Unbearable tooth pain can strike without warning, disrupting your sleep, making it impossible to eat, and affecting every aspect of your daily life. Whether it's a sharp, stabbing sensation or a constant, throbbing ache, severe toothache is one of the most distressing experiences you can face. The good news is that emergency dentist in London services are available to provide fast relief and effective treatment when you need it most.
If you're experiencing extreme dental pain, you're not alone, and help is available. This guide will help you understand what's causing your pain, what you can do immediately for relief, and when it's time to seek urgent dental care.
What Causes Unbearable Tooth Pain?
Severe tooth pain doesn't happen without reason. Understanding the underlying cause is crucial for getting the right treatment. Here are the most common causes of unbearable toothache:
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Dental Abscess
A dental abscess is a pocket of pus caused by bacterial infection. It can occur at the root of a tooth or in the gums and causes intense, throbbing pain that may radiate to your jaw, ear, or neck. Abscesses are dental emergencies that require immediate professional treatment.
Deep Decay
When a cavity penetrates deep into the tooth, reaching the pulp (the soft tissue containing nerves and blood vessels), it can cause excruciating pain. The tooth becomes extremely sensitive to hot, cold, and sweet foods, and the pain may become constant and unbearable.
Cracked or Broken Tooth
A broken tooth can expose the sensitive inner layers, including the dentine and nerve. Even a small crack can cause terrible tooth pain, especially when biting or when the tooth is exposed to temperature changes.
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When the protective layers of your tooth are worn away or damaged, the nerve inside can become exposed. This causes one of the most severe forms of dental pain — sharp, shooting sensations that can make even breathing through your mouth uncomfortable.
Gum Infection
Advanced gum disease (periodontitis) can cause significant pain, especially if an abscess forms in the gum tissue. You may experience bleeding gums with pain, swelling, and a persistent bad taste in your mouth.
Wisdom Tooth Infection
Impacted or partially erupted wisdom teeth can become infected, causing severe pain that radiates through the jaw. The area around the wisdom tooth may become swollen, tender, and difficult to clean, leading to further infection.
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Signs Your Tooth Pain Is a Dental Emergency
Not all tooth pain requires emergency treatment, but certain symptoms indicate a serious problem that needs urgent attention. Seek same-day emergency dentist care if you experience any of the following:
Intense Throbbing Pain
If you have very severe toothache that throbs in rhythm with your heartbeat and doesn't respond to painkillers, this often indicates an abscess or severe infection.
Facial Swelling
Facial swelling from tooth infection is a serious warning sign. Swelling in your cheek, jaw, or around your eye indicates that infection is spreading and requires immediate treatment.
Fever
A fever accompanying tooth pain suggests a systemic infection. Your body is fighting bacteria that have spread beyond the tooth, which can be dangerous if left untreated.
Bad Taste in Mouth
A persistent foul taste or smell, especially if accompanied by pus, indicates an active infection. This is often a sign of a dental abscess that needs draining.
Pus or Bleeding
If you notice pus oozing from your gum or around a tooth, or if you have bleeding gums that won't stop, you need emergency dental care.
Pain When Biting
Severe pain when you bite down can indicate a cracked tooth, abscess, or other structural problem that requires professional treatment.
Difficulty Opening Mouth
If swelling or pain makes it difficult to open your mouth (trismus), this suggests a serious infection that may be spreading to surrounding tissues.
What To Do Immediately for Severe Toothache Relief
While these home remedies cannot replace professional treatment, they can provide temporary relief until you can see an emergency dentist:
Rinse with Salt Water
Mix half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and rinse your mouth gently. This natural antiseptic can help reduce inflammation and cleanse the affected area. Repeat every few hours for dental pain relief at home.
Apply a Cold Compress
Place a cold compress or ice pack wrapped in a towel against your cheek for 15-20 minutes. This helps reduce swelling and numbs the area, providing temporary relief from extreme toothache.
Take Pain Relief Medicine
Over-the-counter pain relievers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can help manage tooth pain. Follow the dosage instructions carefully. If painkillers aren't working for your toothache, this is a sign you need emergency dental treatment.
Avoid Hot and Cold Foods
Stick to lukewarm, soft foods that won't trigger sensitivity. Avoid anything too hot, cold, sweet, or acidic until you receive treatment.
Keep Your Head Elevated
When lying down, prop your head up with extra pillows. This helps reduce blood flow to the affected area and can minimise throbbing pain, especially at night.
Do Not Apply Aspirin Directly to the Tooth
Never place aspirin or other pain medication directly on your gum or tooth, as this can burn the tissue and cause additional damage.
What an Emergency Dentist Can Do
When you visit an emergency dentist in London, they have several effective treatments available to stop your pain and address the underlying problem.
Pain Relief Injections
Local anaesthetic injections provide immediate pain relief by numbing the affected tooth and surrounding area. This allows the dentist to work comfortably and gives you instant relief from unbearable pain.
Drain Abscess
If you have a dental abscess, the dentist will drain the pus to relieve pressure and pain. This may involve making a small incision in the gum or drilling into the tooth to access the infection.
Root Canal Treatment
For severe infection or exposed nerves, emergency root canal treatment may be necessary. This procedure removes infected pulp, cleans the inside of the tooth, and seals it to prevent further infection — often saving a tooth that would otherwise need extraction.
Tooth Extraction
When a tooth is too damaged to save, emergency tooth extraction may be the best option. Removing the source of infection provides immediate and permanent pain relief.
Temporary Fillings
If you have a deep cavity or broken tooth, the dentist may place a temporary filling to protect the nerve and provide relief until a permanent restoration can be completed.
Antibiotics if Required
For bacterial infections, especially those causing swelling or fever, your dentist may prescribe antibiotics. However, antibiotics alone won't cure a dental infection — you'll still need treatment to remove the source.
When to Book an Emergency Dentist in London
Don't wait for the pain to become unbearable or for complications to develop. Here's when you should seek urgent dental care:
Same-Day Appointments
Many emergency dental practices in London offer same-day emergency dentist appointments for patients experiencing severe pain or dental emergencies. If you wake up with extreme dental pain, call as early as possible to secure a spot.
Out-of-Hours Dental Emergencies
Tooth pain doesn't follow a schedule. If you experience a dental emergency outside normal working hours, seek an out-of-hours dentist in London who can see you in the evening or at weekends.
Weekend Availability
Many practices now offer weekend emergency dentist services, so you don't have to suffer through the weekend waiting for Monday morning.
How Fast Treatment Prevents Complications
Acting quickly when you have severe tooth pain isn't just about comfort — it can prevent serious complications. Untreated dental infections can spread to other parts of your body, potentially causing sepsis, a life-threatening condition. Prompt treatment can save your tooth, prevent the infection from spreading, and get you back to normal life faster.
How to Prevent Severe Tooth Pain in Future
While some dental emergencies are unavoidable, many cases of unbearable tooth pain can be prevented with good oral care and regular dental visits:
Regular Check-Ups
Visit your dentist every six months for routine examinations and professional cleaning. Regular check-ups allow your dentist to spot problems early, before they become painful emergencies.
Early Cavity Treatment
Don't ignore small cavities or sensitivity. Getting a filling when decay is still minor prevents it from reaching the nerve and causing severe pain later.
Good Oral Hygiene
Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and floss once a day. This removes plaque and bacteria that cause decay and gum disease.
Avoid Biting Hard Foods
Be careful with hard foods like ice, hard sweets, and nuts. Biting down on something hard can crack a tooth, exposing the nerve and causing terrible tooth pain.
Night Guards for Grinding
If you grind your teeth at night (bruxism), ask your dentist about a custom night guard. Grinding can wear down enamel, crack teeth, and lead to severe pain over time.
Get Fast Relief from Unbearable Tooth Pain
Severe toothache can be one of the most painful experiences you'll face, but you don't have to suffer. Whether you're dealing with a dental abscess, cracked tooth, or exposed nerve, professional emergency dental care can provide fast, effective relief.
Remember: Tooth pain is your body's way of telling you something is wrong. Listen to it, take immediate steps for relief, and most importantly, get professional help. Emergency dental care is available when you need it most.