Night Toothache in Families with Children, and Preparing to Travel
Reading what the pain is telling you, then setting out prepared, makes the night far easier.
What night pain in a child tells you
The commonest cause of night toothache in children is deep decay that has approached or reached the pulp. Distracted by play during the day, a child may not notice it; once settled in bed, increased blood flow to the head raises pressure in the pulp and the pain declares itself. Its appearing at night is expected, and does not mean it is mild.
Swelling of the cheek, a whitish blister on the gum, tenderness on biting or an inability to chew on that side show the infection is advancing. If swelling spreads under the eye, the child struggles to swallow or their general condition worsens, go to the nearest hospital emergency department without delay.
Preparing for the journey with a child
- Call as you set out; preparation is done while you travel
- Keep the child's head raised; avoid lying flat
- If there is swelling, apply cold outside the cheek
- Do not place tablets or herbal mixtures on the area
- Bring any fragment or knocked-out tooth in milk
- Bring their medicines, allergies and vaccination record
- Keep them awake on the way; a loose fragment may be present
Keeping a child comfortable on a long drive
Time on a mountain road is both painful and tiring for a child. Keeping the car from getting too warm, offering water often and avoiding very hot or cold drinks stop the pain rising. A gentle rinse with lukewarm water soothes the mouth; vigorous gargling should be avoided.
Calming the child also lessens how the pain is felt. Explaining what will happen without alarming them, keeping your voice steady and finding something to pass the time all help. On arrival the examination goes at the child's pace and each step is explained beforehand.
Before You Arrive from Pinarbasi: What to Do in the First Hour
What you can do before setting out from Pinarbasi does not replace treatment, but it keeps the situation from worsening and buys you time.
Before leaving Pinarbasi
What you should do before setting out from Pinarbasi depends on your complaint, and detailed first-aid steps for each are on the relevant page. On the way from Emergency in Pinarbasi, using the wrong measure can make things worse, so it matters which page you read — applying heat to swelling spreads the infection, and placing a painkiller tablet on the tooth burns the gum.
- Toothache
- Dental abscess and facial swelling
- A broken or cracked tooth
- A knocked-out tooth
- Bleeding after an extraction
What calling achieves for Pinarbasi
Calling as you set out from Pinarbasi does two things: you receive first-aid guidance suited to your situation, and the radiograph and surgery are prepared while you travel. For patients coming from across Akseki, this arrangement noticeably shortens the wait.
What an Emergency Visit Covers for a Patient from Pinarbasi
For a patient attending as an emergency from Pinarbasi, the aim is to stop the pain and the infection; definitive work is left to a planned appointment.
Completed the same night for Pinarbasi
Examination and a radiograph, opening the canal to release pressure, draining an abscess, stopping bleeding, temporarily sealing a broken tooth, splinting a loose tooth and adjusting a poking orthodontic wire are all completed the same night for a patient from Pinarbasi as well.
Left to a later visit for Pinarbasi
For a patient from Emergency in Pinarbasi, completing the root filling, making a crown or onlay, the permanent restoration and the implant and prosthetic stages are done at planned appointments. If you are coming from Pinarbasi, these are combined according to your journey and given to you in writing, so you do not have to travel from Akseki repeatedly.
