What can I do about a terrible tooth ache? I have a dentist appointment next week, but until then how can I deal with the pain?

A couple of time honored, tried and true tooth ache helpers. Cloves either as an oil or whole as a topical treatment on gums surrounding aching tooth. Whiskey as a topical treatment can reduce swelling and inflammation which agitate an already sore area and not to mention ease the pain when you swallow enough!!! Ice on the surrounding area (outside jaw) will slow blood flow and reduce swelling and inflammation. Ibuprofen is good to ease the pain and inflammation but should not be used if you're using the whiskey treatment (which I highly recommend). Hope this'll help someone!

The best thing to use is clove oil. Most pharmacies and health food stores should have it in little bottles. Dab some on and around the sore tooth. My dentist told me about this, and said it's been used in dentistry for ages. The stuff they swab on to deaden the spot where they're going to give you a shot is made from clove oil.

If you can't get clove oil, you can take some whole cloves and tuck them in beside the sore tooth and leave them there. This isn't as effective, and the clove taste is much stronger, but it can help.

i am a dentist but let m tell you this:
if the dental ach is caused by cavity that is so deep which suspected to reach the pulp ..then clove oil is not any more effective because it is a stage of acute pulpitis.. the best thing to do(in the home) is to kill or fix the pulp by using small cotton pallet soaked with concentrated alcohol(ethanol), and insert it carefuly in the cavity
if you feel your tooth slightly elevated when biting then it is stage of periapical infection (inflammation around the root) then clove oil will not make any use because the nerves(pulp) are already killed and started to rot and the inflammation transfer to the surronding tissues
the best thing to do in this case is to take antibiotics as amoxicillin(regarding that you dont have allergic reaction to penicillines)

To everyone that recommended alcohol... THANK YOU!!!

I've known the time has been coming to have my wisdoms removed, and over the past few days the pain has gotten extremely bad... Tonight I woke up at 2am in excruciating pain. I took some ibuprofen and cringed in pain for about an hour before searching online and finding info here on using alcohol.

I had some whiskey, thank God, and I took about a half shot, and just kept it on that side of my mouth for a few minutes.. The pain decreased and decreased until it was nearly gone... Yes it will burn a bit, but it is worth it for the 1 minute of burn, to be relieved of the real pain. Maybe now, I can go back to sleep...

In short, my recommendation is as others have suggested above, whiskey/alcohol. And try to keep it hanging on the side of the pained tooth for a bit.

Also, it is recommended not to drink alcohol when taking ibuprofen, but as long as you do not make it a habit, a one off should be fine. Continued use of both simultaneously can cause liver damage, as well even on the one off, can wreak havoc on some people's stomachs.

For pain such as a major toothache, masterbation may lower the pain by concentrating the minds reaction to the pain to a more pleasurable place...granted, I am not a doctor and this remedy may be temporary, but masterbate as needed but get to the dentist ASAP!

Lemon flavor extract