As you likely know, typical toothaches are unpleasant and annoying. They often interfere with daily tasks and ruin your mood. That said, there are more terrible types to have. Your toothache could get worse at night. In that case, even your sleep routine will be disrupted. Luckily, your local Cary dentist has some remedies at the ready. Here are the reasons a toothache might worsen at night and how to deal with the problem.
Why Does a Toothache Worsen at Night?
It may seem random for a toothache to worsen at night, but various factors can cause this issue. These include the following:
You’re Lying Down
Yes, you heard that right. Simply lying down can indeed aggravate tooth pain. As for why, the explanation is simple; it all boils down to pressure.
You see, lying in bed levels your head with your heart, lungs, and limbs. This leveling, in turn, shifts your blood flow and pressure toward your face. As a result, an extra force can press on your mouth and trigger sensitive areas to hurt more than usual.
You’re Eating Late-Night Snacks
It’s common enough to have late-night, sugary snacks sometimes. However, this eating habit could worsen your toothache.
Remember, sugar attracts harmful oral bacteria. Those microbes will then eat the carbs and produce cavity-causing acids. The resulting tooth decay can then be painful.
You’re Grinding Your Teeth
While you may not know it, perhaps you’re grinding your teeth at night. If so, this action may upset your toothache.
Put simply, teeth grinding can irritate sensitive areas. You’d then suffer pain that radiates from your pearly whites to your forehead.
You’re Less Distracted
You’re usually in a quiet environment when trying to sleep. Far from calming you, though, this setting may make a toothache feel more intense.
The problem is that bedtime offers few distractions. After all, it consists of you quietly waiting to fall asleep. Consequently, your mind can start focusing on your toothache and its irritation.
What Can You Do About It?
Besides dental care, there are various home remedies for nightly toothaches. Common ones are:
- Prop Your Head – To reduce blood flow to your face, prop your head up with a couple of extra pillows.
- Take Over-the-Counter Medicine – A pain-killer like ibuprofen will surely dull your ache. Similarly, a decongestant could reduce sinus pressure acting on your mouth.
- Get a Night Guard – A night guard would stop you from grinding your teeth. That way, your achy tooth won’t feel even worse.
You don’t have to let your toothache get worse at night. Instead, keep the tips above in mind and consider visiting your dentist!
About the Practice
Cary Dental Rejuvenation is based in Cary, NC. Led by Dr. Bikram Singh, our practice has the tools to handle every dental service in-house. To that end, our team performs preventive, cosmetic, and restorative services, as well as emergency dental procedures. The result is that we offer everything from dental checkups to Invisalign clear braces. For more information or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (919)-460-5454.