Natural Toothache Remedies

One of the worst feelings in the world is having a toothache. Add to that, the pain can be unbearable if there is no dentist available. When this happens, the best choice is to use natural toothache remedies. There are many choices for remedies, but it is important to know which ones work. Don’t feel like every remedy will work; many will not. For the very worst pain, it may be best to go to the emergency room to get dental care. Most emergency rooms have dentists on call for emergencies. For those who have local family dentists, another option is to try to call their office, even if it is outside normal working hours. Many dentists will come in to help patients who are in extreme pain!

When finding a dentist isn’t an option

If the above doesn’t work for finding a dentist, there are other options. Many people find relief from pain using natural toothache remedies. There are many choices for relief, but not all of the remedies will work. What works will ultimately depend on what is causing the tooth pain. For those who aren’t dentists or work in the field, knowing the cause is not practical. But through a little trial and error, many find relief using natural toothache remedies.

Options for natural toothache remedies

The first recommended natural toothache remedy is over-the-counter pain medications. This may seem like common sense, but many people do not know how well these drugs can find temporary pain relief. Drugs like Ibuprofen or Tylenol are great choices. If one drug doesn’t work, try another one. Different over the counter medications work in different ways, so they usually offer different levels of relief for different conditions. It is important not to over-use these medications, as taking too much can cause some serious damage and may even be life threatening. This may not sound like a “natural” remedy, but it has been used for hundreds of years and has been proven safe.

Another option is to use clove oil. This is an effective mild anesthetic and can work very well for “numbing” the pain some. It doesn’t always work (like any drug, there is no “magic bullet” for all situations) but for many dental pain causes, it can provide some temporary relief. It is best to use this by applying the oil to a cotton ball and chewing on it at the affected areas. If this is too painful, you can simply hold the oil-soaked cotton ball on the area using your finger.

A third choice for pain relief is through the use of Sensodyne or other toothpaste that may help to desensitize the teeth, thereby eliminating pain. Some dental pain is caused by sensitivity of the dentin of the tooth, which is the second layer inside teeth. The outermost layer is enamel, which is the hardest substance in the body. When the enamel is broken down by bacteria or is drilled out for a filling, sometimes the dentin inside can become sensitive. If after having a filling put in a person feels some sensitivity and/or pain, it may be best to try using Sensodyne or some other similar toothpaste. There is also prescription-strength toothpaste designed for sensitivity. This can be used at home; just call the dentist and he or she should be happy to prescribe the paste if the symptoms fit.

Natural toothache remedies to avoid

While knowing what to use to help relieve tooth pain is important, perhaps more important is the knowledge of what to avoid. There are many so-called “remedies” that supposedly help to relieve pain. Many of these do not work.

One such remedy is chewing ice. While chewing ice may help some if there is some kind of tissue damage, like to the gingiva, it is generally not a good idea. Because actual tooth pain is rarely, if ever helped by chewing ice. In fact, most tooth pain will only be exacerbated by the chewing of ice. For the brave that wish to try this remedy, be prepared for the sharpest pain imaginable. To be sure, chewing ice on a tooth that is cold sensitive, as many tooth pains are, is not a good idea.

Another remedy that isn’t recommended is the use of peroxide mouth wash. This will probably not do anything to help the tooth pain and may actually make it worse.

What to do after using natural toothache remedies

After the use of natural toothache remedies, it is important to go see a dentist. Even if the pain is gone, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the problem is too. To understand why this is the case, it is important to know what actually causes the tooth pain.

Many toothaches are caused by pulpitis, which is the inflammation of the pulp tissue, usually caused by bacterial infiltration. When the bacteria make their way through the enamel and dentin, they reach their destination: the pulp of the tooth. This is where the nerves are located and when damaged, can cause immense pain! While over half of the pulpitis cases result in pain, some cases will result in a fit of pain and then none at all. This is not to say the bacteria have stopped growing and killing nerve tissue! No, they are will doing damage. But there is no pain felt.

So why worry with the problem if it doesn’t cause pain? Because it may lead to infection of the jaw bone as the bacteria makes it way outside the tooth. This can lead to osteomyelitis, the medical term for infection of the bone. This can lead to the infection spreading further, which can require use of strong antibiotics and may cause other problems. If left unchecked, this can even lead to life-threatening infections.

What is important to note is that while natural toothache remedies can do a lot of good, they aren’t a cure for problems related to dental pain. There needs to be a point when the dentist is consulted, as he or she is the only person who is trained in the diagnosis and treatment of serious dental problems.