Can intravenous infusion be used to reduce inflammation for toothache?

In general, whether intravenous (IV) infusion should be used to reduce inflammation for toothache depends on the underlying cause and severity of the pain. In most cases, IV infusion is not the first-line treatment and should only be considered when there is a severe infection or oral medications are ineffective. Blind use of IV infusions should be avoided. The detailed analysis is as follows:

Common causes of toothache include dental caries, pulpitis, periodontitis, and pericoronitis of wisdom teeth. If the pain is caused by dental caries or pulpitis, the core issue is infection or damage to the internal tooth tissues. IV anti-inflammatory treatment cannot directly reach the site of infection and therefore fails to address the root cause. Instead, localized treatments such as fillings or root canal therapy are required to eliminate the underlying problem and relieve pain.

IV infusion may only be necessary under medical supervision when toothache is accompanied by severe local infection spreading—for example, pericoronitis causing facial swelling and difficulty opening the mouth, or periodontitis leading to obvious gum pus formation and systemic symptoms like fever—and when oral antibiotics prove ineffective. Intravenous administration can rapidly control the infection in such cases. However, IV therapy is merely an auxiliary measure; even after infection is controlled, local dental treatment is still essential to prevent recurrence of pain.

Blindly using IV infusions for inflammation may not only delay proper treatment but also increase the risks of drug side effects and antibiotic resistance. Therefore, individuals experiencing toothache should first visit a dentist to determine the exact cause and receive appropriate treatment. The decision on whether to use IV anti-inflammatory therapy should follow professional medical advice, and self-directed choices about treatment methods should be avoided.