Natural Remedies for Toothache
There are few things as painful as a toothache. One thing to remember is pain is merely a symptom. You can’t truly heal until you find the ROOT (pun intended) cause. Many people approach pain via self medication (e.g. NSAIDs, opioids, etc.); unfortunately, treating a symptom only ensures the problem will occur again. Ignoring the pain and/or self medicating will only give a small, inexpensive problem the incubation time needed to become a big, expensive life issue.
When you have pain, contact us at Bradburn Village Dentistry or your wellness dentist to set an appointment as soon as possible. In the meantime during the short wait for your appointment, here are a few short-term, home remedies:
1. Rinse with warm salt water up to four times a day. This will help clean and soothe the inflammation around the tooth. It can reduce swelling and gently removes bacteria from the affected area. Heat 8 ounces of water on the stove and add 1 tsp of salt (ideally sea salt or Himalayan pink salt). Once dissolved, allow water to cool until it is at a safe temperature. Rinse and swish salt water around in your mouth for 30 seconds and then spit it out.
2. Apply clove oil or a product with clove oil in it. Eugenol, the active ingredient in cloves, is a natural pain reliever. Rub a tiny amount of the clove oil on your gums to ease pain. Mix a couple drops of clove oil (click here for my favorite one) with olive oil or coconut oil to dilute it before applying it to the area. Applying it undiluted can irritate the inflamed area.
3. Use a cold compress to help reduce swelling and relieve pain in the area. Try it for 15-20 minutes every couple hours. This can be especially helpful if the pain is related to a trauma. Do not place ice directly on your skin; it will burn you. Use or create a compress that is cold but not freezing.
Remember, call your dentist if you have tooth pain to make an appointment: (303) 839-5109. Bradburn Village Dentistry wants you to live with as little physical pain as possible so you can enjoy life with health and vitality.
