It’s the afternoon and you are having your regular afternoon tea. However, soon the heat from the tea makes your teeth extremely sensitive. You feel a sharp pain and need emergency toothache relief.
But what can serve as an emergency relief?
Natural remedies and medicines that will immediately ease your pain.
The ultimate solution to a toothache is to reduce sensitivity.
However, that requires time and consideration to change lifestyle habits.
In case of an emergency, you can only look up to things in your reach to relieve the pain for the time being.
This article discusses what to do when you are just in that situation. Keep reading to know more!
Emergency Toothache Relief Using Household Products
Using Saltwater Rinse
Saltwater rinse is anti-inflammatory and antiseptic.
Hence, it can reduce inflammation along with healing sores and ulcers.
What’s more, it promotes healthy gums and clears any plaque and food particles stuck between teeth.
Making it is extremely simple and quick.
Just mix a tablespoon of salt with an 8-ounce glass of water.
Swish it around your mouth thoroughly, especially covering the teeth that hurt.
Spit and rinse later.
Applying Clove Oil or Placing Cloves
Mentioning cloves is inevitable whenever there is any discussion about the toothache.
This is because using cloves is an age-old toothache remedy passed on to date.
There are two ways of using cloves.
Either you simply pick a clove and place it in the specific area of pain and hold it with your teeth there.
This works amazingly to provide instant relief.
The other way is to use clove oil.
You can either purchase the clove oil or make it by grounding some cloves, adding water and olive oil.
Apply this paste directly to the tooth or put it in an empty teeth bag and hold it in place.
You may also simply mix a teaspoon of olive oil with a few drops of clove oil and wet a cotton swab with it.
Now place the swab or cotton ball onto the tooth for 5 to 10 minutes.
Clove works because it contains a substance with numbing properties, eugenol.
It is not only a natural anesthetic but also anti-inflammatory, easing the pain.
Peppermint Tea
Search your collection of teas to check if you have peppermint tea at home.
It can numb the painful area and it also has antibacterial properties (thanks to menthol) fighting against oral bacteria that cause tooth sensitivity and decay.
Hence, first, boil a cup of water and then add peppermint leaves to it or simply a teabag.
The key here is to use it cold.
Unlike normally, right now your teeth may be more sensitive to hot and cold temperatures.
And you don’t have to drink it but rinse your mouth.
Rinse your mouth thoroughly when it is cooled.
Another way to use peppermint is in the form of applying a few drops on a cotton ball and playing it on the affected area.
Also, you can simply hold a warm, damp peppermint tea bag in the target area.
Mouthwash with Aloe Vera and Hydrogen Peroxide
Aloe vera fights against bacteria due to its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Hence, it is in common use for periodontal disease and mouth irritation.
If the toothache is because of any sensitivity issue, then swish around an aloe vera mouthwash for 30 seconds and then spit it.
Besides aloe vera, you can also use a hydrogen peroxide mouthwash.
If you do not have the mouthwash, you can make one by using 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and diluting it with double the water.
Rinse your mouth thoroughly for 60 seconds and then spit the solution and later rinse your mouth with water.
Chewing Garlic
Allicin in garlic contains antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.
Hence, chewing, crushing it chopping garlic releases allicin.
It can further kill some bacteria responsible for causing toothache.
However, remember to use fresh garlic cloves because allicin remains for a smaller amount of time.
Chew a peeled garlic clove through the affected tooth to release the allicin compound or crush it using the back of the spoon and apply it with your fingers.
These are the remedies that can relieve your pain.
Other than that, there are tips to alleviate the toothache too.
Tips for Emergency Toothache Relief
Getting Cold Therapy Using Ice Packs
Ice Packs help to numb the pain as well as reduce the swelling.
They are especially useful if the pain is stemming from an injury, swollen gums or tooth infection.
It eases pain by constricting blood vessels.
The blood flow to the affected area slows down, as a result, inflammation reduces.
Take an ice pack and apply it to your jaw or that art of the face where the tooth hurts.
You can also simply fold some ice in a towel and apply it for 15 minutes.
Repeat it every 30 minutes if the pain eases.
Raise Your Head
Elevating your head while sleeping can prevent pressure by blood flow in your mouth and head.
Raise your head by using a single or two pillows.
As this elevation prevents pressure, it will also reduce swelling.
Hence, if you are feeling pain, use extra pillows while sleeping.
Keep Brushing and Flossing
Brushing and flossing regularly can prevent bacteria from accumulating in your teeth and worsening pain.
Thus, don’t stop brushing the affected tooth even if it hurts.
Keep brushing and flossing around it as usual.
Don’ts of Emergency Toothache Relief
There are several things you should refrain from doing during this time.
These include:
- Refrain from chewing tobacco or smoking. These can rot your teeth and cause decay worsening your pain.
- Avoid eating sticky and crunchy and hard foods like a popcorn kernel that will get stuck inside. If they do, do not use a pointy object like a toothpick to remove it.
- Brush and floss only gently and not harshly. That will wear out the enamel causing more sensitivity.
- Avoid foods that can cause sensitivity such as hot and cold triggers. Sugary foods and drinks can also result in more pain.
- Don’t chew ice.
Using Medicines
When you are in extreme pain, you may not want to wait for enough for remedies to work.
In that case, you can get OTC pain relievers to feel better temporarily while you wait for the dentist’s appointment.
These include:
Acetaminophen
Tylenol helps to relieve pain temporarily.
However, you need to be careful and do not overdose on it.
Taking too much Tylenol can damage your liver.
It is best to only take it once and then goes to your dentist to find the root cause of the toothache.
Temporary Tooth fillings
Did you know that you can get temporary filling over-the-counter?
Well, these are not like your dental fillings but repair kits for softening the edge of a loose cap or a lost filling.
However, these kits are not meant to last you longer.
They will just temporarily reduce the pain.
Hence, contact your dentist soon.
They will replace this temporary solution with a permanent filling that won’t hurt.
NSAIDs
Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs not only help with pain but also help to ease the inflammation.
These include ibuprofen and naproxen.
Like Tylenol, prolong use of ibuprofen can harm your liver.
Plus, it can also irritate your stomach and kidneys.
Toothache Gels and Drops
Over the counter, you can also find toothache gels and drops.
These are beneficial in numbing the pain you are feeling.
Hence, they contain ingredients such as benzocaine.
When you apply it topically in your mouth, it can ease the pain for the time being.
That said, you should go to the dentist in order to get checked for the pain.
This brings us to…
Visiting the Dentist
Whenever you feel a toothache you can numb it and relieve it using all the remedies mentioned above.
However, it occurs because of a dental problem and if you continuously ignore it then it can get bigger.
Whether it is due to sensitivity from tartar or a sign of gum disease and cavity, visiting your dentist whenever there is pain is necessary.
However, it becomes inevitable when:
- your gums bleed and they are also swollen
- you have mouth sores that do not go away on their own
- there is swelling on your face and mouth
- you have a strong tooth pain
- broken fillings, cracked teeth
- there is sudden sensitivity and sharp pain whenever you eat and drink
The common causes behind the pain may be:
- Tooth decay and cavity
- Gum disease
- Injury to the tooth
- Abscesses
- Tartar accumulation
Hence, all of these conditions need immediate treatment.
Thus, do not leave them on hold for a long time.
You can get immediate relief with the home remedies but the pain will keep returning.
In order for the pain to stop, its cause should stop as well.
Finally,
Reach out to these emergency toothache relief methods to stop your pain at the moment.
However, when you feel better, book your appointment with your dentist.
Get a thorough check in order to stop any serious problems emerging from your mouth.
Dr. Amal Al Qedrah Medical Center
Royal European Specialist Polyclinic