When you have tooth pain, you need to get in to see a dentist right away. If a tooth is damaged or infected, the pain level can be anywhere from mild to mind-numbing. Regardless of the severity of the pain, ideally, you will prioritize going to the dentists as soon as you can get an appointment. In the meantime, some home remedies may help minimize the discomfort you feel.
Saltwater Rinses
People have been using salt water to relieve mouth pain for decades, if not centuries. This time-tested remedy has been used to ease the pain for everything from canker sores to infected teeth. It remains one of the best things you can do when a dentist is not readily available. All you need is a cup full of warm (not hot) water and about a teaspoonful of salt. After you dissolve the salt in the water, swish the solution around in your mouth for about 30 seconds and spit it out. Make sure you do not swallow the saltwater.
The harmful bacteria causing the infection in your tooth cannot survive in the alkaline environment created by the saltwater. The pH balance of the mouth changes with the solution and prevents the further proliferation of the bacteria. In addition to keeping the infection under control, salt rinses also benefit because they are anti-inflammatory.
Raid the Spice Cabinet
Salt is one of the items you may have in your kitchen cabinet to help with toothaches, but it is not the only thing. Cloves have also been used for centuries to help relieve toothache pain. You may recognize the aroma of cloves in your dentist’s office. Some dental preparations have an active ingredient from cloves in them. Eugenol is an ingredient that provides anesthetic properties in addition to its antiseptic effects. You can put a whole clove next to the affected tooth, or you can use ground clove or oil of clove to provide relief.
Peppermint extract is another remedy that has a long history of use. You can use a cotton ball, or a cotton swab soaked in the liquid as a dressing or salve on the sore tooth. Other extracts that are effective are almond and vanilla.
You can keep vampires away while relieving toothache by chewing on a clove of garlic. The allicin in garlic is an oily liquid that has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. If you cannot take chewing on garlic, you can also mash it into a paste and put it on the throbbing tooth.
Lastly, picking up some Arnica Montana (from a store like GNC) can help with pain too.
While these home remedies are useful for short term relief, you must make an appointment with a dentist as soon as you possibly can. At Pine Ridge Dental, our excellent dental team provides compassionate, patient-centered care. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.