Why Aspirin Is So Dangerous if Placed on Your Gums

An old wives’ tale states the cure for toothache is placing aspirin directly onto the affected tooth. But, unfortunately, believing this can do more harm to your mouth.

Placing aspirin next to the tooth may leave you with a white chemical burn on the gums and cheek, and instead of simply dealing with a toothache, you’ll also have a painful burn on the soft tissue. Fortunately, there are other more effective ways to deal with toothache.

Why Aspirin Burns The Gums

You may not know this, but the full name of aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid. So, pay close attention to that second word – acid. The acid in the aspirin tablet can quite literally cause blisters to soft tissues, and it is almost as powerful as the acid found in your stomach. So, placing aspirin next to a toothache will do nothing for your pain but can cause even more discomfort.

Aspirin May Help With A Toothache When Taken Appropriately

If you take aspirin correctly, you may experience relief from your toothache. This medicine works by blocking pain chemicals within the blood, allowing you to experience pain relief. However, aspirin can only work when it enters the bloodstream, and these same benefits cannot be enjoyed by placing a tablet on a tooth.

Other Ways To Handle A Toothache

Besides pain relievers, there are other things that you can do to relieve toothache discomfort. For example, apply a cold pack to the painful side of your face, and rinse out your mouth with salt water. Peppermint tea bags also offer mild numbing properties that may ease your discomfort for a short period.

While you may be able to relieve the symptoms of a toothache on your own, you still need to visit our office to determine the source of the problem. So call us today to set up your next appointment.