool behind your already tender tooth, increasing the pressure placed on the sensitive nerves, which can exacerbate your discomfort.
How Can I Reduce Nighttime Throbbing?
Thankfully, there are several things you might try to help reduce discomfort, including:
- Rinse with salt water. You can stir about ½ tsp salt into a cup of water and stir until dissolved, then rinse the mixture around your mouth and spit it out to naturally ease irritation and disinfect your mouth.
- Try flossing. Aches can be caused by stuck food or another trapped object, which you might be able to remove by flossing gently.
- Prop your head up. You can keep your head elevated at an angle using several stacked pillows, or sleep in your favorite recliner, to prevent additional aches.
- Apply an ice pack. Holding an ice pack or cold compress to the sore side of your face can provide a temporary numbing sensation to help you fall asleep.
- Try over-the-counter medications. It’s often safe to take the recommended dosage of pain medications, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, to reduce throbbing and/or inflammation.
Hopefully, one or more of these ideas can provide some much-needed relief long enough for you to drift off to dream land. Then, when you wake up in the morning, you can contact your dentist for an appointment. Many offer same-day visits and options for sedation so you won’t have to wait long for relief once you arrive!
Meet the Author
Dr. Gabrielle Dizon (Dr. Gabby) takes pride in helping improve patients’ lives by enhancing their dental health. She earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery at the Baylor College of Dentistry, and today, she provides a comprehensive menu of services, including emergency visits and multiple types of sedation, conveniently under one roof. Her compassionate approach is combined with advanced technology to deliver more comfortable, accurate treatment results. You can request an appointment on the website or by calling (214) 646-6202.