Toothaches rarely start at a convenient time. If you are waiting for an appointment, here is what the research says actually helps, and what to skip.
What works best
In 2024, the American Dental Association published a guideline on managing dental pain, including toothaches while you wait for treatment. Its central findings:
- Anti-inflammatory medicines (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen, alone or combined with acetaminophen, likely give better pain relief than opioids, with fewer side effects.
- These non-opioid medicines are the first choice for a toothache.
- Opioids should be reserved for pain the first-line medicines do not control, or for people who cannot take anti-inflammatories.
An earlier overview of systematic reviews reached the same conclusion: the combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen was most often linked to the greatest relief in adults, while combinations that included opioids were among those most often linked to side effects.
Taking them safely
These are ordinary medicines, but they are not right for everyone.
- Follow the label, and do not take more than it allows.
- Check with your pharmacist or physician first if you have stomach ulcers or bleeding problems, kidney or liver disease, heart disease, or asthma that flares with aspirin, if you take a blood thinner, or if you are pregnant.
- Keep track of acetaminophen in cold and flu products so you do not double up.
What to skip
- Leftover antibiotics. The American Dental Association recommends against antibiotics for most toothaches, even while you wait for treatment. They are needed only when the infection is affecting the whole body. See antibiotics for a tooth infection.
- Opioids left over from another procedure. The guideline reserves them for pain that first-line medicines cannot control.
Small things that help
- Chew on the other side, and avoid very hot, very cold and very sweet foods.
- If your face is swollen, a cold compress on the outside of the cheek can ease it.
When to call right away
Call the Mountain View or Saratoga office the same day if you have swelling, a tooth that throbs or keeps you up at night, or pain that medicine does not control. Go to an emergency room if swelling spreads toward your eye or down your neck, or if you have trouble swallowing or breathing.
Medicine is a bridge, not a fix
Pain relievers buy time. The cause, usually an inflamed or infected pulp inside the tooth, needs treatment. If you are in pain, call either office and say so; the team looks for the soonest opening in Mountain View or Saratoga. Read more about dental emergencies and the tooth pain guide.