25 Toothache Remedies For Pain Relief

If there’s one list of home remedies to keep handy–this is the one. It never fails that a major toothache hits when it’s late at night and your dentist’s office is closed. Although only a doctor can cure the source of the toothache problem, this list of treatments & pain relief remedies should get you through the night until you can visit the dentist.

• Important: If your tooth aches, there is a reason for it and it’s best to have it taken care of by a professional as soon as possible instead of just treating the pain at home and hoping the underlying issue will go away on its own. If your tooth is infected (gum area is swollen), don’t delay in getting professional medical care.

Toothache Remedies For Pain Relief

A Favorite Remedy For Toothache Pain Relief Is To Use Cloves, Also Effective For Pain Caused By Dry Socket

1. Salt Water: Mix a heaping spoonful of salt in a small glass of lukewarm to warm water, swoosh around the tooth and inside your mouth for as long as you can, spit out. Repeat a couple times, the pain should subside.
2. Cloves: This is an old timer’s remedy, rest a clove against the sore area until pain goes away. You can also apply a drop or two of clove oil (too much can be toxic) or make a thick paste of ground cloves and water or ground cloves and olive oil to apply to tooth and surrounding area.
3. Alcohol: Swoosh a bit of whiskey, scotch, brandy or vodka around the tooth, a strong mouthwash that contains alcohol will do the trick too. Spit out.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide: Swoosh a bit of hydrogen peroxide around the painful tooth and gum area. If the taste is too horrid for you, try diluting with a bit of water. Spit out.
5. Vanilla Extract: Saturate a cotton ball with vanilla extract and hold in place over problem tooth. Can also use a cotton swab dipped in extract and carefully swab the painful area.
6. Almond Extract: Same method of treatment as with Vanilla Extract (above).
7. Peppermint Extract: Same method of treatment as with Vanilla Extract (above).
8. Lemon Extract: Same method of treatment as with Vanilla Extract (above).
9. Tea Tree Oil: Tea Tree Oil proves it’s usefulness again by being an effective treatment for toothache pain, just a drop or two on the affected tooth and gum area will do the trick. You can also apply some to a cotton swab and hold on the tooth or add a few drops of tea tree oil to a small glass of lukewarm to warm water and swoosh this around the sore tooth.
10. Oil Of Oregano: Mix a few drops of this with a bit of olive oil, then saturate a cotton ball with mixture and hold over tooth and surrounding gum area. Can replace the olive oil with lukewarm water if preferred.
11. Apple Cider Vinegar: Soak a cotton ball with apple cider vinegar (ACV) and hold it in place over sore tooth until pain goes away. Can also try regular household vinegar.
12. Ginger Root: Take a fresh piece of ginger and chew it a bit with the problem tooth for instant pain relief.
13. Garlic: Take a clove of garlic, smash it and apply to tooth (settle it between tooth and cheek). You can also mash some garlic with salt and apply to tooth.
14. Peppermint Leaves: Chew on fresh peppermint leaves and apply to sore tooth. You can also dried leaves, just hold them in place over tooth area.
15. Potato: Cut a fresh piece of potato (raw, skin off) and hold in place over problem tooth until pain is relieved. Can also pound a piece of raw potato, mix in a bit of salt and apply mash to tooth area.
16. Lime: Cut a slice or wedge of lime and apply to problem tooth, bite into it if you can to release some of the juice. If the tooth is sensitive to cold, first bring the lime to room temperature if it was refrigerated.
17. Onion: Slice a piece of fresh onion and hold it inside your mouth around the tooth and gum area for instant pain relief. The onion needs to be freshly cut (so it provides a bit of onion juice).
18. Cucumber: Slice a fresh piece of cucumber and hold it over the sore tooth. If refrigerated, you might want to bring the cucumber to room temperature before applying (if tooth is sensitive to cold) otherwise a cool piece can be soothing. You can also mash a piece with a bit of salt then apply to tooth.
19. Plantain: Chew up a fresh plantain leaf. If tooth is too sore to chew, use the other side of your mouth. Once the leaf is macerated a bit apply it to the problem tooth and hold in place until pain disappears.
20. Cayenne Pepper: Make a paste with cayenne pepper and water, apply to sore area (from 23 Home Remedies From The Spice Rack).
21. Black Pepper: Apply black ground pepper to the sore tooth or make a mix of pepper and salt.
22. Baking Soda: Take a cotton swab and moisten it with a bit of water, dip it in baking soda (coat the swab really well with baking soda) then rub into tooth and gums until pain subsides. You can also make a mouth rinse by mixing a heaping spoonful of baking soda in a small glass of lukewarm to warm water, dissolve the soda then swish the mixture in your mouth around the sore tooth.
23. Tea: Make a fresh cup of tea then take the used tea bag (still warm) and stick it in your mouth to hold over the problem tooth. Careful not to tear the bag. The tannins that are naturally in tea leaves can help numb the pain.
24. Aspirin: Take an aspirin tablet (or baby aspirin) and hold over tooth until aspirin dissolves. Or crush and mix with a bit of water to make a paste and apply to tooth and gums. Careful with this one, aspirin can cause a chemical burn inside the mouth for those who are sensitive to it. **It is recommended to swallow the aspirin for pain relief rather than apply to tooth to prevent chance of oral tissue damage to those sensitive to it.
25. Ice Pack: Cover an ice pack with a face cloth or towel then hold over your cheek where the problem tooth is. This will help numb the pain. If that doesn’t work, try the opposite–a hot compress (not too hot that it burns your skin).

Tips

• Regular episodes of toothaches can be avoided if you take care of your gums and teeth, see Gingivitis Home Treatments & Tips. Sometimes though genetics deals us a bad hand and dental problems can’t be avoided.
• If the pain is unbearable and there’s no dentist available when the toothache hits, call your local hospital’s emergency room–chances are they have a dentist on call that can treat you (for a fee).
• If it’s not too painful, try gently brushing your teeth and flossing–this might bring some relief.
• If the side of your face is in severe pain and it feels like you’re going to lose your mind (I’ve been there, done that)–it could be a sinus infection or an allergy that affects your sinuses rather than a problem tooth (even though it definitely feels like a problem tooth). Try a Herbal Decongestant Steam to break up sinuses, this might help relieve some pain until you get to a doctor. Chances are a prescription for penicillin (and one for pain medication) is what you’ll need to clear up the sinus infection and the pain it causes.

Have I missed your tried-and-true or best remedy for toothaches? Please share it below in the comments section.

Note: These are simply home remedies I have collected, they are not professional medical advice.

**Updated: Added extra warning to the aspirin tip in case the first warning wasn’t clear enough for some

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