What to Do If You Have Tooth Pain

Posted by Dental Studio on August 16th, 2017

Some tooth pains are so severe that taking pain killers can’t provide the much-needed relief. Or if you’re one of those who can’t take strong pain killers, the trip to your dentist would be unbearable. It might be unsafe to drive because the tooth pain can be distracting.

This post shares some alternatives to pain killers until your dentist can treat your tooth pain or until your reach a hospital’s emergency room. You should consider tooth pain an emergency case if it has been persistent for at least a day, you have fever and you have swollen gums or other signs of infection and other symptoms aside from pain. Tooth pain may also have other causes aside from tooth decay and gum diseases.

Tooth Pain Remedies

Tooth pain can happen anytime. You may not be able to see your dentist at once or pain relievers may not be able to provide the much-needed temporary relief. Here are natural remedies to make the pain bearable especially at night. These are natural remedies are made from items that can be found in most households.

IMPORTANT NOTE: These are just temporary pain remedies that have been recommended by international dental providers. They will NOT help in all cases and are NOT substitutes to treatments prescribed by a dentist. If you are in pain, you should see a dentist immediately.

Salt and Hot Water

1. Dilute one tablespoon of salt in a glass of warm to hot water.
2. Gargle or rinse with this salt-water solution 4 to 5 time a day to reduce inflammation.

This is the recommended remedy for tooth pain related to gum disease. The solution also temporarily increases the pH or alkalinity of the oral environment which prevents the proliferation of bacteria. Almost all types of bacteria prefer an acidic environment.

Salt and Pepper paste

1. Mix ¼ teaspoon table salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add a few drops of water to achieve a paste-like consistency.
2. Spread the paste on the affected tooth. Leave for several minutes.

Salt and pepper paste is an age-old tooth pain remedy. The ingredients have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and analgesic properties to provide to provide fast tooth pain relief.

Guava Leaves

1. Chew one to two tender leaves until there is enough juice to coat the affected tooth.
2. You can also boil four to five leaves in water. Add salt; let the solution cool down and use as a mouthwash.

Fresh guava leaves haveanti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and analgesic properties.

Clove Oil

1. Soak cotton ball in clove oil. Let the affected teeth bite on the cotton ball. If you don’t have enough clove oil, put a small amount on a piece of cotton or absorbent material and gently rub on the affected area. This is recommended for pain on tooth with a deep cavity.
2. If clove oil is not available, grind two pieces of whole cloves. Add a little olive or vegetable oil and use as in no. 1.
3. You can prepare a clove oil mouth rinse by mixing a few drops of clove oil with ½ glass of water.

Clove oil has anesthetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties to fight infection and tooth pain.

Other oils that can be used in the same manner as clove oil are: sunflower oil, sesame oil, nutmeg oil, oregano oil and tea tree oil.

Ice Cubes

Ice can help reduce tooth pain by numbing or anesthetizing the nerve endings.

1. Put an ice cube wrapped in thin cotton cloth on your cheek near the affected tooth. Hold for a few minutes.
2. Here’s an acupressure technique to reduce tooth pain: Rub an ice cube between your thumb and index finger for a few minutes. Take note that the hand should be on the same side as your tooth pain.

In acupressure, that location between the thumb and the index finger is called the L14pressure point. L14 pressure point is said to interact with pain from various parts of the body. Rubbing L14 pressure point with ice cubes causes cold signals that intervene with pain signals. So, you don’t feel the pain.

Garlic

Mix garlic powder or crushed garlic clove with table salt, then apply directly on the affected tooth. Garlic contains allicin which has antibiotic properties. Allicin reduces tooth pain by reducing bacteria on the area where it’s applied.

Onion

Chew raw onion for a few minutes to reduce tooth pain. Or, cut it and place directly on the affected gum or tooth.

Vanilla Extract

Dip a cotton swab into vanilla and apply on the affected area. Repeat several times in a day until the pain is gone or reduced.

Ginger-Cayene paste

Make a ginger-cayene paste by mixing equal amounts of these spices with just enough water to achieve a paste-like consistency. Dip a small piece of cotton into the paste and place on the affected tooth until pain is reduced or gone. Avoid contact with the tongue or gums if you can’t stand the heat from the two spices. Ginger or cayenne can be used separately as pastes. Both have analgesic properties.

Aim for Toothache Prevention

Most tooth pains result from tooth decay and gum diseases. The best and only way to avoid tooth decay and gum diseases is through good oral hygiene practices that basically include the following: seeing a dentist every six months, brushing regularly, using toothpaste with fluoride, flossing daily and antiseptic mouthwash rinsing at least once daily.

The pain is gone. Should you still see your dentist?

Again these are just temporary remedies to alleviate the severe pain before you see your dentist. The pain may be gone but it’s still a must to see your dentist as soon as you can because tooth pain is not always due to tooth decay or gum diseases. It is risky to always assume that tooth pain is a manifestation of tooth and gum problems.

Other possible causes of tooth pain are: bruxism or grinding of the teeth, ear or sinus infection or angina, a heart disease. Without proper diagnosis, you’re not getting treated for these real causes of your tooth pain. That’s why the proper diagnosis by a dentist is very important to get the right treatment for your tooth pain.