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Maybe you have a cavity that you've been putting off getting filled. Or maybe you got hit in the mouth playing sports. Or perhaps your tooth started aching and hasn't gotten any better. Regardless of the reason, tooth pain can cause major discomfort until you can get to the dentist to see what's wrong.

The first thing you should do if you are having tooth discomfort is make an appointment to see the dentist right away. If it is a true emergency, like a broken jaw, you should go to the emergency room. If you're in pain over the weekend or when your dentist's office is closed and you have an emergency like a lost tooth or broken filling, you may want to consider visiting an emergency dental clinic. Most dental offices, however, will do their best to get you in right away and set aside time slots or will bump other non-emergency patients in order to see you.

In the meantime, there are a number of things you can do to ease tooth pain until you see the dentist, depending on the injury:

If you break or crack your tooth, you should contact your dentist or go to an emergency dental center within 30 minutes in order to maximize your chances of saving your broken tooth. In the meantime, however, rinse your mouth out with warm water to clean blood from the area.

Your jaw may be swelling and painful. If this is the case, apply a cold compress on the area. This will keep the swelling under control and minimize bruising. Over the counter medicines such as Tylenol can alleviate the pain until you get to the dentist.

If on the other hand you have knocked your tooth completely out, you will first need to hold rinse off the root of the tooth in water if it's dirty. Be sure to stop the drain so the tooth doesn't go down. Leave all the tissue fragments attached to the root, so don't scrub it. Gently place your tooth back into its socket and hold it there. If that isn't possible, put the tooth in a cup of milk and get to the dentist as soon as you can.

You can alleviate the pain that goes along with a knocked-out tooth with a cold compress and a medicine such as Tylenol or Advil.

Over the counter pain medications such Tylenol, Advil, ibuprofen, and other types of are usually the most effective in relieving tooth pain until you can get to the dentist. In addition, there are some medications you can purchase in the drugstore that are designed specifically for tooth pain. These include topical medications and numbing agents you can apply directly to the tooth or the area that is causing the pain. In addition, rinsing the mouth with warm water can also help to ease the pain of a toothache before you can see the dentist