Toothaches are terrible. They can ruin your day and deprive you of sleep. The pain can be so irritating that it makes you nervous and bad-tempered.
There are several causes that can trigger a toothache, and the most common include an abscessed tooth, tooth decay, a damaged filling, a tooth fracture, infected gums, and last, but not least, repetitive motions such as grinding teeth or chewing gum.
The intensity of pain can vary from mild, which normally manifests as tooth sensitivity to hot/cold or to direct contact with the tooth, to sharp, throbbing pain or dull, continual pain.
Although, visiting a dentist is a must, there are several natural ways to deal with your toothache until you get an appointment.
1. Cloves or clove oil. This is probably the most commonly used home remedy against toothache. If you have clove oil at home, simply apply a couple of drops on the painful tooth, but be cautious not to swallow it. If you don’t have the essential oil, put 1-2 cloves in your mouth so as to soften them. Gently press the cloves with your teeth to get some of their oil. You should have in mind that cloves only neutralize the pain; they don’t heal your tooth.
2. Warm salt water tooth rinse. Put a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and mix well until the salt dissolves. Swish the liquid around your sick tooth to rinse it well, especially to remove any food residues.
3. Holding your head up. Holding your head up will relieve the pressure surrounding your painful tooth. It’ll also sooth the throbbing pain.
4. Garlic.Crush a clove of garlic and apply it directly on your painful tooth. Garlic has powerful analgesic and antiseptic properties that can instantly relieve your toothache.
5. Cold compresses.Put several ice cubes in some gauze then apply the compress on your cheek where the painful tooth is. The ice will cool the painful area thus making the pain more bearable. Never put ice directly on your aching tooth because this can only make things worse.
6. Tooth rinse with 3% hydrogen.Rinsing your mouth with 3% hydrogen solution is extremely beneficial for removing food residues stuck between your teeth and gums. This will also relieve the toothache. Be careful not to swallow the hydrogen.
7. A used teabag. This is a popular folk remedy against toothache. Simply apply a used teabag on your sick tooth while it’s still warm.
8. A pain killer. Last, but not least, when your toothache is unbearable, you can resort to an aspirin or another pain killer.
IMPORTANT: Never apply an aspirin on a sore tooth or the surrounding gums. Although many people do this, it’s completely wrong because aspirin can damage your gums and cause a burning sensation that can last for days.
Even if you effectively soothe your toothache, you should still visit a dentist because a toothache is always an indication that something more serious is going on in your tooth.