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What are the Best Tips for Getting Rid of a Toothache?

Meshell Powell
Meshell Powell

Getting rid of a toothache can be a difficult task, especially if the cause of the toothache is unknown. While it is important to see a dentist as soon as possible, there are some tips that can be used at home that may help to ease the pain and discomfort until an appointment can be made. Some of the best tips for getting rid of a toothache include controlling the temperature of foods and beverages, using heating pads or ice packs, or using natural pain relief methods such as clove oil.

A toothache often causes temperature sensitivity. If the tooth is sensitive to cold temperatures, it may help to sip on hot tea, soup, or broth. If the tooth is sensitive to hot temperatures, ice cream may help to soothe the discomfort. In some cases, the tooth may become sensitive to both hot and cold temperatures. If this is the case, lukewarm liquids may be the best option until a dentist can be consulted.

A cross section of a tooth.
A cross section of a tooth.

Placing a heating pad or an ice pack on the face near the affected tooth may help to ease the pain of a toothache. Either method can be effective, although each person may respond differently. It may take a bit of experimenting to determine which method works the best in an individual situation.

Over-the-counter pain relievers can be extremely beneficial in getting rid of a toothache. Medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen may help to reduce inflammation and swelling as well as provide pain relief. Acetaminophen may be used as well, although this type of pain reliever does not contain anti-inflammatory properties. Aspirin can be ground into a fine powder and mixed with just enough water to make a thick paste. This mixture can be applied directly to the affected tooth and surrounding gum tissues to provide additional pain relief.

Clove oil can help with a toothache.
Clove oil can help with a toothache.

Herbal treatments such as clove oil may be used for getting rid of a toothache. Clove oil is available at many drug stores, although the pharmacist may have to be asked to get it from behind the counter. In order to use clove oil for getting rid of a toothache, a cotton swab is dipped into the bottle of clove oil and then gently rubbed onto the sore tooth and surrounding tissues. This provides a numbing effect and can be repeated as necessary to provide pain relief. Care should be taken when using clove oil, as it takes only a small amount to numb the area.

Discussion Comments

browncoat

@clintflint - I have had what felt like a toothache quite often but usually turned out to be a muscle ache in my jaw. Which is usually helped by rest and some anti-inflammatory medication.

The thing is, though, unless you have completely modified your diet to remove processed starch and sugar and are religious about cleaning and flossing just enough and no more (or you could damage enamel) you are likely to need fillings and have loose teeth as you get older. It's just a fact of modern life.

clintflint

@Mor - I'm glad I've never had to get it done in the first place. I've always been quite paranoid about my teeth, because I don't trust dentists at all. Several members of my family have had severe infections at different times from dentists not doing their jobs right. I've also heard plenty of horror stories about them not handling medication or anesthetization properly. I just don't think the regulation on them is as strict as it is on doctors and surgeons, even though they are basically chopping out bits of your body.

I mean, I've had a couple of fillings in my life, but I'm hoping that I'm never going to have to get anything more than that. I'd rather try toothache remedies and hope for the best.

Mor

A toothache is the worst. I had a really bad one once that made my whole head feel like it was aching. It turned out that one of my wisdom teeth was coming in wrong and had to be removed, so there wasn't really much that could be done until that happened. The dentist gave me some pain medication to tide me over.

The worst thing about it was that it's not like they remove the tooth and you suddenly feel relief. Getting a wisdom tooth out might be worth it in the long run but it's extremely upsetting and painful when it happens. I'm really glad that I shouldn't have to go through it again.

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    • A cross section of a tooth.
      By: Andrea Danti
      A cross section of a tooth.
    • Clove oil can help with a toothache.
      By: Schlierner
      Clove oil can help with a toothache.
    • Home remedies can help relieve toothache pain until a dentist can treat the underlying cause.
      By: detailblick
      Home remedies can help relieve toothache pain until a dentist can treat the underlying cause.
    • Leftover tooth decay is one cause of tooth pain following a filling.
      By: Michael Tieck
      Leftover tooth decay is one cause of tooth pain following a filling.
    • Applying an ice pack to the face may help relieve a toothache.
      By: nito
      Applying an ice pack to the face may help relieve a toothache.
    • A paste of water and a crushed aspirin can be applied to a tooth ache and the surrounding gum area to relieve the pain.
      By: blueskies9
      A paste of water and a crushed aspirin can be applied to a tooth ache and the surrounding gum area to relieve the pain.
    • While there are many herbal treatments for toothaches, it's essential to get a second opinion if the pain intensifies or persists.
      By: Eléonore H
      While there are many herbal treatments for toothaches, it's essential to get a second opinion if the pain intensifies or persists.