Home Remedies for Toothache – Relieve The Tooth Pain

19th June 2020

Home Remedies for Toothache – Relieve The Tooth Pain

People who have experienced tooth pain know it well — it causes headaches, more discomfort and anxiety than any other type of pain and prevents you from completing everyday tasks. If your teeth are causing pain, you may wonder whether it constitutes a dental emergency and whether visiting an emergency dentist is the best option. A dental emergency is where immediate dental care is required for immediate medical care for toothache pain relief, to stop bleeding, or to save a tooth. This also applies to swelling and infections that could be life-threatening.

Mysterious bleeding after a dental procedure or a knocked-out tooth, for example, is a situation where you should also seek help from an emergency dentist. Random pain, such as sporadic toothache, can also be a dental emergency, depending on the severity of the pain. Until your visit, home remedies for toothaches are available to treat your tooth pain temporarily.

Home remedies for toothaches have existed for thousands of years. Although modern dental care has improved our dental health significantly, anyone can still suffer from a toothache due to a cavity, cracked tooth, or loose filling. A home toothache remedy is an easy and inexpensive way to reduce tooth discomfort.

Home remedies for toothache relief aren’t a substitute for professional dental care and should only be used as a temporary measure. Severe pain needs to be treated by an emergency dentist as soon as possible, even if a home toothache remedy seems to work.

A home toothache remedy is a good way to relieve minor pain until the pain resolves on its own, or you can visit a dentist for assessment and treatment. Here’s how to relieve toothache at home bring you short-term relief.

What Causes Tooth Pain?

Several factors can cause toothache, including:

  • A dental cavity

Developing cavities gradually erodes the hard enamel and dentin surrounding a tooth. Once they reach a certain depth, they can cause tooth pain when biting and chewing food, particularly if it’s sweet.

A cavity may become infected without treatment. As the nerves start to die inside the tooth, you will experience tooth pain and discomfort, often accompanied by swelling of the gums and tooth sensitivity near the infected area.

  • Infection or dental abscess

Tooth decay is one of the most common causes of a painful tooth. Dental decay results from poor oral health when bacteria grow on your teeth, leading to dental caries. Caries are holes in dental enamel caused by improper cleaning habits, excessive snacking and consumption of food and drinks with a high sugar content.

Dental decay allows bacteria to enter the inner tooth, infecting the pulp and causing oral pain.

  • Inflammation of the surrounding gum

When bacteria on teeth stay on the enamel, they can form a film called plaque, which eventually hardens to form tartar. This tartar forms along the gum tissue and the bacteria it contains can make their way under the gum and cause gum disease.

In its early form, gum disease is called gingivitis. If not treated by a dentist immediately, it can lead to an advanced condition, periodontal disease or a serious dental problem.

Periodontitis symptoms include gums that pull away from the teeth, loosening and exposing them to infections. It can also result in swollen gums, bleeding, a foul-tasting fluid discharge or difficulty chewing.

  • Teeth grinding (bruxism)

In severe cases, prolonged tooth grinding can place stress on the roots and ligaments of the teeth, causing them to ache. If you suspect teeth grinding is a problem, visit a dentist at your earliest convenience for toothache pain relief and to prevent further damage to the teeth.

  • Tooth loss

A cracked tooth can expose its inner nerves and blood vessels to irritants such as food and drink or bacteria, while a tooth that has broken from its root will expose gum tissue as well, causing excruciating pain. It’s also possible to lose teeth due to tooth decay from not seeing a dentist in time.

  • Dental eruption

Wisdom teeth are the last to erupt and can be the most troublesome. Often, they erupt at an incorrect angle or don’t have enough space to fit on the jawbone. Improper eruption of a wisdom tooth can result in an infection, which can cause significant pain.

  • Sinus infection

Sinuses are hollow spaces connected to the nasal passage. When tissue in the sinus becomes inflamed due to a viral or bacterial infection, it can cause pain in the upper teeth, which lie close to the sinus.

  • Sinus pressure

Allergens in the atmosphere can irritate the nasal passage, leading to a build-up of mucus produced by the body to trap foreign particles. Excessive mucus build-up in the nasal cavity exerts pressure on the sinus tissue, putting pressure on nerve endings around the teeth and causing pain.

  • Oral trauma

If you suffer a blow to the face and mouth (possibly from contact sports), trip and fall, or other trauma that causes injury, the resulting pain in your jaw and gums can feel like a severe toothache. One or more of your teeth may be cracked or broken. In such cases, you should contact an emergency dentist for a same-day appointment. While waiting to see the dentist, over-the-counter medications such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen will provide toothache pain relief.

Depending on the cause of toothache, you may need a root canal for toothache relief or a nightguard to prevent teeth from grinding together.

Toothache Home Remedies

  • Salt water rinse

Although it sounds surprisingly simple, saltwater rinses offer temporary toothache pain relief and work well for minor irritation caused by bacteria or debris. Make sure to swish the saltwater around thoroughly for 30 seconds before spitting it out.

  • Thyme oil

Though not as readily available in the kitchen as other home remedies, thyme essential oil helps alleviate tooth pain as it is rich in antibacterial properties.

To benefit from this, place a few drops of oil on a cotton ball with a few drops of water and place it along the affected area.

  • Peppermint tea

Swishing peppermint tea can help clear debris similarly to a saltwater rinse but with the added benefit of having some numbing power. The flavour may also appeal more to children, who often dislike saltwater.

You can also use the tea bag as a compress against the affected tooth. Ensure the tea bag has cooled off first, then hold it against the tooth as a short-term cure for tooth pain until the discomfort subsides.

  • Ginger-cayenne paste

This surprising home remedy for toothache pain relief works because of capsaicin, a compound in cayenne pepper that helps keep pain from reaching the brain. Just mash ginger and cayenne pepper into a paste with water, then soak a small cotton ball. You’ll want the cotton ball to be small enough to cover your tooth without touching your tongue or gums.

Since this mixture can be quite spicy, it might not work well with small children. Adults and teenagers should be able to hold the cotton in place long enough for the paste to work.

  • Garlichome remedies for toothache in Sydney AU

Garlic has antibacterial properties that have allowed it to be used for medicinal purposes for centuries. It also helps relieve discomfort and produces phenomenal results as a toothache remedy.

Mash a fresh garlic clove into a paste or slowly chew it with the affected tooth. If the taste of raw garlic is overpowering, try mixing the paste with a small amount of salt. The salt may also help clean and reduce swelling for toothache relief.

  • Clove

Clove oil contains a natural anesthetic called eugenol, and the flavour and scent of clove make it pleasant to use. Use caution, though, as clove oil can irritate gums if applied too liberally inside your mouth.

Place a few small drops of clove oil on a cotton ball and use that to soak the tooth, or gently chew a whole clove until the oil comes out. With either option, you should feel toothache relief within half an hour.

  • Cold Compress

Like with any discomfort, a short-term cure for tooth pain is ice. Because teeth are so small, the most effective route may be to wrap an ice cube in a cloth and hold it against the affected tooth. A larger ice pack is difficult to place accurately for targeted toothache relief.

This toothache remedy may not work well with patients with sensitive teeth, and melting ice can be a hassle. It could be the best option if you don’t have any appropriate spices around the house.

  • Hydrogen peroxide rinse

If an infection causes discomfort, a hydrogen peroxide rinse, one of the popular home remedies for toothache, may provide temporary relief. An infection may be a dental emergency, so if you have a foul taste in your mouth or a fever, find an emergency dentist as soon as possible.

Mix one part of 3% hydrogen peroxide with one part of water and swish for several seconds. Make sure to spit out the hydrogen peroxide and rinse your mouth with fresh water afterwards. Small children should not attempt to use this rinse.

  • Flossing

Toothaches are sometimes caused by food getting trapped between teeth. Regular brushing might not remove this food if the gaps between your teeth are very tight. Although flossing may not provide immediate toothache relief, it may allow the discomfort to gradually subside and not get any worse.

Make sure to floss once a day, ideally at the end of the day before bed. Floss between all teeth, even the ones that don’t hurt or have visible food, to keep other toothaches from forming. Talk to your dentist about flossing methods if you’re having trouble reaching the back corners of your mouth.

  • Toothpaste for sensitive teeth

Tooth discomfort triggered by hot, cold, or acidic foods could indicate sensitive teeth. Tooth sensitivity is common and can get worse as we age. When our teeth decay and enamel grows thin, the nerves at the base of each tooth become more exposed and sensitive.

A dentist can help you devise a long-term plan for tooth decay and thin enamel. In the meantime, try a toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth for toothache relief.

  • Oral gels

Oral gels provide a comforting, numbing sensation when applied to the painful area. Aloe vera gel is also an effective home remedy for gum disease because of its antiseptic qualities.

The benefits of emergency dental care

While home remedies for toothache are temporary pain relief, visiting an emergency is an effective long-term treatment for toothache pain relief. Our emergency dentist can determine the causes of your toothache and take the appropriate steps to resolve the situation.

Immediate professional treatment for toothache relief can prevent more costly complications. If you ignore an infected tooth that requires root canal treatment, it could die and require extraction. Then, you’ll face the cost of tooth extraction and the inconvenience and costs of replacing it with a dental bridge, partial denture or dental implant. These procedures are more expensive and invasive than timely root canal treatment.

Following appropriate treatment, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that the dental problem is under control and you can get on with your life free from niggling tooth pain and oral health concerns.

Seek Professional Care From Your Dental Professionals at No Gaps Dentalhome remedies for toothache in Sydney

These home remedies for toothaches are not long-term solutions. The biggest concern is that a delay in dental care worsens cavities, abscesses and other problems if home remedies are relied upon for too long.

If you suffer an impact on your tooth and it causes discomfort, this may be a dental emergency that requires immediate care. You must see a dentist for discomfort lasting more than 2-3 days.

No Gaps Dental makes seeking emergency care or ongoing preventive care easy. Our locations accept coverage from any Australian health fund, meaning no out-of-pocket cost for general and preventative dental treatment. Call us at (02) 8069 9732 to learn more or book a dental exam.