What are the Best Foods for a Toothache?

If you haven’t had a toothache – congratulations! You are among the few and lucky. If you are currently dealing with tooth pain, we get it. It’s the worst – especially because eating has become a painful chore. If you are finding yourself asking “ What foods can I eat that won’t further irritate my toothache?” this is the blog for you.

But before we talk about food, let first determine…

What causes a toothache anyway?

A toothache is caused by the inflammation of the tooth’s central portion, called the pulp. This inflammation can be triggered by several different factors including:

• Cavities: A common cause of tooth pain and a symptom of tooth decay. If you’re experiencing pain in only a single tooth, it’s possible it’s a cavity. Cavities from tooth decay generally occur from lack of dental care and eating poor foods with high amounts of sugar or starches
• Infected gums: Since your gums surround your teeth, if they become infected your teeth will also experience discomfort.  
• Abscesses: A bacterial infection can lead to an abscess in the tooth. An abscess is a ball of puss that can form inside the tooth itself.
• Pulpitis: Another culprit of a toothache. Pulpitis inflammation of tooth tissue that contains nerves and blood. Untreated pulpitis will eventually kill your tooth.
• Other: There are several other potential causes of toothaches including thinning tooth enamel, cracked teeth, receding gums, gum disease, a sinus infection, an impacted tooth, and even diabetes or heart disease. 

What are the symptoms of a toothache?

Obviously, mild to severe pain is the most common symptom of a toothache. See your dentist immediately if your pain increases, is consistent, or you are struggling with any of the following symptoms:

• Fever
• Headache 
• Difficulty chewing 
• Swelling of the gums 
• Sensitivity to cold or hot food and drinks
• Bad taste in your mouth (may be due to infection)
• Sharp or pulsating pain from the tooth or surrounding area 

Foods that help toothaches 

Here’s the part you’ve been waiting for – what types of foods can you eat with tooth pain. To avoid further exacerbating your mouth pain, opt for soft foods such as…

• Oatmeal
• Soft fruits
• Applesauce
• Cottage cheese
• Mashed potatoes
• Puddings, custards and gelatin
• Milkshakes and smoothies (use a spoon if pain is present using a straw)

These examples require less chewing and are overall gentler on your teeth.

Foods to avoid when you have a toothache

You guessed it – there are foods that can make your toothache worse too. 

Here's what you should stay away from:

• Citrus 
• Granola
• Raw vegetables
• Spicy and salty foods
• Commercial mouthwashes that contain alcohol

The name of the game is – avoid any food that will cause any further irritation to your gums, require significant amounts of pressure, or require lots of chewing. 

Other helpful toothache tips

• Cook foods until soft and tender
• Cut your food into smaller pieces
• Use a blender or food processor to breakdown food
• Rinse your mouth with water to remove leftover food

Final thoughts… 

At the end of the day, no one wants to be on a tooth pain diet forever. That’s why prevention is key. Good oral hygiene including thorough teeth cleaning twice daily helps significantly lower the possibility of mouth pain and toothaches – especially if you're using an autobrush. The only u-shaped toothbrush clinically proven to clean teeth up to 5.1x better than traditional toothbrushes.