How to Help Your Child With a Toothache

If there is one thing all kids experience at one time or another, it’s a toothache. When this happens, you as a parent will want to relieve your child’s suffering. To help ease the pain of a toothache until you can get your child to their dentist in Hilliard, OH, here are some ways you can help them feel a bit better.

Warm Saltwater Rinse

If your child is old enough to swish water around in their mouth and then spit, a warm saltwater rinse can be very effective in lessening toothache pain. Once a toothache begins, reducing inflammation is important, which is where this rinse can come in handy. By mixing a teaspoon of table salt into a cup of warm water and then having your child swish and spit, they should begin to feel better.

Cold Compress

While a cup of warm saltwater can help greatly with the discomfort of a toothache, so too can a cold compress. In fact, using the two together can be a very effective one-two combination in easing toothache pain. By placing the cold compress on the outside of your child’s cheek as close as possible to the sore tooth, the blood vessels will constrict and lessen the amount of pain being felt. Whether you use a gel-style frozen compress or simply put some ice cubes in a Ziploc bag and wrap it in a towel, either method will be beneficial.

Over-the Counter Pain Relief

If you want to give your child medication to ease their toothache pain, there are many types of over-the-counter pain relief products specifically designed to help with toothache discomfort. If you are unsure about which ones to use, always ask your pharmacist for information and their recommendations. Be sure to mention that is is for your child, so you can get age-appropriate recommendations.

Even if you cannot get your child to a dentist in Hilliard, OH right away, using any of these treatment methods will give them temporary relief from toothache pain. Whether it’s the saltwater and cold compress combo, using an over-the-counter medication, or all of the above, you can help your child feel better until it’s time for their dental appointment.