You’re definitely not alone if you’re experiencing wisdom tooth pain at night. It is difficult to get comfortable when you’re in pain, and it can also be tough to get a good night’s sleep. In fact, this is one of the most common times that people experience tooth pain. There are a few things that you can do to ease the pain and make it more bearable. This blog post will discuss some of the best ways to deal with wisdom tooth pain at night. We’ll also provide some tips for preventing the pain from occurring in the first place!
Why does my Wisdom Tooth Hurt?
Wisdom teeth normally push their way through the gums when a person is between the ages of 17 and 21. Most of your teeth are already in place once they erupt, so the sensation of a tooth pushing through the gums can be painful.
In addition, there is often no room for the wisdom teeth in a person’s mouth, as the adult teeth have already developed. This lack of space may cause wisdom teeth to come through at an angle or get stuck and not come through fully.
When this happens, the wisdom teeth are impacted. Having impacted wisdom teeth leaves the gums vulnerable, as the surface breaks and the teeth are not fully through. Food and bacteria can get trapped in the gums and lead to several issues, including:
gum disease
infections
abscesses
cysts
Is it Usual to have Wisdom Tooth Pain at Night?
You probably remember how much you dreaded the evenings if you’ve ever had a nagging toothache. Toothaches are bothersome any time of the day, but they’re prominently worse during the night. Why? Here are some of the reasons:
More Blood Flow
The main reason toothaches are more painful at night is our sleeping position. Laying down causes relaxed blood vessels and more blood to rush to our heads, putting extra pressure on sensitive areas, such as our mouths. We don’t feel that throbbing sensation as much during the day because we’re mostly standing or sitting.
Brain Has Fewer Distractions
At night, we are more aware of the sensations in our bodies because there are fewer distractions. We may think that our toothache is worse, but in truth, it is not—we just feel it more as we clear our minds to fall asleep.
Late-Night Meals
If you’ve eaten sweets for dinner or had a sugary midnight snack, some food particles get stuck between your third molars or gums. Because plaque thrives on sugar, forgetting to brush your teeth after a late-night meal can aggravate a toothache.
Unconscious Grinding
Some people unknowingly grind their teeth at night. They may wake up from their sleep writhing in severe pain because teeth grinding puts much stress on the jaws, teeth, and gums. This can be a severe condition and needs proper care and treatment.
What you can do with your wisdom tooth pain
Few things are more frustrating than going into bed after a hard day only to be kept awake by a throbbing toothache. You would want to sleep, but the discomfort prevents you from doing so. To make matters worse, you cannot contact your dentist because they are closed at this hour. You should see your dentist first thing in the morning, but in the meantime, try these five strategies for sleeping with a toothache.
Pain Medications
You can take store-bought pain medication as directed on the label for temporary relief. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are often the best choices for tooth pain, as they can also reduce inflammation at the site of the hurting tooth.
Cold Compress
Wrap an ice pack in a clean towel or cloth and hold it to the side of your face for about ten minutes. Then, wait ten more minutes before applying it again. Repeating this process for up to an hour can numb your pain while curbing any swelling.
Head Elevation
Try sleeping with your head propped up on several pillows. Elevating your head higher than the rest of your body will prevent blood from pooling in your head and mouth. As a result, it improves circulation, decreases swelling, and alleviates some pain.
Watch your Diet
Until you can see your dentist, avoid foods and beverages that might worsen your toothache, like those that are particularly cold, hot, or acidic. Depending on the cause of your toothache, chewing with the tooth in question can cause even more damage, so it’s best to avoid putting pressure on it for now.
Rinse your Mouth
If you have a mouthwash that contains a disinfectant (or, better yet, a numbing agent), now would be the time to use it. If you don’t, you can have wisdom tooth pain relief if you dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in an eight-ounce glass of warm water and rinse it with the solution before spitting it out. This simple home remedy works wonders for pain relief, but it also lessens inflammation and fights bacteria.
Emergency wisdom tooth extraction
Waiting to fix a wisdom tooth should never be put off. In addition to pain, it can cause some long-lasting problems. Firstly, you may find that they begin to misalign all your teeth, as the wisdom tooth pushes the delicate balance in your mouth out of line.
It can also cause damage above and below the gumline when doing this. This may require repair to teeth other than the wisdom. You could even require braces further down the line to correct teeth knocked out of place.
One of the more gruesome and very common symptoms of an ignored painful tooth is a cyst. The wisdom tooth sits in a sack, and this becomes infected. It infects the jawbone, teeth, and nerves as it fills with fluid and can manifest in serious swelling.
As they are hard to reach at the back of the jaw, cleaning wisdom teeth is tough. They can hold bits of food and bacteria that decay the tooth. This results in a myriad of problems, including tooth and gum decay. Having your wisdom teeth removed is really a must.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction Process
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth, you may need emergency dental care.
If your teeth are impacted, the oral surgeon will not be able to perform a simple extraction; they will need to perform a surgical extraction.
Depending on the practitioner, methods and processes will differ somewhat.
However, here’s what to anticipate if you need an emergency wisdom teeth extraction:
A local anaesthetic will be applied to the region around your tooth by the doctor. The entire region surrounding the tooth will be entirely numb in a few minutes. They may employ sedation or “put you under” if you have anxiety or dentophobia (fear of the dentist). This might be in the form of an IV, inhalant, or tablet.
The dentist will then use an elevator and forceps to enlarge the tooth socket by applying pressure on the tooth from numerous angles. Next, they will use forceps to grip the tooth and rock it back and forth. To separate the tooth from the ligaments, they may rotate it. To seal the incision, the dentist may use one or two stitches.
What you should expect after the procedure
You will gradually regain feeling after the surgery as the anesthesia wears off. This is the most excruciating phase of the process. However, it is readily treated with over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers. Antibiotics may be prescribed to prevent infection.
You should expect discomfort, swelling, and bleeding from your incisions in the days following your surgery. Pain is usually mild to moderate and very rarely severe. Blood clots at the extraction site may get agitated or rupture. Symptoms usually last three to four days but can persist for up to a week. If they persist for more than a week, make an appointment with your dentist immediately soon.
Why having an Emergency Dentist On Call is important.
Every time you put aside seeking dental treatment for a toothache or damage, complications can happen. It is important that we look for an immediate dental solution so complex situations can be minimised even at the slightest sign of a dental problem. Contact Emergency Dentist Brisbane at (07) 3132 3803 to know more.
Knowing that the dental clinic nearest you offers dental emergency services is a relief and an assurance in itself that your dental needs are covered any time of the day. Calling the dentist at Emergency Dentist Brisbane as soon as the dental situation arises is the key to preserving and keeping your teeth intact.
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