Toothaches are described as the worst pain a human might suffer. Immediate toothache pain relief is something you will definitely seek if it happens to experience such a tooth pain. Although in many cases only the dentist can provide the treatment for the toothache, several remedies can help relieve some of the pain, especially if you can not visit the dentist immediately.
First we have to identify the possible cause of the problem.
Usualy toothaches are caused by teeth or jaw problems, such as dental cavities, dental abscesses, teeth sensitivity, root exposure, cracked teeth, gum disease, wisdom teeth, tmj disorders and other.
The main method to relieve tooth pain is the use of painkillers, but you can also try several home remedies to stop a toothache. Always remember that toothaches must be treated by a dentist, any tooth pain relief remedies should only used as temporary and never as long term solutions.
How to find Toothache Pain Relief
Things you can do until you get professional care:
Brush you teeth
The first thing you can do after experiencing a toothache is to make sure that your mouth is clean from dental plaque bacteria and food debris. Gently brush and floss teeth or use an interdental cleaner to remove any food particles trapped between teeth . Sometime the pain is caused by food debris lodged into a cavity; removing it will immediately relieve the pain.
Rinse with salt water
Rinsing the mouth with lukewarm to warm salt water can also help not only in cleaning the mouth but also to ease gum swelling and provide some toothache pain relief.
Toothache pain medication
Several types of medications can be used to reduce or stop a toothache. Some of them are only available on prescription, but many can be bought over the counter and may help until you visit your dentist or physician.
Over the counter toothache medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen have analgesic or anti-inflammatory properties (Ibuprofen) and they can offer enough pain relief to make the toothache affordable.
Sensitivity toothpaste
Brushing teeth with a special toothpaste for sensitive teeth can definitely help if you have a tooth sensitivity problem that causes the pain. It may also help in case of a mild toothache due to a cavity or after a dental treatment as placing a filling or a crown. In this case you can put some toothpaste directly on the painful tooth.
Apply cold
Applying a cold compress or an ice pack on the outside of the mouth over the area that hurts may relieve the pain. The use of cold will help also to reduce any swelling. Apply the ice for 10 to 20 minutes of every hour, taking it on and off during this time to avoid freezing the skin surface.
Temporary filling
If you have a cavity, or a fractured / broken tooth, or a filling or crown is damaged or lost, the dentin becomes exposed causing tooth pain. In some pharmacies you may find a temporary filling material to cover the damaged tooth and stop the toothache. If that is not possible you may try an alternative remedy covering the tooth with a piece of raw potato to isolate it from external stimuli that irritate the nerves.
Clove oil
Use of clove oil is maybe the most popular toothache home remedy for pain relief in folk medicine for many years. It contains eugenol, which is a natural antibacterial, antiseptic and pain killer.Thanks to its antibacterial properties, it can also help in fighting tooth and gum infections. Besides toothache pain relief, clove oil has been mentioned to prevent mouth ulcers and plaque formation.
You can find clove oil at drugstores and supermarkets sold either as clove oil or eugenol.
Clove oil can be either applied directly on the pain area or you can soak a cotton swab with a few drops of clove oil and place it over the painful tooth for about an hour at a time. You can repeat use 2 to 3 times daily.
Clove oil should not be used by people having bleeding disorders, liver and kidney problems, diabetic patients, small children and pregnant women.
Tea bag
Use a wet tea bag, and place it on the sore tooth for several minutes till the pain subsides.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is considered as a natural healing agent. It is a home remedy for tooth pain relief that can be effective, either by applying directly on the tooth similar to the clove oil, or by rinsing the mouth with a glassful of water containing a few drops of tea tree oil.
Garlic
Crush a fresh clove of garlic, mix it with some salt, and hold it onto the aching tooth. Remove it when it begins to sting. Garlic has natural antibacterial properties and helps relieve the pain of an aching tooth.