Emergency toothache remedies at home

Toothaches aren’t exactly the high point of anyone’s day but we at Dental at the Met believe that there are many ways you can treat emergency toothaches at home with some simple remedies. Read our list of the best kept secrets to treating those nagging toothaches at home with ingredients that you can use from your kitchen! While these can aid in temporary relief of tooth pain it should be noted that long term toothaches lasting more than 2 days should warrant for a check up with your local dentist.  In the meantime, read our list of the top 5 ways to treat a toothache at home.

Cold compress or ice pack

Applying a cold compress restricts blood flow to an inflamed area which can ease pain if the toothache is caused by inflammation. You may hold the ice pack or even a frozen bag of peas (or any fruit or veggie for that matter that are available from your freezer) against the outside of the cheek for a few minutes at a time.

Saltwater mouthwash

You can combine a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water and swish it around for about 30 seconds and then spit it out. You can repeat this numerous times during the day. Swishing with saltwater can loosen debris that may be stuck in cavities or between teeth as well as reduce swelling, boost healing and relieve a sore throat.

Garlic

Garlic contains a powerful antibiotic compound called allicin. You can crush a clove of garlic, add a little salt and apply the mixture to the affected tooth. Make sure you don’t swallow as you may be left with unpleasant garlic breath!

Peppermint tea

Peppermint tea contains menthol, which gives peppermint it’s flavour and is also known as an antibacterial. You may steep a teaspoon of dried peppermint in a cup of warm water for 20 minutes and swish the tea around your mouth. Swallowing this mixture won’t give you bad breath but will leave you with minty fresh breath instead!  You may also place a wet tea bag against the tooth for several minutes as the pain decreases.

Over the counter painkillers

When necessary, over the counter painkillers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen can provide temporary pain relief. *Make sure you check inserts on all painkillers when you are dealing with children under the age of 12.*

In conclusion, should pain in a tooth persists for more then 2 days please give our wonderful staff at Dental at the Met in the heart of the beltline a phone call. Our family friendly staff will be happy to assist you in case you do need to make a trip down to our dental office.

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