There are some toothache home remedies I’m sure you’ve never heard of. Although they may sound a little strange, they’re often effective and don’t have the side effects of traditional medicines. Most of the ingredients are inexpensive and can be found in your own kitchen.
Salt Water
This is a common remedy for a healing wound due to its antimicrobial properties. Take half a teaspoon in a cup of warm water and swish it around your mouth for several minutes before spitting out. Another benefit is salt in the water draws fluid from the affected area via osmosis. This reduces pressure on the nerve endings and thus relieves pain. This remedy can be particularly helpful for soft tissue issues.
Oil of Cloves
Oil of Cloves, or Eugenol, has both pain relieving and anti-microbial properties. Soaking a cotton wool ball in oil of cloves and placing it on the painful teeth can have a significant sedative effect, reducing pain from the tooth. If you don’t have oil of cloves, you can crush or grind some whole cloves and mix them with olive or cooking oil to get a similar effect.
Garlic
When garlic is crushed or chopped, two chemicals join to form Allicin. Allicin can provide pain relief because it has antibiotic properties. Apply the crushed or chopped garlic to your affected tooth for pain relief but try not to apply the garlic to your gums as it can be irritating.
Peppermint Tea Bags
Peppermint has a numbing quality similar to cloves. Place a cooled wet tea bag on your toothache for at least 20 minutes. To cool the tea bag more quickly, place it in the freezer for several minutes.
Remember these home remedies DO NOT resolve the cause of dental pain, they merely provide momentary symptomatic relief. Pain is the body’s signal that something is wrong. A toothache could mean your tooth is infected, fractured or broken. If you ignore the pain and the tooth is left untreated, more serious health problems could arise. Contact us at Pennant Hills Dental Centre on 9484 1132 or book online to make an appointment if your toothache persists.
