Toothache Relief
Your head pounds, your gums throb, and your mouth is sore and tender. You’ve got a toothache. See your dentist ASAP. In the meantime, use these home remedies to get short-term relief at Toothache Relief and Home Remedies.
Saltwater rinse
Until you can get to the dentist, one of the best things you can do is swish warm, salty water around in your mouth. A good mix is half a teaspoon of table salt added to 8 ounces of water. Spit it out, don’t swallow it. You can also gently floss around the sore tooth to remove any bits of food that may be stuck at Toothache Relief and Home Remedies.
Hydrogen peroxide rinse
As an alternative to salt water, rinse with a solution of equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water. Always mix the hydrogen peroxide with water. Don’t use it undiluted. Rinse thoroughly and spit it out. Don’t swallow hydrogen peroxide at Toothache Relief and Home Remedies.
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers
Dentists suggest acetaminophen for children. For adults, take your pick of OTC medicines such as ibuprofen and naproxen. If you choose aspirin, swallow it — don’t put it right on the tooth or your gums. That folk remedy doesn’t work and might harm the inside of your mouth at Toothache Relief and Home Remedies.
Cold compress
If your face is swollen, put an ice pack on your cheek intermittently for the first 24-36 hours. It may help ease the pain, especially if you’ve chipped your tooth or knocked it loose. Swelling could also mean you have an abscess, a sac of pus and gunk deep in the roots of your tooth. This can cause a serious infection in your jaw and other teeth. Signs include fever and red gums at Toothache Relief and Home Remedies.
OTC anesthetics
Apply these pain-relieving gels and liquids directly to the sore tooth and nearby gums. They contain benzocaine, which will numb your mouth for a little while. But they’re meant for short-term use only at Toothache Relief and Home Remedies.
Ice
Take some ice in your hand, on the same side of the body as your sore tooth. Rub the ice in the space between your thumb and forefinger for 7 minutes, or until the area turns numb. Why does it work? Researchers believe ice stops pain signals to your brain.
Clove oil for tooth pain
This natural remedy numbs the pain. Rub it directly on the sore area, or soak a cotton ball and dab it against the tooth and gums. It may be as effective as benzocaine, the numbing ingredient in OTC toothache gels at Toothache Relief and Home Remedies.
Home Remedies for Toothache Relief
In addition to those standard options, there are some alternative remedies you could try. Most of them aren’t proven to work. And any home remedy might make you feel better for a while, but it won’t make your toothache go away.
Garlic for toothache
Allicin is an oily liquid that naturally fights disease and is released when you crush one of these cloves. Will the pain subside? It’s unclear. However, you might try applying chopped garlic to your tooth or chewing a portion of it. You can try Toothache Relief and Home Remedies without risk.
Toothache plant
With a name like that, this might seem a sure bet to ease your symptoms. Different types of this plant grow all over the world, and the oil is an ingredient in many products. But it’s not clear if this plant really eases dental pain.
Vanilla extract
Vanilla extract has alcohol in it. The alcohol will numb the pain for a while, and antioxidants in the vanilla may help it heal. Use your finger or a cotton ball to put a small amount on your aching tooth and gum at Toothache Relief and Home Remedies.
Peppermint tea
A cooled peppermint tea bag may soothe your aching tooth and gums.
Traditional healing
In some parts of the world, traditional healers and herbalists use different parts of many other plants to ease toothaches. It’s not clear how well they work. These include at Toothache Relief and Home Remedies:
- Painted nettles
- Blue verbena
- Coconut shell
- Guava leaves
- Cola nuts
- Eucalyptus leaves
- Mango bark
- Pawpaw leaves
- Sweet potato
- Sunflower leaves
- Tobacco leaves
Coconut oil
“Oil pulling” is a common part of a traditional medicine practice called Ayurveda, which has its origins in India. It involves swishing oil around the same way you would a mouthwash at Toothache Relief and Home Remedies. Will it help a toothache? A few studies suggest that the practice can improve the health of your mouth by reducing plaque buildup on your teeth and inflammation of your gums. But there’s no evidence to back up the claims that it relieves toothache at Toothache Relief and Home Remedies. Coconut oil won’t harm you, though, if you want to try it.
