If there’s one list to keep handy–this is the one. It never fails that a major toothache hits when it’s late at night and the dentist’s office is closed. Although only a doctor can definitively determine and cure the source of the problem, the following list of treatments & pain relief remedies should get you through the night until a professional can be visited.
I have plenty of helpful items listed, most are everyday, commonplace ingredients so there’s sure to be at least one or two in the pantry or spice cabinet available to be utilized immediately.
Important: Whether you are experiencing dull discomfort or a severe ache, there is a reason for it and it’s best to have it taken care of by a dentist as soon as possible. If it’s infected (gum area is swollen and/or face feels hot), don’t delay in getting professional medical care. These tips are merely intended to assist a person trying to get through a short period (day or two) until a professional can check things out.
Directions: Apply selected treatment directly to both the problematic tooth and surrounding sore gums unless otherwise directed.
Items instructed to chew or liquids to be swooshed around inside mouth, do so with the sore tooth and focus on surrounding area.
Take Care: Do not swallow liquids, spit out when done.
Master List of Home Remedies
- Salt Solution: Mix a heaping spoonful of salt in a small glass of water, swoosh around for as long as possible, spit out. Repeat at least twice.
- Cloves: An old timer’s remedy, rest a clove against the sore tooth until agony dissipates. Alternative: A drop or two of clove oil (careful, too much may be toxic) or make a thick paste of ground cloves and water or ground cloves and olive oil.
- Alcohol: Swoosh a bit of whiskey, scotch, brandy or vodka. A strong mouthwash containing alcohol can do the trick too.
- Hydrogen Peroxide: Swoosh a bit of hydrogen peroxide. If the taste is too horrid, try diluting by adding a titch of water.
- Vanilla Extract: Saturate a cotton ball, hold in place. May also use a cotton swab dipped in extract.
- Almond Extract: Same method of treatment as with Vanilla (above).
- Peppermint Extract: Same as with Vanilla (above).
- Lemon Extract: Same as with Vanilla (above).
- Tea Tree Oil: Just a drop or two is all that’s needed. Also add some to a cotton swab and hold in place or add a few drops of tea tree to a small glass of water and swoosh around.
- Oil Of Oregano: Combine a few drops with olive oil (or water if preferred) and use to saturate a cotton ball.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Soak a cotton ball and keep in place. Regular household vinegar works too.
- Ginger Root: Take a fresh chunk of ginger and carefully chew a bit (remember to focus on the sore tooth).
- Garlic: Take a clove of garlic, smash it and apply (settle inside cheek). Alternative: Mix in some salt.
- Peppermint Leaves: Chew on fresh peppermint leaves. Also try dried, just keep them in place.
- Potato: Cut a raw chunk of potato (skin off) and hold in place. Can also pound a piece of raw potato, mix in a pinch of salt and use the mash.
- Lime: Cut a slice or wedge of lime and apply, bite into it if possible to release some of the juice. Sensitive to cold? First bring the lime to room temperature if it was refrigerated.
- Onion: Slice a piece of raw onion and tuck inside cheek. The onion needs to be freshly cut (so it provides a bit of onion juice).
- Cucumber: Slice a piece of cucumber and hold over the sore area. If refrigerated, bring the cucumber to room temperature first (if sensitive to cold) otherwise a cool piece may be soothing. You may also incorporate a pinch of salt.
- Plantain: Chew up a fresh plantain leaf. If too sore to chew, switch to the other side of mouth. Once the leaf is macerated a bit apply to the troubled area and hold in place.
- Cayenne Pepper: Make a paste with cayenne pepper and water, use mixture to pack the area (including gum).
- Black Pepper: Use full strength or make a mix of pepper and salt.
- Baking Soda: Take a cotton swab and moisten with water, dip in baking soda (coat the swab really well with baking soda) then apply. Alternative: Make a rinse/solution by mixing a heaping spoonful of baking soda in a small glass of water, dissolve the soda then swish the mixture.
- Tea: Make a fresh cup of tea then take the used tea bag and tuck inside cheek. Careful not to tear the bag. The tannins naturally found in tea leaves can aid in numbing things.
- Ice Pack: Cover an ice pack with a face cloth or towel then settle over cheek where the problem is. Will help numb things. If that doesn’t work, do the opposite–a hot compress (not too hot that skin is burned).
Tips
- If the discomfort is unbearable and there’s no dental office open, call the local hospital’s emergency room–chances are they have a dentist on call (for a fee).
- Try gently brushing teeth and flossing–this might bring some relief.
- If the side of the face is in anguish and it feels like you’re going to lose your mind (I’ve been there)–it could be a sinus infection or an allergy affecting sinuses rather than a dental issue (even though it definitely feels like it). Try a Herbal Decongestant Steam to break up sinuses, this might relieve things enough until getting to a doctor. Chances are a prescription for penicillin is what’s needed to clear up the infection.
Something I found that worked in the above, very painful, severe situation the last time it happened to me (I’ve had three occurrences so far):
- Swoosh cool or room temperature water in mouth where the trouble is. Keep the liquid there as long as possible.
- Once the throbbing starts again, spit out and replenish with a fresh mouthful of fluid.
- Spit out and repeat as often as necessary.
I had to do this for about 4 hours straight one night until the dental office opened in the morning. The hurt was an unbearable, unspeakable, nerve pain. This was the only thing preserving my sanity, giving immediate and fast relief–unfortunately it lasts for only moments at a time. I ended up having a molar pulled but only after a round of antibiotics and a few days taking prescription pain killers. I’m not actually clear on what the problem was in that particular case, I think it was an abscess…I was in serious distress at the time and couldn’t see my usual dentist but I’m confident in the care I received.
What’s In My Medicine Cabinet: I now stock a box each of Extra Strength Anbesol (topical Anesthetic) and Maximum Strength Orajel in the medicine cabinet at all times. The brands aren’t what matters, both have 20% Benzocaine Gel and I found the ingredient helps dull this type of extreme nerve pain in the beginning stages before it blows up and you have to keep water in your mouth the entire time. It would also help relieve discomfort from an abscess in the advanced stages. If it’s 3 AM and nothing on the home remedies list above will work, running to a 24 HR Pharmacy is *well worth the effort* to go out driving to pick this up. They merely provide temporary relief, but there’s something about dental pain that is so intense and causes such severe distress that anything even minimally removing or easing the ache just a little bit is welcome.
I hope this information is beneficial and a quick cure is discovered that works to bring the discomfort to a halt, but please don’t ignore the issue and get to a dentist as soon as possible. Home remedies can help through the night, but problematic teeth and gums only get worse if ignored. Good luck!
Note: These are simply notes I have collected, they are not professional medical advice.
**Updated: Removed aspirin tips in case the warnings weren’t clear enough for some, better to be safe than sorry!
Thank you so much. Vanilla Extract works for me.
I had Severe (make you cry or commit murder pain) .. Oragel pm caked all over, nothing, in fact it seemed to be getting worse, felt like exposed nerve pain (this is the tooth I paid approx $3000 to have root canal and whitecap it … Anyway, been popping Advil like chicklets .. Heating pad out, then ice, nothing was working .. Started googling … Seen garlic … Well couldn’t find my fresh garlic handheld press thingie so o began slicing it on top of a gause pad hoping to collect the juice .. Prolly seconds later in agony I just grab the raw garlic and rubbed ir in in nd outside of gums … Then proceeded to chew on it .. Ouch! But I did manage to chomp up quite a few cloves on other side of mouth getting juices in between teeth and rubbed all the chewed up garlic all over my tooth and the teeth near it … Sounds gross, kinda was, tasted yucky, even burned a little but Nothing compared to the pain before … I feel human again … Like I’m not actually dying lol, yes a bit dramatic but I’m telling you the pin was Severe!! Best luck … Will also be Irving the extracts a whirl if needed … Thanks for sharing.
OMG was I in pain… and it sucked… For me 3 ibuprofen and a handful of grapes worked wonders. Love it! The grapes work like a natural numbing agent while you are waiting for the ibuprofen to kick in. Now I have to make an appt with the dentist and bare the cost of that, but anyways… at least im not in pain now!
Help! Nothing is working 🙁
It seems as if the salt water and vanilla extract isnt working… My husband is in so much pain =(((((((((( HELP!
i was in so much pain i was crying, at 5:00 am i went on the computer and looked up home remedies for tooth ache . i found one and it worked.I tried the salt water and it was a short lived remedies then i tried the vanilla extract and it worked. THANKYOU!!!!!!!
I am suffering right now and my daughter swears that lemon extract works like a charm. I think I will be trying this remedy asap and hope that it works for me. I feel like crying right now.
I am no stranger to toothpain. I have a huge hole plus a crack in my tooth..omg the mind numbing pain. But a lil trick that help subside the pain temporarely is soda. Yes i said soda coke a cola to be specific .take a sip garggle abit around the affected area and presto instant pain relief for a few repeat repeat repeat,,not the best but when yu r on the go yu can allways find sida at a store or t stop,,best of luck
Water does the same thing, so don’t use Coke, it’ll probably make the problem worse. Swishing works, but doesn’t last long after you stop. I tried ground clove powder on the tooth and gum. It worked great. Hours later I still feel fine. Hurray!!
Thanks to vodka seemed to die it down any way can still feel it from time to time so if it comes back ill try salt water or tea.
I tried whiskey before and that does the trick as well as the cloves, but had none in my house and was coming close to smashing my head of the wall with the pain. Tried the garlic from this and about 10-15 seconds the pain was gone. Awesome tricks here 🙂
Hold an ice cube on your hand between your thumb and pointer finger. I don’t know why it works but it almost immediately stops the pain. Spread your thumb and finger and hold the ice in that webby part of your hand. Of course, it’s temporary relief but when you have a toothache, any relief from the pain is most welcome.
I have tried everything and nothing is working. I have no dental insurance so went to er. Doc was n for 5 mins prescribed tylenol 3’s with codine n an antibiotic. Been taking those around the clock with no relief. I have barely ate n the past 48 hrs n can’t barely swallow drinks. I tried the tea bag thing and orajel it doesn’t work n now its to the point I can’t even bare it. If I barely hit it with the side of my tongue I’m in even more pain. If I lay down I end up n tears from it throbbing with pain. Please help me find something!!!!
I haven’t much of the ingredients on the list, but I did have the apple cider and garlic. I tried the cider first and got instant relief, but only for about 5-mins. Tied it again, but didn’t get the same results as before. I then tried chewing on some garlic (on the good side, then moved the bits to the bad). It’s not the instant pain killer of the cider, but it’s lasting a lot longer and the pain is now tolerable (from a 10 to about a 2 or 3). I’m not sure which tastes worse, however, the pain isn’t keeping me awake any longer.
Thank you – I can now get some needed shuteye.
let me tell you. i have been up all night long with the worst toothache EVER. so i google how to get rid of it. and it brout up this sight. i tried the paroxide and omg it worked!!! i cant tell you how thankful i am thank a bunch!!!
Thanks so much!!! Havent been able to sleep for going on 4and nights, tried, everything, vinilla extract did the trick right away! Thank you!
Last week I went in for a standard tooth cleaning. Thanks to my dentist poking and prodding at a tiny hole in my molar (which never bothered me before), I have been in excruciating pain for the past week. Anything I eat or drink bothers it. Orajel works for 30 seconds. Took 2 325mg aspirin and I am about to pull out the vanilla and almond extracts. Praying these work. Can’t afford the root canal or crown, but I will definitely pay to have it pulled out of my face! There’s nothing more unbearable than a toothache. And I’ve been hit by a car, had 2 back labors, fell from a 18ft tree, etc. Nothing compares to this… Hope everyone finds relief.
VANILLA EXTRACT!!!!!!!! Thank you Jesus for this site
I recently had my tooth filled last Friday and I have just been having really bad tooth ache tonight :'(.
I have tried putting an ice pack, warm water, panadol and ginger but nothing is working :”'( i have a 9 week old baby and this pain doesn’t help with my early mornings. And. I can’t find any vanilla extract in my pantry.HELP!!!!
Orajel and vanilla extract worked pretty good. It’s not totally gone but enough where I can sleep and with three babies under 5 I will take it!
This site saved my sanity. I was so desperate (why do tooth aches always spring up in the middle of the night on a holiday?) I was trying everything. Some of the remedies lessened the pain, but the only one that took it away was the clove oil. I was losing my mind.
where did you find clove oil?? thanks for any help
I realize this is may be late, but if you can find a health food store, they usually have essential oils somewhere in the body/skin care section.
I got my clove oil from the pharmacist at local Wal-Mart. I dip a Q-tip into the clove oil and swab my gums and teeth. Do not swallow the clove oil – spit any excess out. Yes, it seems I have more than one tooth that hurts. Gonna have to see a dentist but no insurance so putting it off. Hope you get some relief.
hi i have been up all night in agony with a broken tooth painkillers and anti biotics just wasnt touching the pain so i found this website i had a look in.my kitchen and all i had was garlic paste and salt so i added it together and made a paste rubbed all over and around my tooth left it for aslong as i could washed nmy mouth out and the pain has nearly gone completly definitly reccomend it just hope it lasts long enough to get some sleep
I have had a broken tooth since December 2011. I have made it to August 2012 before having to see a dentist because it got infected. Stopped using flouride toothpaste. Added Crest Pro Health alcohol free mouthwash. Found Newmans Own Limeade to be best pain relief for throbbing. Takes about an hour. Orange juice works too, but rinse acid out with water. I drink a full quart, I sleep fine all night. Tooth didn’t heal on its own.
Thank the good Lord for Lemon extract =D! & to everybody that recommended it, feel a whole lot better!
WOW what a relief as I sit at my desk the pain was throbbing. My co-worker went to lunch and brought me back vanilla extract. I am SO HAPPY it worked. Thank you for sharing this remedy. I would never had thought to use that!!!!! thank you very much!!!
I have a broken top Rt wisdom tooth killing me I’ve fried everything on here no relief at all I even took a 15mg morphine tab from my cancer treatment still nothing I think the nerves are showing causing the pain even severe headache plz HELP!!!
I too had an exposed nerve that made me almost want to kill myself..went the store and got some clove oil..very gross and doesnt really help something severe…so i got desperate and chewed up some bread and made sure some got in the hole and stayed..after about 5-10 mins nearly no pain at all !
That is a very gud blog, these remedies are really very effective, i tried Apple cider vinegar remedy and it made my mom tooth ache disappear in just 3 mins. Thanks
Home made clove oil works the best for me. Take a handful of whole cloves and put in a jar with an airtight lid. Add olive oil to just cover the cloves. Let sit in dark place for at least two weeks before use. Then just dip a q-tip in and rub on gums or bite down softly on tooth. Works wonders in just minutes.
Well like so many on this page I’ve woken up at wee hours of the morning with real regret being such a candy lover. I only have asprin as my tried an true saviour for tooth pain. I realize it’s not the best idea but I dissolve an asprin right on the broken, infected or cavity area and in a few minutes the pain goes away for a couple hours. I will be hitting up my neighbors for extracts though see how that’s working. Thankx for being here in the early A.M.
Normally I’m a garlic girl. One clove, cut in half, chomp down on it so the affected tooth is hugging the raw end. It stings at first but don’t stop. You may even go through a few cloves depending on the severity. Not only does this erase the pain, the natural antibiotic properties of garlic actually begins healing the cause of the toothache. Unfortunately I woke with an ache this morning and I had used all my garlic in a recipe 2 nights ago. Argh! The vanilla extract tip is currently easing the pain. Garlic is far superior, but this suggestion is doing the trick until garlic comes my way 🙂
Garlic worked for me… i put a thin slice between my cheek & gum and within second the pain was gone. Thanx and good night.
Ice pack work somewhat if can get it stay well laying down
I had the worst pain my filling fell out and know there is a hole and the pain is unbearable.
I used garlic and it worked!!!
know I have garlic on my wallpaper on phone and computer thats how much I love garlic.
Although it is slightly crude and not always effective on fully alleviating minor toothache pain levels, I find that a foolproof way to beat _excruciating_ levels of toothache pain is to INHALE COLD AIR directly onto the affected tooth. This might be a better bet for situations when it is not feasible to be using cotton balls in one’s mouth, such as job interviews or movie theaters. Though not a total remedy for all levels of toothache pain, inhaling cold air does seem to be foolproof for agonistic levels.
Does minced garlic and garlic salt and stuff work the same as garlic cloves
Garlic salt works, but for me not as long as garlic clove.
I was up all night with the worst tooth ache in my life overdosed on aspirin trying to make it go away!!!! Anyways tried everything I could find in the house from salt water, oragel, minced garlic, since I didn’t have cloves, saltt water worked for 1/2 hr but kept waking me up even tea tree oil did not work at all, finally a friend brougnt me some clove oil and that stuff worked like a charm took a min for it to set in but I just woke up and im not feeling any pain at all!!! Thank You So Much!!!!
ok got my first cavity in years i have a temporary filling in it right now but the pain is still horrible i tried the vannilia and it was temporary same with the salt water and i have a high tolerance for pain and pain meds so codine isnt helping either or oragel and the ice works to a point as long as my face is plastered to it this sucks and i have to be able to take the remedy to school with me since we have a zero tolerance for meds at my school any ideas>?>>??????
I’ve got to chime in here. The vanilla extract is working like a charm. Thank you for the relief!
My big baby of a boyfriend has had a toothache off and on for months. He just thinks because it doeant hurt him all the time its ok. WRONG! For the last two days he has been suffering with extreme pain. I came across this post and tried salt water…nothing. The peppermint extract is what we’re trying right this moment and it seems to be working. He said it burns like hell, but im assuming its working cause he isnt whining anymore! Thank you sooooo much. Btw, he has an appt with the dentist tomorrow morning.
i was up all nite with tooth pain in 2 different teeth…ibuprofen didnt work so i checwed on ginger root(it numbed it some)…then proceded to get dress and drove to the near drug store and picked clove oil and naproxen(aleve)…THIS IS WHAT STOPPED MY PAIN….the clover oil relaxed the swellin in my gums long enough for the 2 aleve to kick in…when the pills began working suddenly i was pain free….i was so happy that i slept all day…
CLOVES!!! OMG thank u. works so well
i consider my self to be really unlucky when it comes to toothaches after having had five teeth removed i continue to struggle with cavaties…(its quite expensive in my home country zambia to go to the dentist)i can safely say nothing hurts as much as a toothache you literally feel like you are going to go mad last time my tooth was pulled out(wisdom) i had to have 12 dayz off ended up getting stiches n all…anyway been struggling with another tooth ache and i landed up on this site all i can say is thank you the home remedies relly work i tried the salT solution immediately the pain was better then used the vanilla extract amazing thank yu guyz….QUICK QUESTION THOUGH DONT GET HOW THE ICE WORKS ESPECIALLY FOR THE CAVATIES THE WHOLE REASON THE TOOTH ACHES IS COZ THE NERVES ARE BEING EXPOSED TO THE WIND AND COLD RITE KEEPING IT WARM SEEMS TO ME LIKE THE IDEAL SOLUTION …..I THINK
because your gums are inflammed as well. cold keeps the inflammation down 🙂
Don’t use ice if it makes it feel worse. Sometimes heat feels better, other times room temp is the way to go. Its all about the relief.
I woke up one morning with the entire right side of my face swollen. I took olive leaf extract (available at GNC or other supplement stores) & within 12 hours all the swelling/pain was gone. The dental school which scheduled an emergency appointment for me was amazed. Olive leaf extract can be used as an antibiotic or taken on a daily basis to promote well being.
The vanilla extract works, but only for a small amount of time. Seems to work for only about 10/15 minutes or less. Just took me a lortab and am waiting for that to kick in, if not, off to get me some vodka.
Thanks for the tips, bookmarking right now!
Vanilla extract works amazing, the pain was gone instantly I put a little on a small peice of paper towel and put it in my cheek next to the sore tooth and the pain disipeared and the longer it was there so did the pressure
thank you so much everyone now I can get some sleep
Hi everybody and thank you for this page! I want to share my own experience with that kind of pain that always happens at night and/or during weekends or public holidays!!!
Right now I feel excruciating pain under a crown where I already had a root canal. That’s weird! So I don’t know where the pain comes from exactly. My dentist on the phone told me that it could be from grinding and clenching at night, but I’m skeptical because the pain is really terrible (and I had toothaches very often in my life), there I can feel the throbbing and the pain in my ear, head and in my throat as well. Here are my ways of dealing with this pain.
First, I have some effervescent Aspirin I brought back from Europe and it works well: when it’s dissolving I use it like a mouthwash, keeping the solution against my sore tooth/crown and it’s really doing the trick. One can do that as well with regular Aspirin dissolved in a small glass of water.
Another good trick is using Vanilla extract: you put it on a Q-tip and massage delicately around the gum at the place of the tooth/teeth, you can also put the Vanilla extract on half a cotton ball and place it directly against the tooth and keep it a little while.
I also have another trick that works for me, it’s regular wine vinegar: put it on a large cotton pad, let it stay in the freezer for a few minutes and then put it on your cheek (outside). It is for the swelling (if there’s any) of the cheek (it happens frequently with toothaches), the vinegar is astringent and it helps a lot to reduce the swelling on your face.
There’s also one thing(for people living in other places than the US) it’s Synthol. That’s a liquid medication used for soreness in general: muscle pain, insect bites, all kind of stuff… For toothache, if you put some pure Synthol on a piece of cotton and apply it directly on your sore tooth/gum it works wonders; don’t swallow it of course. You can also rinse with Synthol (added some warm water) and it’s a good way to get rid of the pain and to disinfect your mouth. The taste of Synthol is strong, but it’s okay.
Finally, chewing some cloves has an anesthetic effect and it can really bring you relief pretty fast, take care not to swallow them whole (!) since they’re sharp and can cause some scratch in your throat and esophagus.
There… I’m done, sorry for the lengthy explanations; I wish you find good relief for your pain, I know that toothaches are so unbearable. Thank you for reading me!
I currently have two teeth that are broken, and the one thing that makes them hurt the worst is air getting in them just right. I found a fix… clear finger nail polish (or any color you prefer). It doesn’t really treat the pain but it keeps the air out that causes some of the pain.
I think you should be careful with this, I believe many polishes have ingredients that are toxic/poison.
They make a product called dental wax. If you have a sensitive broken tooth just pack the cavity with the wax and problem solved.
years ago i had a bad abcessed tooth i tried every otc pain medication i could find.Only one that did work great was Anacin took the pain right out.Got to a dentist and he pulled the tooth after i took antibiotics for a week.With Anacin i could sleep.
vanilla extract is definitely helping. after a few hours of walking back and forth around the house from the crazy pain, it finally is going down. thanks so much all!
I have tried nearly all of those listed above and after many failures,,
, I found one that worked. CLOVE OIL. I can attest to its effectiveness.
If nothing else works for you, but try clove oil. Works nearly instantly. Careful though, clove oil can be toxic in too high of doses.
yes the clove oil has worked for me in the past, however over the years, “used my last drop”~~~~~~~I was freaking out with pain about 30 min ago—went for the ” Vanilla extract” and reading all of these posts has really made me feel better..**) Thank you !!
Was in terrible pain last night & tried all of these ideas, finally a mixture of clove oil, vanilla extract a excedrine migrane & a bag if frozen brocolli plastered on the side of my face gave me enough relief to fall asleep. Thanks
Desperation brought me here , had an nerve taking out and the pain is worse than the toothache was , just tried your tip for the vanilla and it seems to be helping , this is the first time today the pain has eased .19/10/2012.
I have a severe broken tooth, the pain is unbareable after taking iburofen and co-codamol the pain was still excruciating. Much to my “luck” I had non of the above at hand and 2 small babies asleep in bed. Unable to get to a shop I tryed salt water. It didn’t work.