Dental Health Dental Conditions How to Manage Your Cavity Pain By Shawn Watson Shawn Watson Shawn Watson is an orthodontic dental assistant and writer with over 10 years of experience working in the field of dentistry. Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 05, 2023 Medically reviewed by Edmund Khoo, DDS Medically reviewed by Edmund Khoo, DDS Edmund Khoo, DDS, is board-certified in orthodontics. He teaches full-time as a clinical associate professor at his alma mater, New York University College of Dentistry, is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, and serves on advisory boards for the American Dental Education Association. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Call Your Dentist Watch What You Eat Pain Management Take Care of the Area Do you have pain from a cavity or tooth decay? It's time to see your dentist. But until your appointment, you've got to manage the pain. Decay destroys your tooth's hard enamel and dentin, the layer under the enamel. That exposes the nerves and leads to sensitivity and toothaches. This article offers quick dos and don'ts for easing cavity pain until you can get to the dentist. Do Make a dentist appointment right away Brush with warm water Try an OTC anti-inflammatory Apply oil of cloves (eugenol) Keep your mouth as clean as possible Consider a temporary filling material Don't Put off treatment—the cavity could invade the nerves Expose teeth to extreme heat or cold Eat sugary or acidic foods Put topical medication directly on tooth or gum tissue Skip brushing and flossing Call Your Dentist Before you do anything else, make a dentist appointment for as soon as possible. If they can't see you right away, ask for advice on pain relief. Be sure to tell them what medications you take. If the pain fades temporarily, don't cancel the appointment. The damage won't repair itself, so the pain is bound to return. Going to the Dentist During a Pandemic Verywell / JR Bee Watch What You Eat Avoid foods and drinks that are very cold, very hot, sugary, or acidic. When decay invades the dentin layer of teeth, it can cause pain in response to extreme temperatures. You may want to brush your teeth with warm, not cold, water. Acidic and sugary foods can worsen tooth decay. Your teeth may not be sensitive to them like with heat and cold. But they contribute to decay and increase pain. Acidic foods include: Citrus and citrus juices, especially lemonTomatoesAnything carbonatedAnything sourDried fruitsFlavored teaVinegar, including pickled foods Symptoms of Tooth Erosion Recap When you have a toothache, get a dentist appointment as soon as possible. Avoid food and drinks that are hot, cold, sugary, or acidic. They could worsen pain and tooth decay. Pain Management If your dentist says it's okay, take an over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief medication. Anti-inflammatories generally work best for dental pain. Most toothaches are caused by inflammation of tissues or nerves. OTC anti-inflammatories include: Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen)Aleve (naproxen) If you need more pain relief, Tylenol (acetaminophen) may help. It's usually safe to combine Tylenol with anti-inflammatories. (If you have concerns, ask your dentist, primary care provider, or pharmacist.) Never put topical pain relief medication directly on the tooth or gums. It can cause chemical burns. Another option is oil of cloves (eugenol). It's used in various dental materials because of its germ-killing and pain-relieving properties. You can find eugenol in most health food stores. To use it, soak a small piece of cotton. Blot the cotton on a piece of tissue to remove the excess. Using clean tweezers, hold the cotton on the painful tooth for 10 seconds. Make sure you don't swallow any of the oil. How to Use Clove Oil for a Toothache Recap To manage tooth pain, take an OTC anti-inflammatory like Advil or Aleve. If you still have pain, Tylenol may help. Eugenol is also effective for relieving pain from cavities. Take Care of the Area Don't avoid brushing or flossing the painful area. Keeping your mouth clean can help. That's because clumps of bacteria produce acid and increase pain. Try flossing between the painful teeth. Removing any food particles and plaque may help reduce pain. Some pharmacies have OTC filling material that temporarily seals the cavity. If you can identify exactly where it is, this may help alleviate pain and protect the area. Ask your dentist before you do this, though. Some of them believe sealing a painful or infected tooth may cause more pain. It may also worsen the infection by sealing in bacteria. 1:36 7 Tips for Preventing Cavities Summary When you have tooth pain from a cavity or decay: Get a dentist appointment right away. Avoid hot, cold, sugary, or acidic food and drinks. Take an OTC anti-inflammatory like Advil or Aleve. Tylenol and eugenol may help as well. Gently brush and floss to keep the area clean. Ask your dentist if OTC filling material is a good idea. A Word From Verywell Other parts of your body can heal themselves, but teeth can't. Don't cancel or delay an appointment if your pain fades. The problem that caused the pain remains. The longer you wait, the deeper the cavity will go and the more pain it may cause. You could end up needing a root canal or even a tooth extraction instead of a simple filling. The best course of action is to see your dentist and get the problem fixed. The Most Common Dental Problems 4 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Dental Association: Mouth Healthy. Erosion: What you eat and drink can impact teeth. University of Minnesota Extension Service. Pickling basics. Renton T. Dental (odontogenic) pain. Rev Pain. 2011;5(1):2-7. doi:10.1177/204946371100500102 Kumarswamy A. Multimodal management of dental pain with focus on alternative medicine: A novel herbal dental gel. Contemp Clin Dent. 2016;7(2):131-139. doi:10.4103/0976-237X.183066 Additional Reading American Dental Association: Mouth Healthy. Sensitive teeth. By Shawn Watson Shawn Watson is an orthodontic dental assistant and writer with over 10 years of experience working in the field of dentistry. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit