A tooth that behaves itself all day can become impossible to ignore once the house goes quiet. Severe toothache at night is miserable, and it often leaves people tired, worried and unsure whether to wait until morning. The pain can come from several causes, from decay to a cracked tooth or an infection, and only an examination can confirm which. Home measures may take the edge off, but they do not treat whatever is causing the problem.
This guide explains why tooth pain can feel worse after dark, what you can safely do in the meantime and which symptoms need prompt help. If you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling that is spreading quickly across your face or neck, call 999 or go to A&E. Otherwise, Great Bookham Dental Practice can talk through your symptoms and check appointment availability.
Severe toothache that is keeping you awake?
Contact Great Bookham Dental Practice to discuss your symptoms and ask about urgent appointment availability.
Call Great Bookham Dental Practice on 01372 454 355 | Book your appointment online
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm. Saturday, 10am to 2pm. Closed Sunday and bank holidays. Appointments subject to availability.
Quick answer: For severe toothache at night, rinse gently with warm water, keep food out of the area, avoid very hot, cold or sweet things and take over-the-counter pain relief as the packet directs. This only eases symptoms. Contact a dentist as soon as you can, because the cause needs to be examined.
Why Does Toothache Get Worse at Night?
Many people find tooth pain seems louder in the evening. There is rarely one single reason, and night-time pain does not automatically mean infection. Common explanations include:
- Lying down. When you are flat, more blood may flow towards your head, and some people feel extra pressure or throbbing in a tooth that is already inflamed.
- Inflammation inside the tooth. The pulp is the soft centre of the tooth, containing nerves and blood vessels. When it is irritated, pain can be persistent or throbbing.
- An underlying problem. Tooth decay, a damaged filling, a crack or an infection can all cause symptoms.
- Fewer distractions. In a quiet, dark room there is little else to focus on, and a poor night’s sleep can make pain feel harder to cope with the next day.
Throbbing tooth pain at night, or toothache when lying down, is a reason to have the tooth checked rather than a diagnosis in itself. Only an examination, sometimes with an X-ray, can establish what is causing it.
What Can You Do for Severe Toothache at Night?
These steps may ease discomfort while you arrange an appointment. They are temporary and do not treat the cause.
- Rinse your mouth gently with warm (not hot) water to clear away food and debris.
- If food is trapped between your teeth, ease it out with floss or an interdental brush. Do not force it.
- Avoid very hot, cold or sweet food and drink if they set the pain off.
- Choose soft foods and chew on the opposite side of your mouth.
- If suitable for you, take over-the-counter pain relief according to the packet instructions. Ask a pharmacist if you are unsure what is safe, for example if you are pregnant, take other medicines or have a long-term health condition.
- Try an extra pillow. Some people find the pain feels easier with their head slightly raised.
What not to do
- Do not place aspirin directly on the tooth or gum, as it can irritate or burn the soft tissue.
- Do not apply household chemicals to the area.
- Do not take leftover antibiotics. They may be the wrong type, and they do not remove the source of dental pain.
When Is Toothache a Dental Emergency?
Not all dental pain is an emergency, but some symptoms mean you should seek advice promptly rather than wait for it to settle. Contact a dentist as soon as you can if you have:
- severe, persistent or worsening pain
- pain that stops you sleeping or doing normal activities
- swelling of the gum or face
- a fever, or you feel generally unwell
- pain when biting, or a tooth that looks cracked, broken or damaged
When to seek emergency medical help
Call 999 or go to A&E if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling that is spreading rapidly across your face, neck or towards your eye, bleeding you cannot control, or a serious injury to your head or face. These are not situations to leave until a dental practice opens.
If the practice is closed and you are unsure how urgent your symptoms are, NHS 111 online can give urgent advice.
Pain getting worse? Do not rely on temporary relief alone.
Call Great Bookham Dental Practice on 01372 454 355 to discuss your symptoms and ask about urgent appointment availability.
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm. Saturday, 10am to 2pm. Closed Sunday and bank holidays. Appointments subject to availability.
What Might Be Causing Your Toothache?
Several problems can cause severe tooth pain, and their symptoms often overlap, so it is not possible to know which applies to you from symptoms alone.
- Tooth decay. Sensitivity to sweet, hot or cold things, sometimes with a visible hole or dark patch. Pain can begin as brief twinges and become more constant.
- An inflamed or infected pulp. Throbbing pain, pain that lingers after hot or cold, or pain that wakes you. Some cases need root canal treatment.
- A cracked tooth. Sharp pain when you bite or release the bite, or sensitivity that is hard to pinpoint.
- A damaged or lost filling. New sensitivity, a rough edge or food catching in a gap.
- Gum problems or infection around a tooth. Tender, swollen or bleeding gums, a bad taste or pain on biting.
If your symptoms are severe, our guide to emergency dental care in Great Bookham explains what to expect.
How Can a Dentist Treat Severe Toothache?
The dentist will ask about your symptoms and examine the tooth and surrounding gum. An X-ray is often needed to see what is happening beneath the surface. Treatment depends on the findings and may include:
- A filling where decay or damage is limited. White composite fillings start from £180.
- Root canal treatment where the pulp is inflamed or infected and the tooth can be saved. Root canal treatment starts from £500.
- A crown to protect and restore a heavily damaged tooth, from £900.
- Removal of the tooth if it cannot be restored. Tooth extraction starts from £200, and complex or surgical extractions from £475.
These are starting prices, not a total cost. An examination (£75 for a new adult patient) and an intra-oral X-ray (£25) are charged separately, and extra treatment may cost more. Your dentist will explain your options and costs before you decide, and you can see current prices in our fee guide. No particular treatment can be promised in advance, and what can be done on the day depends on the examination findings and appointment availability.
How to Get Urgent Dental Help in Great Bookham
Great Bookham Dental Practice is at 1 The Garstons, Great Bookham, Surrey, KT23 3DT. If you are looking for an [emergency dentist in Great Bookham]([PILLAR PAGE URL]), call during opening hours, describe your symptoms and confirm availability before you travel, especially if you are coming from Effingham or Leatherhead.
When you call, it helps to say where the pain is, how long you have had it, whether there is swelling or a fever and what you have taken for the pain.
- Phone: 01372 454 355
- Online: Book your appointment online
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm. Saturday, 10am to 2pm. Closed Sunday and bank holidays. Appointments subject to availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lying down may increase the sense of pressure in an inflamed tooth, and a quiet room leaves little to distract you from the pain. Night-time pain does not always mean infection. An examination is the only way to find the cause.
Rinse gently with warm water, keep food out of the area, avoid hot, cold or sweet triggers and eat soft foods. If suitable, use over-the-counter pain relief according to the packet instructions. These steps are temporary and do not treat the cause.
If you have no emergency warning signs, you can usually use the safe measures above overnight and contact the practice when it opens. If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, or fast-spreading facial or neck swelling, call 999 or go to A&E. NHS 111 online can advise if you are unsure out of hours.
Pain sometimes eases, but that does not mean the cause has gone. Decay, cracks and infections usually need professional assessment, and the pain can return, often at a worse time.
Any swelling with toothache should be assessed promptly by a dentist. It becomes an emergency if the swelling spreads rapidly, or you have difficulty breathing or swallowing. In that case, call 999 or go to A&E.
You can call the practice during opening hours, describe your symptoms and ask about urgent appointment availability. Appointments are subject to availability, so it cannot be promised in advance. Calling before you travel lets the team confirm what is possible.
Final Thoughts
Severe toothache at night is hard to cope with, but you do not have to manage it alone. Safe measures can ease the pain for now, and an examination is how you find out what is causing it and what can be done. Watch for the warning signs, seek emergency medical help if they appear and otherwise contact a dentist as soon as you can.
Call Great Bookham Dental Practice on 01372 454 355 | Book your appointment online
Great Bookham Dental Practice, 1 The Garstons, Great Bookham, Surrey, KT23 3DT.
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm. Saturday, 10am to 2pm. Closed Sunday and bank holidays. Appointments subject to availability.
