Ice usually works for me. I have some little gel ice packs and I just hold it up to my cheek and it does make a difference.

Also, where is the pain? If its one of the first molars on the upper jaw, it could actually be a sinus infection. I have one tooth that KILLS me when I have a sinus infection. This is a common time of year for that sort of thing. You'd need a dose of antibiotics to cure that - could you see if the doctor could get you in sooner than the dentist if the pain is in the upper molar just to make sure its not a sinus infection?