The holidays are a time of gathering with family and friends and eating things that you might not normally eat. From Halloween in October to Christmas in December, there are many opportunities to end up with everything from a chipped tooth to a cavity where the pain just won’t stop.
Since the holidays are right around the corner, it means getting an appointment with your local dentist could be a problem. Of course, there are emergency dentists out there, but they will cost you a pretty penny. If your toothache isn’t a dire emergency, then there are a few tooth pain remedies you can try at the comfort of your home.
These tooth pain remedies can keep you out of severe pain until your next official dentist appointment. Here are several tooth pain remedies to try until you can get in to see your dentist.
1. Over the Counter Medicines
Over the counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help short term with the pain of a toothache. It is important to note, that you should never take these products and put them directly on the gum and infected tooth.
You should take them as you normally would and wait for the relief to kick in for the best results. Taking aspirin and applying it directly to the infected tooth can cause more damage to the tooth and your mouth as well.
2. Saltwater Rinse
Until you can get to the dentist, one of the best tooth pain remedies you can try is rinsing your mouth gently with a saltwater rinse. Do this by dissolving a tablespoon of salt into a glass of warm water, not hot water as it can damage your mouth and make the pain worse.
It’s best to rinse your mouth around the sore tooth for as long as possible, then spit the water out. Repeat this several times, until the pain subsides.
3. Clove or Peppermint Oil
Clove and peppermint oil contain numbing agents that work well to temporarily relieve the pain of a toothache. Both of these have been being used for centuries by other cultures to relives tooth pain.
You apply the oil with a cotton ball directly to the sore tooth or apply it directly with your finger. You can also use a clove and make a paste to put directly on the tooth and gums as well.
4. Garlic
Garlic is said to have properties that will help with tooth pain relief. It works by getting rid of the bacteria and temporarily relieving the pain until you can get to a dentist.
You can chew a piece of garlic directly on the tooth or make a paste to put on the tooth instead. It could help remedy the pain for a short time, but it will cause extremely bad breath as well.
5. A Cold Compress
Many times, a severe toothache will cause the area around the tooth to swell, which in turn causes that side of your face to swell as well. This swelling could mean that you have an abscess, which is a sack of pus built up deep within the tooth.
An ice pack can help to relieve the swelling, and once the swelling goes down, the pain should subside. You need to get to a dentist as soon as possible, as an abscessed tooth can be dangerous to your health, and even deadly if the abscess bursts, and the infection gets into your bloodstream.
6. Baking Soda
Another home remedy that has been known to be effective is baking soda. You can put baking soda directly on your tooth with a cotton ball or make a paste that can be put on the tooth as well.
You can also make a rinse so that you can swish the baking soda mixture around in your mouth for a little bit of relief.
7. Over the Counter Anesthetics
There are quite a few over the counter anesthetics on the market today that will help with instant toothache relief. Products such as Orajel have a numbing effect and will relieve the pain temporarily.
It’s important to follow the directions on these anesthetics well, as they can blister your mouth if you aren’t careful.
8. See Your Dentist As Soon as Possible
While it can be hard to get a dentist during the holiday season, it’s important that you not ignore the pain of a toothache for long. Make an appointment with your dentist to get the tooth taken care of as soon as the doors are open again. If the pain isn’t relieved by the above methods, then you need to see an emergency dentist instead.
These are just a few of the top remedies for toothache pain over the holiday season. Remember, seeing your dentist as soon as possible is key to making the pain stop and never return.
