At 2 am, you’re making a deal with yourself: if this tooth lets you sleep, you’ll book the dentist in the morning.
By breakfast, it has stopped hurting. Suddenly, that appointment feels much less urgent.
I can understand the temptation. But before you decide the tooth has sorted itself out, there’s something worth knowing: pain can disappear while a dental problem is still there.
The pain has gone. What changed?
Sometimes, irritation really does settle. Brief sensitivity and a tooth that has been throbbing all night can have very different explanations. The pattern matters, which is why “it doesn’t hurt now” is only part of the story.
One possibility is a change inside the tooth. The soft tissue at its centre, called the pulp, contains nerves and blood vessels. If that tissue becomes badly damaged and dies, the original pain may fade because those nerves are no longer working. Infection can still remain, and the tissues around the root may become painful or swollen later.
An abscess can also feel less painful when it drains and pressure drops. You might notice a bad taste at the same time. That relief does not mean the infection has cleared.
None of this means that a tooth which stops hurting must be in serious trouble. It means we need more information before deciding it has recovered.
“But will you find anything if it isn’t hurting?”
You don’t have to arrive in pain for the appointment to be useful.
Tell me what it was like at its worst. Did cold water set it off? Did the pain linger afterwards? Were you avoiding chewing on that side? Did it wake you up?
Those details help guide the examination. Depending on what we find, I may recommend tests or X-rays. There is no need to wait until the tooth gives you another sleepless night.
Does this mean a root canal?
Not automatically. The treatment depends on the cause and the condition of the tooth. Some problems can be managed with a filling or repair; others need root canal treatment or extraction.
I would explain the findings and your options before we decide what to do. A change in pain alone cannot make that decision for us.
Before you cancel the appointment…
Let the practice know what happened and that the pain has now settled. They can advise whether you should keep the appointment or change its timing. Pain that keeps returning or lasts more than two days deserves a dental assessment.
Seek urgent dental advice for swelling, fever, a bad taste with suspected infection, or severe pain. If you cannot access urgent care, contact NHS 111.
Call 999 if swelling affects your breathing, swallowing or speech. Swelling around an eye or the neck, visual changes, or marked difficulty opening your mouth with suspected infection needs urgent A&E assessment.
If you’re thinking, “I’ll go if it starts again,” I’d encourage you to get advice now. A comfortable tooth is much nicer to bring to an appointment.
General information; an individual dental assessment is needed to diagnose the cause of pain.
Further reading
Sources checked 31 October 2026.