Toothache at midnight: what to do before you can reach us
Dental pain has a habit of arriving at the worst possible hour. None of what follows replaces being seen, but it will get you through until we open. For ordina...
Emergencies
30 August 2026
2 min read
By Dr. Faith Wanjiru
Dental pain has a habit of arriving at the worst possible hour. None of what follows replaces being seen, but it will get you through until we open.
For ordinary toothache, take the painkiller you would normally take for a headache, at the normal dose. Ibuprofen tends to work better than paracetamol here because most dental pain is inflammatory. Never place an aspirin against the gum — it burns the tissue and does nothing for the tooth.
Rinse with warm salty water, a teaspoon in a glass. Keep your head elevated when you lie down; pain that worsens the moment you lie flat is very typical of an inflamed nerve.
If a tooth has been knocked out, handle it by the crown, never the root. Rinse it briefly in milk if it is dirty, and if you can, push it straight back into the socket and bite gently on a cloth. If you cannot, keep it in milk and come immediately — a tooth replanted within the hour has a genuinely good chance.
Swelling that spreads to the eye or the floor of the mouth, or any difficulty swallowing or breathing, is not something to wait on. That is a hospital, tonight.
For everything else, call us on the number at the top of this page. We keep slots free every day for exactly this.
For ordinary toothache, take the painkiller you would normally take for a headache, at the normal dose. Ibuprofen tends to work better than paracetamol here because most dental pain is inflammatory. Never place an aspirin against the gum — it burns the tissue and does nothing for the tooth.
Rinse with warm salty water, a teaspoon in a glass. Keep your head elevated when you lie down; pain that worsens the moment you lie flat is very typical of an inflamed nerve.
If a tooth has been knocked out, handle it by the crown, never the root. Rinse it briefly in milk if it is dirty, and if you can, push it straight back into the socket and bite gently on a cloth. If you cannot, keep it in milk and come immediately — a tooth replanted within the hour has a genuinely good chance.
Swelling that spreads to the eye or the floor of the mouth, or any difficulty swallowing or breathing, is not something to wait on. That is a hospital, tonight.
For everything else, call us on the number at the top of this page. We keep slots free every day for exactly this.
Have a question about your own teeth?
General advice is no substitute for an examination. Book a check-up and we will look at your case properly.