Toothache is a very annoying condition, often, without even consulting the dentist, anti-inflammatory drugs are taken with the hope of alleviating pain as soon as possible.
Anti-inflammatories and toothache: what you need to know
The causes of toothache could be different, among the most frequent:
- gingivitis;
- caries;
- periodontitis;
- tooth abscess.
These are diseases that could have complications, so it would be advisable to keep them under control or in any case contact a dentist as soon as possible.
To reduce the pain and try to make it more bearable, while waiting for an accurate dental examination, it is quite common to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), useful for managing any type of pain: from headache to back pain, but also toothache.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs work by blocking the production of prostaglandins, which are the basis of the inflammatory process. The most common ibuprofen-based drugs belong to this category of drugs:
- Oki;
- Moment;
- Momendol;
- Nurofen.
In some cases even paracetamol-based medicines (such as Tachipirina) can relieve toothache. Paracetamol is indicated for patients who have problems with gastritis or for women who are pregnant or nursing, being a drug that has no consequences for the stomach.
As with any drug, taking anti-inflammatories can also have serious collateral damage. Each patient has his or her own medical history, which is why it is important to consult your doctor to find out which medication is best for treating toothache.
Do-it-yourself therapies for the treatment of toothache or any other type of pain are always advised against. The choice of drugs to be taken should always be made in agreement with a doctor.
In some particular clinical conditions, not consulting your doctor or the dentist could lead to serious health complications.
In which cases it is appropriate to call the dentist
It is advisable to call the dentist:
- if the patient has already experienced episodes of allergy to anti-inflammatories;
- in the case of pregnant or lactating women;
- if the patient is asthmatic;
- if the patient has a gastric ulcer;
- if the patient is cardiopathic;
- if the patient undergoes drug therapies for other diseases.
Anti-inflammatory side effects
In general, for a patient in good health, taking an anti-inflammatory drug for a few days has no contraindication. Obviously, taking the drug for longer periods of time may instead lead to contraindications even on healthy patients.
The main side effects are:
- gastritis;
- drowsiness;
- migraine;
- allergic reactions;
- stomach ache.
In the presence of toothache therefore it is important to contact your doctor, even if the pain can be counteracted with anti-inflammatories it is important to schedule a visit to understand the nature of the pain and remedy it with a targeted dental treatment.
