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4 Ways to Temporarily Relieve Bothersome Toothaches

4 Ways to Temporarily Relieve Bothersome Toothaches

There is nothing quite as painful as a really bad toothache that you just can’t seem to get rid of. You have a dentist appointment on Monday and you just have to get through the weekend. You have tried pain relievers and over-the-counter products but nothing seems to be working. Whether it is a result of a cracked tooth, loose filling, or something worse, tooth pain has can be even more of a pain to get rid of.

The good news is that there is relief available, you just have to be able to find the one that works for you. There are plenty of home remedies that can help you to relieve tooth pain on a temporary basis until you can get to the dentist. Here are four home remedies that you can try to help eliminate some of that nagging tooth pain.

1. Clove Oil

For many centuries, cloves have been a traditional remedy for numbing your nerves. Cloves contain a chemical compound that is called eugenol which is actually an anesthetic. However, if you plan on using clove oil then you need to use it with caution. You should not pour the oil directly on the area that is aching because it could actually make the pain worse, especially if there is an exposed nerve. You will need to place two drops of the clove oil onto a cotton ball and put it on the aching tooth until you notice that the pain is receding. Powdered clove can also be helpful as well as placing a clove on your tooth.

2. Salt Water

If you place a teaspoon of salt into a cup of boiling water, this creates a mouthwash that can actually numb the pain in your mouth. It has the ability to clean out all of the debris that is irritating your tooth and gums and decrease the amount of swelling. Swish the salt water mouthwash around in your mouth for 30 seconds and then spit it out. This will help keep the area clean and draw out any fluid that could be causing the swelling which leads to pain.

3. Peppermint Tea

peppermint-tea Peppermint tea not only has the ability to decrease tooth pain, but it also tastes good unlike a lot of the other home remedies. You will need to put one teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves into a boiling cup of water and let it steep for approximately 20 minutes. Once the tea has cooled, use it like a mouthwash and swish it around then you can either swallow the tea or spit it out. Black tea has the ability to decrease tooth pain by decreasing the swelling in the gums.

4. Hydrogen Peroxide

While this may not be the most appealing choices, hydrogen peroxide helps to keep the bacteria to help decrease some of the pain in the teeth and gums. You will need to rinse your mouth with 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. This needs to be used just like a mouthwash and can provide a means for temporary pain relief especially if there is an infection present. You need to rinse out and then spit out immediately. Under no circumstances should hydrogen peroxide be swallowed.

See Your Dentist Immediately

All of these temporary pain relief solutions are just that…temporary. It is important that you see your dentist as soon as possible if you are experiencing any type of pain in the teeth or gums. It is acceptable to use these home remedies as a means to ease pain on a temporary basis but should not be used as a long-term solution for pain relief.

Dr. Jonathan Everett

Dr. Jonathan Everett received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Washington and completed his undergraduate studies in biochemistry at Washington State University. During this time, Dr. Everett served as both the President of the American Student Dental Association chapter as well as the Student Council Vice President. As a board-member of DentPAC for the Washington State Dental Association, Dr. Everett fought to maintain the quality of dental care provided in Washington State by working with state legislators and advocating for patient-centered dentistry in Olympia.

Dr. Jonathan Everett

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One Comment

  1. Drew

    November 2, 2015 at 4:06 pm

    Salt water has definitely always worked for me when I have tooth pain, but I would love to try these other remedies. Clove oil has been used for so long that I would trust it to work better than other ones. I will definitely be trying these. Thanks for sharing!