You may have heard this one before when it comes to a sore throat, but a salt water rinse really does work wonders for all kinds of oral pain. You want to mix at least a half teaspoon of salt with some warm water and swish it around in your mouth. Doing so can help you in a couple of different ways.
For one, the act of rinsing your mouth with salt water will help dislodge any food substance that is stuck in your teeth and maybe causing inflammation and pain in your mouth. Additionally, the salt works as a natural disinfectant, and in doing so, it contributes to relieving inflammation.
Cold compresses are always a great way to reduce inflammation. If you have a cool pack at home or if you make one from ice, you can apply it to your face and cover the affected area. Just be sure to place a towel or cloth around the pack so the ice does not burn your skin.
The cold compress applied to the outside of the skin can constrict the blood vessels and reduce pain. It is an ideal remedy to try before bed as some instant pain relief may be able to ease you into sleep. You should ice for up to 20 minutes, and for greater effectiveness, you should try repeating the process every few hours.
Hydrogen peroxide is another effective rinse you can use to relieve pain and inflammation. This mild antiseptic is safe for you to rinse with in your mouth but do not swallow it to be sure. Hydrogen peroxide is readily available over the counter and most people have it in their home for cuts and scrapes.
Mix one part hydrogen peroxide with one or two parts water for the safest rinse. Then just use the solution like a mouthwash. The hydrogen peroxide works to attack bacteria in your mouth, and by doing so, fights inflammation. You can try this method a few times a day, every time you brush your teeth.
There are a couple ways to use peppermint tea to relieve a toothache. One way to relieve the pain is to use the teabag, without brewing it. You can bite down on the teabag and the coolness of the leaves can provide relief. Otherwise, you can just enjoy it normally.
The other way to take your tea is to just steep it, just as you would if you were going to drink it - as you that's exactly what you will be doing. The peppermint also has natural antibiotic and antioxidant properties. On top of this, menthol, an active ingredient can numb the affected areas.
Garlic is not only one of the most delicious ingredients that belongs in almost every food, it also has incredible health benefits. An ingredient in garlic, allicin, provides antibacterial effects that can work to fight an infection that may be causing your toothache. It can kill bacteria in the mouth that is creating cavities.
To get the benefits of garlic, you could incorporate it in as much food as you eat as possible, or you can simply chew on a piece of garlic near the tooth. However, the taste of raw garlic can be overwhelming for some. And if you are just worried about having garlic breathe, just brush your teeth afterward.
Vanilla extract is a also great solution for tooth pain and works similarly to whiskey because it in fact contains alcohol as well. You can rinse and swish the affected area with the vanilla extract and the alcohol will work to numb the pain. It also may taste better for people who don't like the taste of whiskey.
However, it is recommended that you don't buy vanilla extract but rather make it at home. Vanilla extract can be expensive and you can make a lot of it for less money. Just buy a bottle of vodka and some vanilla beans and create your own. You'll have at least twice as much.
Clove is a fantastic remedy for a number of reasons. Eugenol in cloves works to reduce tooth pain when applied to the gums near the affected tooth. The eugenol works to numb the area by acting as an analgesic. You can soak the clove in water and make a paste from it. Cloves can be especially beneficial if you have the tooth removed. Applying cloves to the extracted tooth site will aid in healing and reduce pain.
The paste can be applied directly to the toothache area or you can put it into a tea bag and bite down on it. Otherwise, you can chew or suck on a clove, but do not bite hard or you will aggravate the tooth. It should be noted that giving whole cloves to a small child is not recommended as they could swallow them, which could irritate the stomach.
Thyme is another herbal remedy that may be able to help. It is best taken in the form of an oil. You can apply thyme oil to the tooth directly or add a drop of the oil to some water. You would then use the oil and water solution as a mouthwash. A third option is to apply it to a cotton ball, soak it in water and hold it on the tooth. Thyme oil can be purchased online at retailers like Amazon or you can make it yourself and save money.
Thyme promotes teeth health by fighting gingivitis, plaque and tooth decay. It also combats bad breath by killing germs in the mouth. Considering all these benefits, it makes sense that thyme does such a great job in fighting toothache. When used in combination with other remedies, you can effectively treat pain at home.
Wheatgrass, the stuff that literally looks and tastes like grass, at your local juice and smoothie shop, is actually beneficial for your teeth along with all its other benefits. Wheatgrass helps fight infections caused by bacteria. You can rinse your mouth with a shot of wheatgrass daily and drink it for the added benefits.
Wheatgrass doesn't taste great but its one of the best superfoods. Wheatgrass is rich in iron, calcium, amino acids and proteins. It also offers plenty of vitamin A, C, E, K and B Complex. So, if you are going to rinse with anything, wheatgrass is the best option but it is not the cheapest or as readily available.
Whiskey is a great solution for tooth pain, especially if you don't have mouthwash at home. That's because it's basically the same thing. The alcohol in whiskey numbs the pain and kills bacteria in your mouth. You can apply a small amount with a cotton swab to the tooth or you can rinse with it.
However, unlike mouth wash, you can also drink the whiskey and that's going to numb your pain too. Of course, it's not healthy. And you should never give alcohol to anyone under the age of 21 years. With that said, not everyone can, or will want to use whiskey if they don't like the taste.
Pain-relieving gels available on the market can provide longer-lasting relief than alcohol. Pain relief gels like Oragel can be applied to the affected area. You can leave the gel on the area until it has taken effect, but you should wait before drinking water, otherwise, it will not work as well.
These gels should not be used all the time as they do feature medication. Gels like Oragel contain menthol, like in mint and an astringent that relieves irritation of the gums. When used in combination with other remedies, you can effectively fight toothaches until you can make it to the dentist.
When you don't want to hold an ice pack to your face, you can also try sucking on ice cubes. Ice can shrink the blood vessels and fight inflammation. Sucking on ice is relatively harmless but do now chew it as that is bad for your teeth, especially if you are having decay.
On the downside, you may not be able to stomach cold on your teeth if you have a cavity. It may make pain worse or aggravate it. Therefore, you'll have to use your best judgment based on how you are feeling. If ice is causing pain, discontinue the remedy.
Guava leaves are yet another incredible natural remedy for toothaches. While they may not be easy to come by for everyone, if you do have access to them, because you grow them at home, you can easily try this. Another option is to buy them. You can find them online at Amazon among other places.
Guava leaves provide benefits such as anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. The guava leaves can be chewed as you would like the mint. You can also steep the leaves like tea and consume it that way for the same benefits. There's more than one way to get the benefits of guava leaves.
Ibuprofen is a popular NSAID that is commonly used to treat fever, aches, and pains. As such, it makes sense to treat a toothache with ibuprofen. You may already have some at home or you may have a similar NSAID like acetaminophen. Both work relatively similarly, but ibuprofen can be more effective for certain people.
Ibuprofen works to fight inflammation that usually causes pain, particularly toothaches. A normal pill or capsule is about 200mg, however, many people take two. You should always ask a doctor before taking any over-the-counter medication and talk to them about a recommended dose. No one dosage is safe for everyone.
Elevation can be helpful in treating toothaches because it keeps blood away from the affected area. Laying your head down causes blood to pool in the head and causes additional fluids to enter the area. The increased blood flow to the pain site causes additional pain and inflammation. This can make falling asleep with your head flat, extremely uncomfortable.
Elevating your head is just as simple as it sounds. You can use a pillow to keep your head elevated, or if you happen to have an adjustable bed frame, you can use that to elevate your head. If you can manage to sleep with your head elevated, this will help you fall asleep much easier.
