Toothache is never an enjoyable experience, but it can be even worse if your dentist is full or you can’t get to an appointment for several days.
The team here at Pleasant Family Dentistry knows all too well what the pain of a toothache can do to a person and how irritable it can make you feel.
We try to accommodate emergency appointments as quickly as possible, but sometimes there is a wait. To help anyone who has a toothache and faces a long wait to see a dentist, we’ve put together a list of homemade remedies that can ease the pain.
Please be aware that these are in no way a substitute for taking good care of your teeth and visiting a professional dentist; they are just ideas to help tide you over until you get to us.
Salt is a natural antiseptic, and many patients who experience mild tooth discomfort find that swilling saltwater around in their mouth can temporarily relieve the pain.
Add around half a teaspoon of salt to a glass of lukewarm water to reduce the swelling and pain. This natural solution is easy to do at home with items you have in your cupboards, so it should be your first step before moving on to more drastic pain reduction methods.
Repeat your saltwater rinse two or three times a day, or after every meal, until your dentist appointment when your dentist will be able to provide you with treatment that entirely relieves the pain.
Cloves are a traditional way to relieve tooth pain, so give them a try if your teeth hurt and you have to wait for an appointment with your dentist.
You can buy dried cloves from most natural food stores or on the internet and place them in your mouth near the pain site. Chew them gently to release their natural oils and soothe your pain.
Alternatively, buy clove oil and put some on a small cotton wool bud or swab. You can then wipe the oil around the tooth that hurts.
As cloves are a natural product, you shouldn’t react to this method, but if you feel that it isn’t working, try a different approach to see if that will be more effective.
Holding a cold compress to the side of your face is one of the most effective ways to reduce the pain and swelling that you often feel when you get a toothache.
Use a cold item, like a bag of frozen peas or an ice cube tray, and hold it to your face wrapped in a cloth to prevent your skin from becoming too cold.
Hold the compress to your face until it warms up and is no longer cold. Then, gently remove it and wait a few minutes to see how your mouth feels.
If the pain has decreased and you feel better, you can wait until it returns before replacing the cold compress. However, if your teeth still hurt, replace the compress immediately with another fresh from the freezer wrapped in a new cloth.
CBD oil is the hot new product on the market right now, and while rubbing it on your gums isn’t a proven method for relieving toothache, many patients claim that it can help to soothe the pain.
This method isn’t really homemade, as you will have to buy CBD oil from a reputable retailer, but you can use it at home if your tooth pain is severe and other methods won’t work.
Rub a small amount of high-quality oil onto your gums near the site of the pain, and then avoid drinking or eating for a few hours to allow it to sink in and get to work.
You might notice that the oil helps to reduce the pain or that it does nothing at all. If you feel irritated after applying the oil, then rinse your mouth out immediately and stop using the product.
At Pleasant Family Dentistry, we understand how horrific toothache can be, which is why we recommend regular checkups with a professional dentist.
A dentist can spot issues early, treat them, and advise you on keeping your mouth clean and reducing your chances of tooth decay and infection.
If you’re afraid of the dentist and don’t feel comfortable getting regular checkups, then we can help. We offer dermal fillers treatment, sedation dentistry, and dedicated support for nervous patients so that you feel at ease and keep your teeth clean and healthy.
For more information or to book an appointment, contact us today, and our team of dedicated staff will be more than happy to help.
