Home remedies for toothache
Toothaches and Home Remedies

Toothaches can occur anywhere and anytime and it can be one of the most severe and debilitating pains you can experience. And in cases where you don’t have an access to the dentist right away, here are a few home remedies you can try out to ease the toothache and give you some relief. But remember, this is just to ease the pain, not to cure it for good. It is recommended to still go to the dentist as soon as you can.

But until you are able to get the dentist’s help, you can apply the following home remedies.

  1. Flossing and rinsing. In cases where the toothache is caused by food particles getting lodged in between your teeth or inside your gums, floss first and then rinse your mouth with  warm water.
  2. Pain reliever. There are lots of OTC (over-the-counter) pain relievers you can take to ease the pain and discomfort.
  3. OTC antiseptic. These can be in a gel or paste format which you can apply this to your tooth and gums where you are having the pain. These antiseptics contain benzocaine which can be very effective with the relief of pain due to their numbing effects.
  4. Apply ice. In case of swelling, you can apply ice to your cheek area where the swelling and pain is. This can sometimes calm down the pain.
  5. Avoid extremely hot and cold foods- Do not aggravate the pain by eating or drinking too hot or too cold foods and beverages. When you have a toothache, hot and cold can make the pain worse because of the tooth being extremely sensitive.

At the bottom of this article I have a link to more home remedies for toothaches. Just remember that whichever remedy you choose from the list, it can give you some relief from pain, this is only temporary. You will still need to visit your dentist. Toothaches don’t appear for no reason. There are many reasons why you have a toothache and it can be from tooth decay or perhaps some other dental problems like tooth or gum infection. Only your dentist can give the right solution like filling your teeth to prevent further decay or performing a root canal or in cases where tooth is not savable, a tooth extraction.

Also keep in mind that prevention is the best medicine. Follow a good habit of oral hygiene like brushing your teeth regularly (2-3 times a day) and flossing once a day. Also use fluoride rinses. Ask your dentist to apply fluoride varnish to your teeth twice a year to help strengthen your teeth. Visit your dentist regularly too whether you have a toothache or not. By doing so, you don’t have to suffer more toothaches from serious dental problems. Your dentist can catch dental problems like cavities at its early stages so that it doesn’t turn into a bigger problem. With prevention you don’t need to ever suffer from any type of toothaches.

If you are having a toothache, please call us at 323-771-7254 and we will make every attempt to see you same day.

Here is a video on temporary relief for your toothache:

Here is another article with more home remedies for toothaches you can do to get some relief from your toothaches.

By: Ladan Zinati

24 Comments

  1. Sarwar mostafa
    November 23, 2013

    very informative information regarding toothaches specially on emergency.should be a must read for everyone.

    Sarwar mostafa

  2. Amanda
    November 29, 2013

    These are great ideas and I especially thought the video was helpful. However, I would love to learn about some all natural home remedies. For instance, someone told me baking soda would help a toothache, but I’m not sure exactly how to use it. Do you have any ideas? Thanks.

    • admin
      December 2, 2013

      Hi Amanda. Baking soda is mostly used as a home remedy for getting your teeth whiter, it may have some calming effects. Take a cotton swab and moisten it with a bit of water, dip it in baking soda (coat the swab really well with baking soda) then apply. You can also make a mouth rinse by mixing a heaping spoonful of baking soda in a small glass of lukewarm to warm water, dissolve the soda then swish the mixture in your mouth.

  3. Kasandra
    December 4, 2013

    I thought that brushing my teeth was a good way to maintain oral hygiene after reading the article I am considering asking my dentist to let me use fluoride rinse. Also, the video was very graphic after seeing that a toothache could be a cause of a cavity I scheduled my dentist appointment today! thank you for offering this free information.

    • admin
      December 6, 2013

      You are very welcome Kassandra. Glad to hear you made a dental appointment:)

  4. Toothaches and House Solutions | Bit | Scoop.it
    December 8, 2013

    […] Toothaches can happen anywhere and anytime and it can be one of the most severe and debilitating discomforts you can experience. And in situations where you don't have an access to the dentist straightaway, right here are a few house solutions you can try out to ease the toothache and provide you some alleviation. However remember, this is simply to ease the discomfort, not to treat it for great. It is suggested to still go to the dentist as quickly as you can. However till you have the ability to obtain the dentist's help, you can apply the following house solutions.  […]

  5. France
    December 10, 2013

    I appreciate that as a dentist that you would list home remedies instead of simply, “rush to office” for help. Home remedies are a great way to keep in mind that our health is in our own hands especially in emergency situations where getting to a professional is not possible. Warm salt water has been my friend in many cases, I also will continue to research for other herbal options that will help in cases of dental distress. Thank you for your article.

    • admin
      December 11, 2013

      France, you are very welcome and thank you for your feedback.

  6. Dusti
    December 16, 2013

    I have tried the ice, floss and rinse and some of the O-T-C pain relievers for my frequent toothaches. I have found that Goody’s Headache or BC Powders to be the best thing for them.

    • admin
      December 18, 2013

      Dusti, thank you for your feedback and suggestion.

  7. Ryan Koch
    December 27, 2013

    Good Information. It seems that when we have a toothache and we are able to relieve it within a few days we move on without working with the dentist to identify and treat the root cause. Then when we go to the dentist we have forgotten all about it and we may go even further down the road which could cause a lot more issues latter on.

    • admin
      December 29, 2013

      Yes, Ryan that is true. Thanks for your feedback.

  8. 2004cdw
    January 16, 2014

    I have been suffering from a toothache lately and was having trouble easing the pain. You have really provided some great suggestions for how to deal with it. I am definitely going to try ice or an OTC antiseptic and make a dental appointment.

    • admin
      January 18, 2014

      I am happy to have been of help to you to releive your pain some what until you visit your dentist:)

  9. Ashley89
    January 18, 2014

    Very informative article, I have always used home remedies to soothe my pain. By far one of the best home remedies is Vanilla Extract.

    • admin
      January 18, 2014

      Hi Ashley. Really appreciate your feedback:)

  10. Brian
    January 19, 2014

    I have tried many of these home remedies before. I have to say though that applying ice to the area is the best temporary solution I have found to tooth pain.

    • admin
      January 23, 2014

      Brian, thanks for sharing your experience:)

  11. rhino
    January 22, 2014

    I found the home remedies to be useful information. I was not aware that hot or cold food could cause toothaches.
    I agree the toothaches don’t appear for no reason and they can be painful.

  12. dsparano
    February 11, 2014

    Quite an informative article. Luckily I’ve never experienced a tooth ache and I hope I don’t anytime soon. Though I didn’t realize that food particles could cause it by getting lodged between teeth or gums.

    • admin
      February 12, 2014

      Yeah that is wonderful that you have never had a toothache, that means you do take care of your teeth:) Yes, food getting lodged between teeth and gums can cause discomfort until it is removed.

  13. tx sweetie
    February 12, 2014

    Growing up from a poor family, we didn’t have money to go to the dentist and so I suffered toothaches in my entire childhood. All I could do is take a pain reliever but unless the problem is cured, the toothaches will never go away.

    It was when I got here in America I got my teeth fixed, cavities and periodontal disease were gone because I now have access to the dentist. Very helpful and easy to understand article you have here. Thanks for posting.

    • admin
      February 12, 2014

      I am sorry to hear your suffering as a child:( But I am glad you finally took care of your dental needs and are healthy.

  14. What To Do When You Get A Toothache While On Vacation? - St. James Dental Group
    December 20, 2014

    […] Planning your vacation ahead of time will make it more fun. When you prepare your things, you should also want to prepare your body for it. Going to the dentist to ensure your teeth and gums are healthy is one way of making your vacation fun and fulfilling and preventing any dental emergency. You can also go to our post about home remedies for a toothache. […]

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