Hurting right now? Let's calm it first, then look at it.

This page is short on purpose: what to do at home right now, what not to do, and when it shouldn't wait until morning.

Calm it now

1
Rinse with warm salt water (half a teaspoon in a glass), and repeat every few hours. It cleans and soothes the gum.
2
A cold compress on the outside of the cheek: fifteen minutes on, fifteen off. Cold reduces swelling and pain.
3
An ordinary painkiller from the pharmacy, as its leaflet says, and ask the pharmacist first if you have a chronic condition, take blood thinners, or are pregnant. For a child? A painkiller made for children, with the dose worked out by the pharmacist from their weight; no adult tablet on your own, not even half of one. And rinsing only for a child who can spit it out. The details: Toothache in children.
4
If something is stuck between the teeth, floss it out gently, and only gently. Sleep with your head higher than your body, because pain gets worse lying flat.

Don't do this

No painkiller tablet on the tooth or gum (aspirin or anything else). It burns the tissue and makes the pain worse.
No heat on the cheek from outside. A hot compress increases swelling.
Don't poke or pop an abscess. It gets infected and spreads.
No leftover or self-prescribed antibiotics. They don't stop tooth pain, and they hide the picture from the dentist.

This doesn't wait until morning

Difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling that has reached the eye or the neck? That is a hospital emergency, not an appointment: go to the nearest hospital emergency room now, and let us know afterwards.

Swelling that has reached the eye, the neck, or under the jaw.
Fever with the pain.
Difficulty swallowing, breathing, or opening your mouth.
Bleeding that hasn't stopped after twenty minutes of pressure with gauze.
A tooth knocked out whole: hold it by the white part; if it's dirty, rinse it quickly in milk without scrubbing; keep it in a cup of milk, and come within the hour.

Call now⁦+962 7 8887 9175⁩

If the clinic is closed or you can't reach us: go to the nearest hospital emergency room. Don't wait.

And then?

At the clinic we stop the pain first, then talk about the cause and the options, slowly, and you decide. Call before you set off so we can give you the nearest free time.

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I took a painkiller. Should I stop before coming?

No. Just tell us what you took and when, so we can assess the pain properly and choose the right anaesthetic.

The pain went away on its own. Do I still need to come?

Pain that goes away by itself usually comes back, sometimes stronger. A regular check-up soon beats an emergency in two weeks.

Can I come without an appointment?

Call before you set off. We'll tell you the nearest free time, and we try to fit pain cases in at the earliest opportunity we have.

These are general first-aid notes, not a diagnosis. If your situation is different or you have a chronic condition, calling is faster and safer than reading.