Dental pain never comes at a convenient time. To make matters worse, it usually occurs over the weekend or after dental offices are closed. If this, unfortunately, happens to you, here are ten home remedy ideas that have proven to help alleviate the pain and will help you get through it until you can see your dentist.
All of these remedies are natural and safe, and some may work better for you than others. However, even though these are safe, this does not mean that you should experiment on your own and create potential remedies. If all else fails, there is always Ibuprofen, Tylenol, and of course, Orajel.
- Use a cucumber – Cut up a refrigerated cucumber in pieces that will fit on the tooth. You can try this with unchilled cucumber, but the cold will soothe the pain even more.
- Dried peppermint, salt water, and oats - Surround the tooth with either oats or dried peppermint (peppermint will relieve the pain as well), and then spit them out after a few minutes. If you do this several times a day, it will draw out the abscess. After each treatment, rinse with salt water.
- Raw potato – This is the same idea as the cucumber remedy. Cut a piece of cold potato and fit it to the tooth.
- Real vanilla extract – Dab some real vanilla extract on a cotton ball and place it on the tooth. For more excruciation pain, swish some real vanilla extract in your mouth, focusing on the side of your mouth that hurts. The vanilla will numb your mouth fairly well.
- Tea bag – Place a wet tea bag on the sore tooth. For extra assistance, freeze the bag.
- Ginger root – Shaved pieces of ginger root will help relieve pain, and sometimes it will also help with tooth infections.
- Iodine – Place a single drop of iodine on a tooth for both pain relief and stopping abscesses. Do not swallow the iodine, and always brush immediately afterward.
- Table salt and warm water – This is probably one of the oldest remedies for oral pain in the book. Gargle with warm water and salt several times a day.
- Oil and oregano – Mix some oregano and oil and apply it directly to the painful tooth or gums.
- Hot, wet washcloth – Apply a hot, wet washcloth directly to the site of the mouth pain as many times as you need. This has shown to even work for extreme dental pain.
None of these will cure you what’s ailing you, but it should provide some comfort until you can see your dentist. Just remember to never let dental pain go unchecked for long. If you’re experiencing any tooth pain, call your dentist or contact us as soon as possible.