For severe toothache at night, take a painkiller you normally tolerate according to the leaflet, sleep with your head raised and avoid very cold, hot or sweet food. If the pain is throbbing, doesn't ease with painkillers, or comes with swelling or a fever, call a 24/7 dentist that same night. In Plovdiv, T&Co Dental has a dentist on duty around the clock.
Why does toothache get worse at night?
When you lie down, more blood flows to your head and the pressure inside an inflamed pulp (the tooth's nerve) rises. That's why pain from pulpitis or an abscess often peaks in the evening and at night. Throbbing night-time pain usually means the inflammation has reached the nerve and won't settle on its own.
What to do right away
- 1Take a painkiller you've tolerated before, exactly as the leaflet says. Don't exceed the dose.
- 2Rinse gently with lukewarm water to remove food around the tooth.
- 3Sleep with your head raised on two pillows to reduce the pressure.
- 4For swelling, hold a cold compress on the outside of the cheek for 10-15 minutes, with breaks.
- 5Avoid very cold, hot or sweet food and chewing on that side.
- 6Call the emergency number if the pain hasn't eased within an hour of the painkiller.
What not to do
- Don't put a tablet (such as aspirin) directly on the gum, it burns the tissue.
- Don't warm the cheek. Heat can spread an infection.
- Don't put alcohol, garlic or other home remedies in the tooth.
- Don't start antibiotics on your own. They don't treat an inflamed nerve and can mask the problem.
What the dentist on duty will do
At an emergency visit we first find the cause: an examination and, if needed, an on-site dental X-ray. Then we stop the pain, most often with anaesthesia and opening the tooth to release the pressure, draining an abscess or placing a temporary filling. The aim is to save the tooth, and we schedule the rest of the treatment at a time that suits you.
Frequently asked questions
Can toothache wait until morning?
If the pain eases with a painkiller and there's no swelling or fever, it can usually wait until morning, then call for an appointment. If the pain is severe, throbbing or there's swelling, don't wait, call the emergency number during the night.
Is there a dentist open at night in Plovdiv?
Yes. T&Co Dental at 34 Dame Gruev St. is a 24/7 dental clinic. The emergency line answers around the clock and the dentist on duty sees patients at night, on weekends and on public holidays.
Will the tooth have to come out?
Not necessarily. In most cases the tooth can be saved with root canal treatment. We only suggest an extraction when the tooth can't be saved, and always after explaining the options.
Related services
- Emergency Dental CareRound-the-clock help for severe pain, swelling, injuries or a broken tooth, including nights, weekends and public holidays.
- Toothache TreatmentWe find the real cause of the pain and treat it, not just mask it.
- Pulpitis & Periodontitis TreatmentWhen the tooth's nerve is inflamed or the infection has reached the root, we stop the pain and treat the cause.
This advice is general information and doesn't replace an examination. For severe pain, swelling or an injury, call our emergency number.