Toothaches can render a person immobile with pain. When a killer toothache occurs, a person has only one focus: How to get rid of the toothache as fast as possible.
Toothaches occur for a variety of reasons. It could be that the center of your tooth, the pulp, is infected. Stanton Smiles, a dental office, says, “Pulp is the primitive tissue in the very center of every tooth. It is a very simple tissue consisting of a nerve, artery and vein. It is also a very vulnerable tissue in that it has no ability to heal itself. Once it gets insulted or damaged by trauma, decay, a deep crack or some other injury it will always die and lead to an eventual abscess. Once this happens, the only options are endo therapy or extraction of the tooth. If the dead infected tooth is left untreated, the abscess will always grow slowly destroying bone around the tip of the root and often times spread to neighboring teeth.”
Other reasons for your toothache or gum ache include damaged fillings, infected gums, or TMJ/TMD.
Naturally, the first item on our to-do list if a toothache pops up is to make a dentist appointment. But what if the only opening is tomorrow? Or you’re stuck at work and can only make it to the dental office when you get off?
The following cures will help relieve some or most of the pain and tide you over until you can see a dentist and get to the root of the problem.
Rinse your mouth with salt water.
Considered by many to be the first line of treatment before going to the dentist, rinsing with saltwater disinfects your mouth. It can help to loosen any particles that could be causing inflammation. Additionally, studies show that salt water promotes healing of sores in the mouth. To make a salt water rinse, use 1/2 tsp of salt into warm water. After the salt has dissolved as much as it is able, gargle and spit.
If the toothache persists after a saltwater rinse, then you know it’s something a little more serious than a surface infection.
Use clove oil.
A traditional method for numbing pain, clove oil is a natural anesthetic. If you happen to have clove oil around, put a couple of drops on a cotton ball, and place the cotton ball next to the center of pain in your mouth.
If you do not have clove oil, but do have whole cloves, that can still work in a bind. Chew on a single clove to release the clove oil. Keep the clove in your mouth until the pain recedes.
Soothe with peppermint.
Not only does the smell of peppermint have a calming and relaxing effect, but it also contains some ability to numb. If you have any peppermint tea around, brew yourself a cup. After it cools down a little, rinse your mouth with it. Don’t have any peppermint tea in your kitchen cupboard? Black tea might be effective, too. The tannins in black tea have been shown to reduce swelling and thus help lessen pain.
Peppermint oil is often used as a remedy for headaches. While this one has yet to be studied in the lab, MedlinePlus notes that it has a long history of use for aches and pains.
Ice it!
A cold compress can help to relieve toothache pain. It is particularly effective if the cause of your tooth pain is the result of blunt force or trauma to the jaw. Cold applied to a pained area causes blood vessels to contract, lessening the pain. \
Wrap the compress in a towel to avoid a cold burn. Apply for 15 minutes at a time. Repeat as often as needed.
Acupuncture and pressure point therapy.
One of the fastest ways to pain relief is to use pressure point therapy to get the pain to stop fast. Pressure points that help to alleviate toothaches include the area right behind your ankle bone. Press this spot for 1 minute. If your finger is unable to provide enough pressure, use a knuckle. Other areas are the back of your hand where your thumb and forefinger meet. And the nape of the neck.
Seeing an acupuncturist means that you do not need to memorize the pressure points for relieving tooth pain yourself. But once you get these pressure points down, you will quickly be able to alleviate pain on your own, no matter where you are.