# My Tooth is Killing Me! Pain Relief Tips? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 12, 2017, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443 "2017-05-12T12:56:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/21 "2017-05-13T01:45:14Z")
Dentist here. Of course the answer is that it depends on the cause. Oil of cloves, as others have recommended. Works best on cracked teeth or exposed nerves. Orajel is for soft tissue things like trauma to gums or ulcerations. If there is swelling apply heat. Just general pain, three advil every six hours and two Tylenol every six hours. Can do together but alternating every three hours works much better for a lot of folks. Advil, three hours later Tylenol, three hours later Advil etc. Best thing of course is to try to get in sooner. ---
**Author:** ![Graymalkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@Graymalkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Graymalkin)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/22 "2017-05-14T02:35:18Z")
You should always keep left over hydrocodone from previous dental operations. I always have some left over, and I keep it for the situation described by OP. it stays “good” for years. I know that keeping pain relievers around is a mortal sin in the eyes of the many goody-goodies on this board (all of whom I love dearly), but their you have it! ---
**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/23 "2017-05-14T09:41:45Z")
If you go to an ER they will tell you to take 800mg of ibuprofen every six hours and you can add to it, in between, 1000mg of acetaminophen, every eight hours. That’s what they told me when I had a bad toothache. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/24 "2017-05-14T12:00:01Z")
I had a tooth that needed a root canal, and it snuck up on me, so suddenly I started having terrible pain not just in the tooth, but in the jaw. I took Tylenol and ibuprofen alternately, and it kept the pain entirely under control until I could see the dentist. My teeth had the bad timing to do this to me on Rosh Hashanah, so I spent the second day at the dentist (allowed, since an infection in the jaw can be very serious). I had the root canal done the day before Yom Kippur. The doctor gave me some tramadol to throw into the mix. I could still take the other pain killers too, and she wrote out a schedule of max doses and times, if I needed them. Also gave me an antibiotic. None or this resolved the problem-- I needed the root canal-- but it all kept the pain away. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2017, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/25 "2017-05-14T14:54:58Z")
What worked for me in a similar situation was a combination of brushing my teeth, or at least rinsing my mouth with water every time I ate or drank anything, and excessive use of antiseptic mouthwash. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2017, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/26 "2017-05-15T02:42:39Z")
Tylenol had always worked for me. I’m a chronic pain patient and take morphine everyday. The morphine wouldn’t touch the tooth pain, but Tylenol worked surprisingly well. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/27 "2017-05-15T14:23:27Z")
Have you seen the dentist yet? Make sure she knows how much pain you are in. I would have though most dentists would see you on an emergency basis for pain like that. I’m certainly willing to have my tooth-cleaning delayed a bit if it means my dentist is available RIGHT NOW for a true emergency. ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/28 "2017-05-15T21:55:32Z")
> [@obbn](#): > > Tylenol had always worked for me. I’m a chronic pain patient and take morphine everyday. The morphine wouldn’t touch the tooth pain, but Tylenol worked surprisingly well Wow, thats really weird. Is it because you’re tolerant to morphine now?? . ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/29 "2017-05-16T04:14:33Z")
> [@Esco](#): > > Wow, thats really weird. Is it because you’re tolerant to morphine now?? > . No, the morphine still works on my back pain (although the amount increases as I become tolerant). It just seems that morphine had zero effect on pain caused by a tooth in need of a root canal. Tylenol however, seems to knock the pain right out. On the other hand, Tylenol is useless on my back pain. ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/30 "2017-05-16T13:34:38Z")
> [@](#): > I take kratom whenever my lower back pain acts up. Stuff works great! Its cheaper than pain meds. It can be slightly addictive, but then so are pain pills. You also cant OD on kratom and has almost no side-effects . ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/31 "2017-05-16T14:34:54Z")
> [@Esco](#): > > I take kratom whenever my lower back pain acts up. Stuff works great! > Its cheaper than pain meds. It can be slightly addictive, but then so are pain pills. > > You also cant OD on kratom and has almost no side-effects > > . Yeah, no. There’s so much misinformation here it makes my head spin. Kratom is addictive, full stop. It works in the same fashion as other opiates, and regular use can lead to psychological addiction in around a month and physical addiction in less than six months - bad for chronic pain sufferers. Possible side effects run the regular gamut, from nausea, sweating, and itching, to delusions, hallucinations, psychotic episodes, and respiratory depression (AKA heroin-overdose dead). There haven’t been a large number of overdoses reported, because it’s a fairly new drug. Still, cases have been growing quickly. As to the OP, I found relief in Orajel. Heat for swelling can be helpful too. ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/32 "2017-05-16T18:57:16Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > Yeah, no. There’s so much misinformation here it makes my head spin. Kratom is addictive, full stop. It works in the same fashion as other opiates, and regular use can lead to psychological addiction in around a month and physical addiction in less than six months - bad for chronic pain sufferers. > > Possible side effects run the regular gamut, from nausea, sweating, and itching, to delusions, hallucinations, psychotic episodes, and respiratory depression (AKA heroin-overdose dead). > > There haven’t been a large number of overdoses reported, because it’s a fairly new drug. Still, cases have been growing quickly You’re entitled to your opinion, but I’ve been taking kratom on and off for the last 5 years now (I even went a 2-month stretch when I had a herniated disk) and withdrawal symptoms are easily manageable by taking a few supplements. WD only lasts for 4 days, and there have been no known deaths AFAIK ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/33 "2017-05-16T19:02:27Z")
> [@Esco](#): > > You’re entitled to your opinion, but I’ve been taking kratom on and off for the last 5 years now (I even went a 2-month stretch when I had a herniated disk) and\*\* withdrawal symptoms\*\* are easily manageable by taking a few supplements. > > WD only lasts for 4 days, and there have been no known deaths AFAIK That right there is a clue. if you don’t even know if it causes death, don’t recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/34 "2017-05-16T20:07:28Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > That right there is a clue. > > if you don’t even know if it causes death, don’t recommend it No, it means there have been ZERO deaths attributed to kratom (directly). Tylenol on the other hand (458 deaths): [Google](https://www.google.ca/webhp?as_q=&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&safe=images&as_filetype=&as_rights=#as_qdr=all&q=acetaminophen+deaths+per+year) Now I’m not saying people should stop tylenol because its a great pain-killer, but to suggest kratom causes deaths is laughable at best . ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/35 "2017-05-16T20:16:05Z")
[Denver family warns others about dangers of legal herbal stimulant](http://kdvr.com/2014/03/01/denver-family-warns-others-about-dangers-of-legal-herbal-stimulant/) [State Crime Lab Says Kratom Linked to 3 Deaths in Arkansas](http://www.nwahomepage.com/news/state-crime-lab-says-kratom-linked-to-3-deaths-in-arkansas) [Kratom Is A Drug By Any Measure – Treat It Like One](http://www.acsh.org/news/2016/09/29/kratom-drug-any-measure-treat-it-one-10229) > [@](#): > > It’s not a harmless analgesic, as the surge in calls to poison control centers have shown. Kratom is a drug that has been directly linked to psychosis, seizures, and deaths. In July, seven months after our indictment of this drug came out, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that from 2010 to 2015 calls to U.S. poison centers related to kratom increased 1,000 percent. Major life threatening instances occurred in over 7 percent of cases. ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/36 "2017-05-16T20:27:44Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [State Crime Lab Says Kratom Linked to 3 Deaths in Arkansas](http://www.nwahomepage.com/news/state-crime-lab-says-kratom-linked-to-3-deaths-in-arkansas) Were these 3 deaths directly related to kratom, or did they die of other causes and kratom just happened to be in their system?? No offence or anything coach, but your post reminds me of reefer madness . ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/37 "2017-05-16T20:41:30Z")
> [@Esco](#): > > Were these 3 deaths directly related to kratom, or did they die of other causes and kratom just happened to be in their system?? > > No offence or anything coach, but your post reminds me of reefer madness > > . If you’re going to recommend an unregulated “supplement”, you have the responsibility to educate yourself on known or possible side effects. The fact that you experience withdrawal when stopping kratom should tell you it’s not an innocuous herb. For your information, I’m in favor of marijuana legalization. I’m also aware of the adverse effects of marijuana, that it has the potential of harm. ---
**Author:** ![Esco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de053/32.png) [@Esco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esco)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443/38 "2017-05-16T21:13:52Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > If you’re going to recommend an unregulated “supplement”, you have the responsibility to educate yourself on known or possible side effects. > > The fact that you experience withdrawal when stopping kratom should tell you it’s not an innocuous herb. > > For your information, I’m in favor of marijuana legalization. I’m also aware of the adverse effects of marijuana, that it has the potential of harm Agreed, but caffeine also has nasty WD symptoms, so where do we draw the line?? I would rate kratom WD’s about the same level as caffeine, only slightly more lengthy. So again, who’s to say which WD is worse, and which “drug” should be more tightly controlled?? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-tooth-is-killing-me-pain-relief-tips/786443.md?page=1)