10 Natural Toothache Remedies

by: John Trout (JT)

It hurts when you smile or frown or eat or drink... heck, it even hurts when you breathe! Sounds like you've got a painful toothache and I bet you want to know how to get rid of it now! Well here are 10 tips that I hope will have you smiling in no time.

1. Stay cool & swallow that aspirin!
   First of all, lets not make things worse by taking bad advise. 
   Good ole Mom, God bless her heart, might hand you a hot water bottle to put on that aching cheek. Don't do it, even if it seems to work! Why? Because if an infection is causing the toothache the heat will actually draw the infection to the outside of the jaw and make the infection worse. Try an ice pack on your cheek instead and use the hot water bottle to warm your feet.
   
   Another old-time remedy that misses the mark calls for placing an aspirin directly on the aching gum. Don't do it because this can cause an aspiring burn. If your taking aspirin for your toothache, "swallow it" every 4 to 6 hours as required.
   
   
2. Rinse that toothache right out of your mouth!
   Does it hurt when you eat? Your toothache may be caused by trapped food. Take a mouthful of water (at body temperature) and rinse vigorously. This may be all you need to dislodge that trapped food and alleviate your pain. If swishing doesn't work then try flossing. Be gentle though, because gums are likely to be sore.
   
   
3. An Open and Shut cast...
   Sometimes a toothache is a sign that a person bite isn't quite right. If you find that your toothache seems to only happen or get much worse when you shut your mouth then you might have a problem with your bite (the way your upper & lower set of teeth line up). If this is the case, you need to see a dentist about correcting your bite and until you get there... try to keep your mouth open slightly as much as possible to keep your pain to a minimum.
   
   Sometimes aching teeth are merely reacting to heat or cold because they have developed a common problem called "dentinal hypersensitivity", which begins when the dentin underneath the tooth enamel becomes exposed due to age, receding gums, surgery, overzealous brushing or plaque eating at the tooth enamel. If you have sensitive teeth, sometimes just a little cold air moving past the tooth is enough to create a painful toothache. 
   
   If this sounds like you then "shut your mouth" and listen up... have I got your attention? OK, now try breathing through your nose as you mosey on down to the drug store to pick up some over-the-counter toothpaste made especially for people with sensitive teeth. Oh and lets switch to a nice "soft" toothbrush while we're at it.
   
   
4. Salt of the Earth...
   Stir 1 teaspoon of salt into an 8-ounce glass of water (at body temperature) and take a mouthful and swish it around in your mouth and spit. Repeat until the glass is empty. You should do this after each meal as well as before bed. This remedy can help the body fight off minor gum infections that are the source of some toothaches.
   
   
5. When your toothache bites back!
   If your toothache is caused by some type of trauma, like a blow to the jaw or tooth, then try not to use that area for chewing for a while. If nothing is damaged, then a few days rest should restore your tooth's vitality.
   
   
6. Put that tooth on ice...
   Sucking on a piece of ice, put an ice cube directly on the offending tooth or putting an ice pack on the cheek area nearest your toothache will sometime be enough to make that toothache chill out. Do this for 15 minutes at least 3 or 4 times a day until the toothache is gone. Obviously if you have dentinal hypersensitivity as described in tip #3 then you will not want to use this method to cure your toothache.
   
   
7. Cool Hand Luke
   Believe it or not, giving your hand an "ice massage" can reduce your pain by 50% or more. You take an ice cube and rub it on the back of your hand in the V-shaped area where the bones of your thumb and forefinger meet. Gently push the ice cube over this area for 5 to 7 minutes. This procedure works by sending rubbing impulses along the nerve pathways to your brain. Since your tooth pain travels along the same nerve pathways, which can carry only one signal at a time, the rubbing outweighs the pain. One Canadian study found that nearly 90% of the participates reported that this method eased their toothache. Cool!
   
   
8. Bartender, I have a toothache...
   This is an old home remedy that actually has a little kick to it. Hold a swig of whiskey over the painful tooth for a minute or so. Your gums will actually absorb some of the alcohol, which will numb the pain. Spit out the rest unless you planned on having a party anyway.
   
   
9. Herbal remedies to the rescue!
   "Oil of Cloves" or Clove oil is an over-the-counter herbal elixir which is primarily used in aromatherapy, but can be used externally or internally as a remedy for a variety of conditions including toothaches. Place several drops of clove oil directly on the affected tooth or dab a little on a cotton ball and pack it next to the ache.. DO NOT SWALLOW except 1-2 drops in water when using Clove Oil for parasites or nausea.
   
   "Capsaicin" is a hot herbal remedy for toothaches. Capsaicin is actually the naturally occurring active ingredient in hot chili peppers, which has been proven to have the ability to block pain sensations. This blocking effect is what makes it a longlasting anesthetic. **A word of caution regarding Capsaicin... If you have tender or sore gums, capsaicin may be very irritating. So you might want consider this before biting down on that hot chili pepper.
   
   
10. Do I have too??
    A toothache may be caused by any one of a number of things. The pulp of your tooth or gums around your cuspid could be infected. You could have a decay in a molar, a crack in a bicuspid, a sinus infection run amuck or simply a piece of food caught between two teeth. Regardless of the cause, one or more of the methods above may be enough to eliminate your toothache. However, if the pain is not relieved or if it continues to come back then it's only "natural" for you to go see your friendly neighborhood dentist. And yes, you have too.
    
    "Stay Educated and Stay Healthy!" - J.T.