Choosing Toothache Pills: An Overview of Pain Relief Properties

In most cases, toothache pills should be used in cases where the problem is taken by surprise and there is no way to immediately contact a dentist. In addition, it often happens that severe toothache for some time hurts after visiting a dental clinic - for example, after endodontic treatment (removal of the “nerve” and filling of the canals) and sometimes even after the installation of a seemingly harmless filling.

Here all kinds of painkillers come to the rescue, some of which are already pre-stored in almost every second in a home medicine cabinet. And it’s a sin to conceal, many people use toothache pills, unfortunately, not so much to endure the appointment with the doctor, but to avoid visiting the dentist altogether. And why not - after all, it would seem, I drank a pill, the pain went away, and everything is fine ...

So, before talking about which pills help toothache better, which are worse, and which are generally not recommended, let's first outline three important (you might even say key) points:

1. Taking painkillers should in no way be considered a substitute for dental treatment. Painkillers do not treat, but only relieve acute or aching pain, while the problem that creates this pain does not go anywhere and does not resolve itself from the tablets. There are many cases when prolonged use of painkillers instead of urgent tooth treatment led to the need for its removal. In general, if the tooth hurts, then hurry to the doctor, and the pills will only help you not to suffer too much in anticipation of the help of the doctor;
2. The second point - all drugs used for toothache and other types of pain have their contraindications and possible side effects, the list of which is sometimes very impressive and frightening (especially in the case of powerful painkillers, which we will also talk about below). So, ideally, the choice of a particular drug is best done after consulting a doctor, at least by phone;
3. And, finally, there are often situations when, for example, two tablets of a drug have already been taken with a short time interval, but this does not help, and severe toothache does not recede. The third pill is used, the fourth ... The person who, as they say, is ready to climb on the wall from a severe toothache, wants to get the desired effect as soon as possible, and he’s ready to “eat” almost a whole pack of painkillers, just to relieve the pain. So, if one or two tablets did not help you at all, then do not swallow them with handfuls, poisoning your liver and the body as a whole with a drug that, in this situation, is obviously ineffective.

On a note

Due to the individual characteristics of the body, the same pain medication can help different people from pain in different ways - someone is better, someone is worse, and some may not help at all. Well, even if this or that drug does not help or does not suit you due to the existing contraindications, in most cases you can find a worthy alternative.

The good news is that some pills help relieve even very severe toothache caused by inflammation in the pulp chamber or in the tissues surrounding the tooth. For example, sometimes a person all day can not find a place for an acute throbbing toothache, and within 20 minutes after taking the pill, he will not even feel the slightest signs of a problem, there will not even be aching pain - and this has become real today thanks to the achievements of modern pharmaceuticals.

And, perhaps, it is worth noting: the information below is not a guide to action or a recommendation for taking any pills. Before choosing a drug, a specialist consultation is required.

 

Popular pills for toothache

Today in the assortment of almost any pharmacy there is a large number of tablet preparations that can very well help with toothache. And interestingly, far from all of them are commonly considered painkillers - some, for example, are often called antipyretic drugs (and for some, it may even be a discovery that such drugs not only effectively relieve fever, but also help with toothache) .

If you make a conditional list of the most commonly used painkillers and arrange them in descending order of force of action, you get something like this list:

1. Ketanov, Ketorol, Ketorolac - are considered the most powerful tablets for toothache (the active substance is Ketorolac). They allow you to relieve even very sharp pain, act up to 8 hours. They are quite toxic, have many contraindications, and therefore in pharmacies are sold only by prescription (prescription is in theory, but in practice, some pharmacies can sell without a prescription). They are used in the most severe cases, with serious inflammation, open wounds, after complex operations;
2. Nurofen - ibuprofen-based tablets. Also allow you to relieve quite severe pain. In addition, the drug has pronounced antipyretic properties. The analgesic effect lasts 7-8 hours;
3. Nimesil is a nimesulide-based drug. The strength of action is comparable to ibuprofen;
4. Nise - you can say, “a classic of the genre”, quite effective tablets for toothache, which are very popular among the people (the active substance is the same nimesulide). With pulpitis or periodontitis, this drug will not completely anesthetize in most cases, but will significantly reduce pain. The anti-inflammatory effect of Nise tablets is higher than that of Nurofen, but the pain medication is usually less pronounced;
5. Analgin (metamizole sodium) is also still a very popular drug for toothache, which, however, is hopelessly outdated today and can be hazardous to health (we will also talk about this a bit later);
6. Tempalgin - can be said, an analogue of Analgin, since the main analgesic drug is metamizole sodium. According to the instructions, Tempalgin is used for moderately and mild pain syndromes;
7. Paracetamol - it is customary to use this drug primarily as an antipyretic, but not everyone knows about its analgesic properties (the active substance is para-acetylaminophenol). Meanwhile, although Paracetamol is generally inferior to the Nise tablets in the effectiveness of the analgesic effect, nevertheless, it is quite capable of easing the toothache of moderate strength. In addition, such tablets for toothache can be given to children (after consultation with a doctor);
8. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is also used mainly as an antipyretic drug, and in comparison with the above-mentioned drugs it has a weaker analgesic effect. For example, according to research results, aspirin is inferior to Ketanov in terms of anesthetic effect by about 350 times.

Once again, we note that the effect of taking certain pills can vary greatly - depending on the clinical situation, the characteristics of the body, and even on the person’s current emotional state.

For example, there are rare cases when the same Nurofen does not help get rid of acute toothache, and Nise works. Therefore, the above list of painkillers should be considered only as an approximate guideline, and you need to be prepared for the fact that sometimes even relatively weak painkillers can help with acute pain, and vice versa, stronger tablets may not help relieve toothache.

 

What is useful to consider when using painkillers

As noted above, in case of acute toothache, instead of regularly taking pills, you should contact your dentist as soon as possible. It may seem to someone that for this you need to first call, make an appointment, and then wait a few days when the turn comes up. In fact, everything is much simpler - with acute toothache, dental care is provided in district clinics immediately, that is, without an appointment (and in some institutions, such assistance is provided at any time of the day).

Moreover, it is not necessary to carry out all the treatment in the clinic. Emergency help can be obtained at the clinic (for example, they will open a festering area, put in drainage, give useful recommendations), and if you want to complete the treatment as efficiently as possible, then later, when you feel better, you can safely sign up for a business-class dental clinic.

On a note

Generally speaking, the high intensity of toothache is often an indicator of the need for urgent assistance, because if there are serious violations in the tooth - while you make an appointment, while you are patient, you can no longer talk about treatment, but about tooth extraction. It makes sense to sign up in cases where, due to circumstances, it is not possible to immediately see a doctor.

Further. In those cases when the difficult to erupt wisdom tooth grows and hurts, the gums over it become inflamed and swell, it makes no sense to constantly drink painkillers and wait “by the sea of ​​weather”, that is, when, finally, the tooth will erupt and the pain will disappear. Fatalities are known, which are the result of untimely help with pericoronitis (complex teething wisdom teeth).

During pregnancy, Paracetamol is allowed from tablets for toothache removal according to the doctor’s testimony. For children over three years of age, depending on age, give Nurofen for children, or paracetamol preparations (Panadol for children or analogues).

 

Analgin - outdated and may be hazardous to health

Despite the popularity among the people and a more or less pronounced analgesic effect, Analgin to relieve toothache better not to take at all.

It is clear that in comparison with many other means, Analgin is a very inexpensive tablet (their price is only about 50 rubles per pack of 10 tablets). However, possible side effects from the use of this drug pose a serious health hazard that no savings can justify.

The fact is that metamizole sodium (the basis of analgin) can cause the so-called agranulocytosis - a blood disease accompanied by a strong weakening of the immune system. According to statistics, even with the right treatment, mortality from this disease is about 7%. It is precisely because of this that in many civilized countries of the world, Analgin is banned for use and withdrawn from circulation.

However, in our country, Analgin continues to be sold. In addition, on the basis of metamizole sodium, other, also very well known painkillers are produced:

1. Tempalgin - the famous green pill for toothache. Their active component is metamizole sodium, with all the ensuing consequences and side effects (in particular, Tempalgin should not be taken for people with impaired blood formation);
2. I took pills, used rarely for toothache;
3. Pentalgin-N;
4. Spazmalgon.

Be that as it may, both Analgin and all its analogues have a relatively weak analgesic effect. If you decide to take such drugs, then only with a mild toothache, or in the absence of other drugs in stock (for example, somewhere in the village).

You can not use Analgin in pregnancy, lactation, hematopoiesis, liver and kidney failure, as well as alcoholism.

If possible, then instead of Analgin, it is always better to use another remedy.

Feedback

“I’m somehow used to taking citramone from a headache, and analgin from a toothache. It is enough to hold a half-tablet in the mouth near the diseased tooth, after about 10 minutes the pain already begins to weaken. My wife constantly uses it from the head, so he is in our medicine cabinet all the time, like activated carbon. ”

Stepan, Pskov

 

Aspirin - antipyretic with a mild analgesic effect

Generally speaking, Aspirin tablets (acetylsalicylic acid) are known primarily as an antipyretic. By the strength of its analgesic effect, Aspirin is even slightly weaker than Analgin, but it does not have such serious contraindications. With toothache, it is sometimes useful to take it also in cases of inflammation due to the pronounced anti-inflammatory effect.

On a note

However, one should not cherish the hope that Aspirin tablets due to their anti-inflammatory properties will remove inflammation of the neurovascular bundle in the pulp chamber of the tooth due to pulpitis - even "horse" doses of the drug are not capable of this, unless they slightly reduce the level of intoxication and pulp edema. However, the drug does not stop irreversible changes in the pulp, and you still have to treat the canals.

As with Analgin, Aspirin tablets are very cheap. Therefore, with a moderate toothache, many people prefer to use them (often this is due to the fact that people do not want to poison themselves with "strong chemistry").

Aspirin should not be taken during pregnancy, as well as in conjunction with alcohol. In the latter case, even normal doses of the drug can lead to severe disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, bleeding.

Feedback

“For me, the good old aspirin is the best remedy not only for temperature, but also for toothache. How many times was it that the tooth ached on the weekend, and there were no problems with aspirin. I drank and forgot ... "

Tatyana, Omsk

 

Ketanov, Ketorol and Ketorolac - powerful pain pills

These drugs are one of the most powerful toothache pills that can be more or less freely purchased at a pharmacy. Often they are prescribed even after heavy operations for a more comfortable passage of the postoperative period.

The basis of the drugs Ketanov, Ketorol and Ketorolac is the same active substance - ketorolac, which provides a well-defined analgesic effect for about 7-8 hours. Accordingly, with proper use of the drug, you can often limit yourself to taking 2 tablets per day.

On a note

Due to prescription leave, even with acute toothache, tablets of this group of drugs can usually be bought only after visiting a doctor. Often, after tooth extraction to stop the pain syndrome that occurs after the termination of anesthesia, dental surgeons prescribe these drugs.

Ketorolac-based products are contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation, for children under 16 years of age, for sepsis, aspirin asthma, renal and hepatic insufficiency, hematopoiesis, ulcers, hemorrhages, as well as for polyps on the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx.

The side effects of these pills are huge: from pain in the abdomen and the presence of blood in the urine to the development of stomach ulcers and intestines, hearing loss and bronchospasm. Therefore, the reason for the appointment of Ketanov, Ketorol or Ketorolac should be very significant.

Feedback

“I was at the dentist last week. Generally unexpectedly thundered there. In the morning there was an acute toothache, drank Nise and paracetamol, but the tablets did not help, rinses too. It’s good that the doctor had a window. I immediately removed the nerve, put a temporary seal, but I don’t know why the tooth ached even more after this. The doctor explained that this happens, prescribed a prescription for Nimesil, but I asked Ketanov at the pharmacy because my husband said he was stronger.Ketanov really helped a lot, one tablet was enough for almost the whole day. ”

Oksana, Moscow

 

Pills Nise - a classic for toothache

Nise today is one of the most popular toothache pills. In many ways, people's love for them is due to a combination of four factors:

• Nise is good enough against toothache;
• relatively cheap;
• sold in pharmacies without a prescription;
• and the drug does not have such an extensive list of contraindications and side effects, as is the case with the use of more powerful agents.

In terms of the analgesic effect, Nise is generally noticeably inferior to Ketorol and even Nurofen, but significantly superior to Analgin, Paracetamol and Aspirin (although we should not forget about cases of individual sensitivity to a particular drug, when, for example, Nise does not help, and Paracetamol relieves pain " with a bang ").

Judging by the numerous reviews, often Nise tablets help relieve even the most acute attacks of toothache.

You can not use Nise during pregnancy and lactation, children under 2 years of age, as well as with renal failure.

Feedback:

“Nise is a very good pill. Although such a strange name. The last time I had a tooth at work, it was such a hell of a pain that sparks came straight from my eyes. Colleagues gave a nise, accepted - and everything, in half an hour, even when biting, the tooth did not hurt! She worked normally for a shift, and in the evening she already had a dentist ... "

Vera Ilinichna, St. Petersburg

 

Paracetamol

Again, it is worth noting that Paracetamol is often used as an antipyretic rather than as a pain reliever.

By the strength of its analgesic effect, Paracetamol is inferior to the Nise tablets, but, so to speak, acts more delicately - it can be taken even for infants (preferably, however, in the form of a syrup or suspension, not tablets). An important advantage of paracetamol preparations is the absence of a large number of side effects characteristic of many other painkillers.

Thus, from acute toothache Paracetamol helps poorly. Its scope is pain syndromes of moderate severity.

Feedback

"The most disgusting removing a nerve from a tooth - This is not the removal itself, but the waste stream after it. When the freeze ceases to function, it wildly breaks all the places from the injections, the tooth also does not give anything pleasant, I even got a temperature of 37.5, it was impossible to bite. Personally, I was helped by the usual paracetamol, which we gave a little with flu. I had to take it twice, once an hour two hours after the dentist, and the second time the next day in the morning. The effect is felt in about half an hour and then lasts a long time. ”

Maxim, Odessa

 

If you have personal experience with using any drugs to relieve toothache, be sure to share it by leaving your review at the bottom of this page: what tool was used and whether it helped you relieve pain, or, conversely, it turned out to be practically useless.

 

Useful video: how sometimes you can quickly relieve toothache at home without pills

 

But what do those who do not want to go to the dentist do (do not repeat ...)