A toothache can feel scary, especially if it starts at night or when you do not have pain relievers at home. A viral health video talks about what to do when tooth pain hits and you do not have painkillers, but it is important to be careful with dental advice online.

A toothache is not a disease by itself. It is a warning sign. It may come from something mild, like food stuck between teeth, but it can also be caused by a cavity, cracked tooth, gum problem, or infection. Mayo Clinic lists common causes of toothache such as food caught between teeth, swelling or infection near the tooth root or gums, trauma, cracked or chipped teeth, broken fillings, wisdom teeth, and even sinus infection.

First: Don’t Ignore Tooth Pain

Some minor tooth discomfort can improve on its own, especially if it comes from temporary gum irritation. But a true toothache often needs dental care. Cleveland Clinic explains that more serious toothaches may come from cavities, infection, or other dental conditions that will not get better without professional treatment.

The goal of home care is temporary relief — not curing the toothache.

What You Can Do at Home Without Painkillers

These steps may help you feel better while you arrange dental care.

1. Rinse Your Mouth With Warm Water

A warm water rinse can help clean the mouth and remove irritating debris.

The American Dental Association recommends rinsing the mouth with warm water for toothaches. Mayo Clinic also lists warm water rinsing as a self-care step until you can see a dentist.

You can try:

• Take a sip of warm water.
• Gently swish it around the painful area.
• Spit it out.
• Repeat as needed.

Do not use boiling hot water. Heat can make some tooth pain worse, especially if the tooth is sensitive or infected.

2. Gently Floss Around the Tooth

Sometimes tooth pain happens because food, plaque, or debris is stuck between teeth. Mayo Clinic recommends using dental floss to remove food bits or plaque between the teeth, and the ADA also advises gently flossing for toothaches.

Do this carefully:

• Use clean dental floss.
• Slide it gently between the teeth.
• Do not snap it hard into the gums.
• Stop if it causes bleeding or severe pain.

Do not use sharp objects, pins, toothpicks, knives, or metal tools to dig around the tooth. The ADA warns not to try to remove objects in the mouth with sharp or pointed instruments.

3. Use a Cold Compress on the Outside of the Cheek

If the toothache is related to injury, swelling, or trauma, a cold compress may help. Mayo Clinic recommends applying a cold compress to the outside of the cheek when toothache is caused by trauma. The ADA also recommends cold compresses for swelling from dental emergencies such as a cracked tooth.

Try this:

• Wrap ice or a cold pack in a towel.
• Place it on the outside of the cheek.
• Use it for short periods.
• Remove it if your skin feels too cold or painful.

Never put ice directly on the tooth or gums. Use the cold compress outside the face.

4. Avoid Foods and Drinks That Trigger Pain

Until you can see a dentist, protect the painful tooth from irritation.

Avoid:

• Very hot drinks
• Ice-cold drinks
• Sugary foods
• Sticky candy
• Hard foods like nuts or hard candy
• Crunchy chips
• Chewing on the painful side
• Acidic foods if they make sensitivity worse

This will not fix the cause, but it may reduce pain flare-ups.

5. Do Not Put Aspirin on the Tooth or Gums

This is a very important warning.

Do not place aspirin or any painkiller directly on your tooth or gums. Mayo Clinic warns that aspirin or another painkiller placed directly against the gums may burn gum tissue. The ADA also says not to put aspirin on the aching tooth or gum tissues.

Swallowing an over-the-counter pain reliever may be appropriate for some adults, but only if it is safe for you based on your health conditions and medications. If you are not sure, ask a healthcare professional.

Be Careful With Numbing Gels

Some people reach for oral numbing gels when tooth pain starts. These products may contain benzocaine.

Mayo Clinic warns that benzocaine has been linked to a rare but serious condition called methemoglobinemia, which reduces how much oxygen the blood can carry. Mayo Clinic also says not to use benzocaine products in children younger than 2 years old and not to use more than the recommended dose.

Do not overuse numbing gels, and do not use them in young children unless a healthcare professional specifically says it is safe.

When a Toothache May Be an Infection

A tooth infection or abscess can cause serious symptoms. Mayo Clinic explains that a tooth abscess is a pocket of pus caused by bacterial infection, often from an untreated cavity, injury, or prior dental work. Dentists treat abscesses by draining the infection and addressing the underlying tooth problem, sometimes with a root canal or extraction.

Possible signs of an abscess include:

• Severe, constant, throbbing tooth pain
• Pain that spreads to the jaw, neck, or ear
• Fever
• Swelling in the face, cheek, or neck
• Pain when chewing or biting
• Bad taste or foul odor in the mouth
• Swollen lymph nodes under the jaw or in the neck

An abscess will not be cured by rinses, ice, or home remedies. It needs dental treatment.

Call a Dentist If This Happens

Mayo Clinic recommends calling a dentist or doctor right away if a toothache comes with:

• Pain lasting more than a day or two
• Fever
• Swelling
• Pain when biting
• Red gums
• Foul-tasting discharge

Cleveland Clinic also advises calling a dentist if a toothache lasts longer than two days, or if there is swelling in the face or jaw, or pain when opening the mouth wide.

When to Go to the Emergency Room

Go to the emergency room right away if you have trouble breathing or swallowing. Mayo Clinic says these symptoms may mean the infection has spread deeper into the jaw, throat, neck, or other parts of the body.

Also seek urgent care if you have:

• Fever with facial swelling
• Swelling under the eye
• A lump on the jaw
• Unbearable tooth pain
• Bleeding that will not stop
• Signs that swelling is spreading

Cleveland Clinic says unbearable tooth pain with fever and chills is a dental emergency, and infection in the mouth can rarely spread to the brain or bloodstream.

Bottom Line

If you have a toothache and no painkillers, the safest temporary steps are:

• Rinse with warm water.
• Gently floss to remove trapped food.
• Use a cold compress on the outside of the cheek.
• Avoid hot, cold, hard, sticky, or sugary foods.
• Do not put aspirin directly on the tooth or gums.
• Call a dentist if the pain continues or comes with swelling, fever, or signs of infection.

Home remedies may reduce discomfort for a short time, but they do not fix cavities, cracked teeth, or infections. If tooth pain lasts more than a day or two, or if it is severe, swollen, or spreading, get dental care as soon as possible.