February 9th just recently passed us by and I hope, sincerely hope, that you were not celebrating “Toothache Day” with a toothache! On a related note, is it just me or do you think we have way to many “special” days these days? I mean I am a Dentist but seriously, “Toothache Day?” Well, whatever your answer we thought we would take this opportunity – for those of you that missed our tweet about toothache day – to summarize a few of the natural remedies that might help you manage your pain over the short term (until you can visit us here at Brinkley Dental that is!)
There are a few things you can do to help alleviate tooth pain until you can get to your Dentist, and not all of them involve popping some pills! Of course, analgesics will help some people, over the short term, and taking an Aspirin or Tylenol might be your preferred “go to” solution. If however you are looking for some more natural remedies, consider some of these options:
- Clove oil – Cloves contain a natural anaesthetic known as eugenol and dabbing a little on an affected tooth can help dull the pain for at least a little while.
- Ginger and Cayenne pepper – A paste made of these two spices, soaked onto a cotton ball, can then be placed on the sore tooth for pretty much immediate relief. You do need to be careful as this mixture can irritate your gums so be certain of your placement directly on the tooth.
- Peppermint Tea – Not so much for drinking, we recommend cooling the tea and then using it to occasionally swish out your mouth. It will have a bit of a numbing affect and it doesn’t taste too badly either!
- Salt Water – This tried and true “old-wives tale” works for a number of ailments including a sore tooth. Simply dissolve some salt in warm water and then use it to clean out your mouth, gargle and swish. It will help get rid of harmful bacteria, which is in part causing your pain and might help relieve some of the pain at the same time by drawing out some of the fluid that is causing your pain and inflammation.
- Tea Bags – A warm (not scalding hot) wet tea bag has long been used to help alleviate pain. Black tea contains naturally occurring tannins which are astringent by nature and which may help reduce swelling.
There are other possible natural pain relievers but those noted above are probably the most likely for you to have on hand, in your cupboards at home. This might prove especially helpful if your tooth pain becomes unbearable during the night and a trip out to your local pharmacy is just not feasible. Never let tooth pain go on for too long however as unlike a muscle spasm or a stubbed toe, the pain is unlikely to slowly improve with rest and ice. Instead, chances are the tooth pain is a sign of some kind of infection going on around, inside or on the gum line and it does need to be seen and treated by your Dentist – the sooner the better! At Brinkley Dental, located in Brampton, we make every effort to accommodate our patients at all times. We’re the family dental practice that treats you like family – and we hate to see family suffer! That’s all for today and as always, we take this opportunity to remind you; ”don’t forget to be a BFF with your mouth and Brush that SMILE!”
(1) *various remedies referred to according to : http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/home-remedies/natural-home-remedies-toothache/
