I
am not going to begin this post by asking you all if you have ever had a tooth
pain. That’s because at some point or the other, pounding head and pain in
the tooth and/or gum region is a situation experienced by one and all. And that, despite brushing your teeth every day, flossing it regularly, gargling your mouth after you consume
food and following your oral hygiene religiously.
When you have intense pain in your tooth, it automatically signals that there is a
problem. A problem that can be related to a cavity, a tooth filling that has
opened up, a gum disease, an infection or any other oral issue. The best
step to thwart this pain is by attacking the root cause, which can be fixed by visiting a dentist. However, in
reality what a lot of people do is first try to see if they can relieve this
pain themselves by consuming a pain killer bought from a nearby pharmacy or
applying a gum numbing gel. These are all quick-fix
attempts to find some kind of relief from tooth pain BUT for a short time.
Now imagine a scenario when you have a toothache at night but without a painkiller ready at hand. Or maybe you are at home but you know that getting an early appointment with a dentist is not possible and also you do not want to take an over-the-counter analgesic because of your dislike for it. In cases like these home remedies can come in very handy. Though these homemade tips do not get rid of the actual problem, they are easy to make, have relatively less to nil side effects and can be quite effective in handling the pain and discomfort that a toothache brings.
1) Garlic
Garlic has been
one of the most dependable kitchen ingredients in my home to counter toothache. Garlic is known for its antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties and has been used since ancient times for varied medicinal purposes. With respect to a toothache, the reason why garlic works well against this pain is because of the healing effect that its compound called ‘allicin’ brings
when a clove of garlic is crushed and used directly on the affected area.
How to Use It: There
is not much effort needed to try this remedy at home. Just take one clove of garlic
and crush it. After resting the crushed garlic for about 5 minutes, take it in
your mouth and press it against your affected tooth. Close your mouth with this
crushed garlic inside for another 8-10 minutes. If you wish you can also chew
it. However do not keep the garlic for long as it might trigger a strong
burning sensation in your sore area. After removing or consuming the garlic,
rinse your mouth with warm water.
2) Clove
Every household
knows the magic of clove in reliving dental pain, mouth ulcers and also gum
diseases. However many might not know the science behind it. Clove is
anesthetic and is also known for its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-fungal
and anti-bacterial properties. It helps reduce tooth pain by numbing the tooth
nerves through its chemical compound called ‘eugenol’, which is a natural
anesthetic of clove.
How to Use It: You
can use this wonderful spice for tooth pain by either using clove oil or 1-2
cloves. If you have clove oil at home, then I suggest that you add a few drops
of this oil on a cotton ball and dab it over the tooth that is
paining. Close your mouth with the cotton ball inside and on the tooth that is paining for a few minutes. Avoid applying this oil directly as the pain can worsen if your gum
tissues are sensitive. Alternatively, you can also use clove oil as a
mouth-wash. All you need to do is add a few drops of this wonder oil to one
full glass of water and swish your mouth with this solution a couple of times a day.
In
case you do not have clove oil, then take
1 whole clove and press it in the tooth that is aching. Slowly try to chew it.
Chewing the clove releases its oil on its own. This in turn helps relive tooth pain.
3) Onion
One of the key ingredients in kitchen, onion has found mention in many of
grandma recipes for cure against toothache. The usage of onion to fight tooth
pain has been further strengthened by studies which have proven onion to have
antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.
How to Use It: To
use onion as a natural relief for toothache, cut an onion and slice it. Take
1-2 slices of this onion and keep it on the tooth that is paining. Slowly start
chewing it, to release its natural juices. The juices help in fighting against
bacteria and also reduce swelling. After a few minutes of slow chewing, you can
either swallow or discard the residue. You can repeat the same process with more onion slices.
4) Salt
Water
A
salt water rinse, couple of times a day is usually suggested by doctors during
sore throats, gum infections and even after minor dental procedures. Salt water
acts as an aid to fight bacteria and control pain if any in all
the above conditions. The same holds true in the case of toothache as well.
Salt water helps kill bacteria by increasing the pH value in the mouth.
Bacteria thrive in acidic condition, while salt water offers an alkaline
environment, making it difficult for the bacteria to survive.
How to Use It: Making
a salt water mouth rinse is very easy. Just add 1 teaspoon of salt water to
half a glass of warm water. Now, swish your mouth with this salt water mouthwash.
Repeat this process after 2-3 hours, couple of times in a day.
5) Peppermint
Peppermint
is a hybrid mint. Once found only in Europe and Middle East, this valued medicinal herb is now cultivated in many parts of the world. Peppermint is known to be a strong antiseptic, is a naturally mild analgesic and possesses carminative and anti-oxidant properties. The presence of high menthol content in this amazing herb works in fighting bacteria and also helps in causing a temporary numbing effect.
How to Use It: There
are a number of ways of using peppermint, depending on what form is available. If
you have peppermint essential oil at home, then add a few drops of it in half a
glass of water and use it as a mouth wash. Rinse your mouth thoroughly with
this solution, 3-4 times a day for effective results.
If
you do not have peppermint oil, but some fresh peppermint (or mint) leaves at
home then wash and chew it, to release its juices naturally. It is one of the
simplest and immediate ways to help control your toothache using this herb.
Another way of using peppermint leaves is by making a flavored tea out it. For
this, add 2 spoons of dried or fresh peppermint leaves to 1 cup of boiling water
and steep (i.e. let the leaves soak) for about 20 minutes. Sip this cool tea
and rinse your mouth with it. You can either spit or swallow the tea. For added
effect, you can also add chopped ginger while making the tea.
If
you neither have peppermint essential oil or leaves, but peppermint tea bags
with you, then these can help a great deal too. Just slip in the tea bag in a
cup of boiling water and let it steep. Take the used tea bag and place it over
the tooth that is paining for about 15-20 minutes. The teabag will give a numbing effect to
the tooth. Besides this, you can also use the freshly prepared cool tea and follow the above
rinse and spit/swallow process to further block the pain.
Note:
* In addition to trying out any one of the above natural remedies to control toothache, try applying an ice pack too. For this, just take some ice cubes, wrap it
in a cloth and massage it over the tooth that is paining (i.e. on the cheek,
over the tooth that is paining). This will further help in relieving some pain
as well as reducing inflammation/swelling if any.
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