Question Details	Asked By	Asked On
Toothache question	jpollardsmith	01/08/07
Hello, I'm 40 and I live in Arizona. Although I generally have healthy teeth, the last few days I have woken up with generalized pain in in my left upper molars. Also I have a low income, so I can't really go immediately to a dentist whenever I experience pain. To deal with the pain in a first aid way, I took some aspirin and I was holding cold water in my mouth in the painful area until it became numb. The aspirin doesn't seem to have much effect and the cold water lasts for several minutes, but the pain keeps coming back. Do you have any other suggestions for first aid to stop pain in one's teeth? Thank you, John
Answered By		Answered On
kiara180		01/08/07
If the pain is truly in your teeth, then it would be completely irresponsible for me to recommend anything other than to see a dentist. I won't even suggest that you try toothpaste for sensitive teeth, since the pain you describe does not suggest root or dentine exposure to me - and that's what toothpaste for sensitive teeth addresses. Since you say the pain is in your upper molars and seems to bother you when you first wake up, what you might be feeling is congestion in your nasal cavities. When this occurs, it puts pressure on the roots of your upper molars and causes pain. Try taking an over the counter decongestant to see if that helps. If that doesn't work, then you need to find out if you grind your teeth at night while you're sleeping. This will cause pain, simply because of the clenching action. If either of these don't address the issue, then you need to see a dentist. I know you say you cannot afford one, but I'm certain there are social service agencies in your area that can help you with this. Good luck, ~Kiara180

Additional Options and ratings are only visible when you login!