There are times when you can ignore a little flash of pain in a tooth, and there are times when a tooth demands your attention by making you wince in pain. You may not always know what to do when this happens, simply because you may not know why your tooth is hurting.
According to experts, toothaches can be caused by a number of things, including infection of the tooth, tooth decay (cavities), loose fillings, food stuck between teeth, gum disease, sinus infection and more. As long as your pain persists for more than two days, you must definitely see your dentist and get to the root of your pain.
Until your appointment comes around, here are a few remedies that you can try at home to ease the throbbing pain and discomfort of a toothache.
Clove Oil
Clove oil contains the active ingredient eugenol, which naturally helps to numb and reduce pain to ease a toothache. Eugenol also has natural anti-inflammatory properties. To use clove oil, dilute it by adding a few drops to equal parts of coconut or olive oil. Dab a piece of cotton into the mixture and apply to the affected tooth for almost immediate relief. It is important that you do not use the oil in its concentrated form, especially for prolonged periods of time, as this can put you at risk of potentially harmful side effects. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, be sure to seek your dentist’s guidance before using this method.
Charcoal
Charcoal has the amazing ability to trap toxins, harmful bacteria and yeast, as well as toxic chemicals by preventing their multiplication or absorption in the body. When applied directly to an aching tooth, charcoal helps to immediately alleviate pain by reducing inflammation. To use charcoal for your toothache, crush one charcoal tablet and apply the powder directly on to your tooth as needed. This can be done liberally as charcoal is quite safe, with no known side effects. You can find charcoal tablets at your nearest pharmacy.
Thyme, Chadon Beni and Bay Leaf Mouthwash
These backyard herbs and spices are far more useful than the great flavour that they add to our dishes. Their medicinal properties are quite potent, as both thyme and chadon beni have antimicrobial and antiseptic properties, and bay leaves are naturally anti-inflammatory and anaesthetic (pain numbing). To create this mouthwash, boil a few thyme leaves (of any kind) with five to six large chadon beni leaves and two to three bay leaves, until the brew is brown in colour. Let cool and add one teaspoon of salt. You may rinse the mouth with this as often as desired to alleviate pain and lessen the severity of a present infection. Persons with high blood pressure may exclude salt from this mouthwash.
Cold compress
One simple pain reliever that reduces swelling and throbbing pain is coldness. To create a compress, add a few blocks of ice to a sealable plastic bag, wrap it in a towel and apply to the area of pain in the face for intervals of 10 minutes. This should give some immediate relief.
Remember, these methods will not cure your toothache altogether, but they surely will help you to survive the wait until you can see your dentist. I hope that these remedies will help you along your journey to better health.