Nina Aldin Thune via commons.wikimedia.org
FIX A TOOTHACHE NATURALLY
There are many natural remedies for toothaches out there, so you can avoid rubbing your gums with toxic chemicals and preservatives. Next time you wake up with a curious ache in your tooth, try one of these remedies and see if they end your pain:
- Garlic: Garlic is known all over the world for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. If your tooth pain is caused by infection or a cavity, chewing on a clove of garlic may ease your pain. Chew on the clove enough to release the garlic juice.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract has alcohol in it, so it can cleanse and numb a tooth causing you pain. You may want to mix a small amount of vanilla extract with water and swish it over the affected tooth. Don’t drink it, as pure vanilla extract is very strong.
- Onion: Onions can cleanse infection and bacteria of all types. You can juice an onion and swish the juice in your mouth or chew on a slice of raw onion if you can handle the taste.
- Cloves: Though cloves taste very strong, they are natural analgesics. Chewing on a whole clove can provide immediate topical pain relief to your tooth.
- Ginger-cayenne paste: Mix equal parts of these two heat-packing spices with enough water to make a paste. Roll a small ball of cotton into enough paste to saturate it, then place it on your tooth while avoiding your gums and tongue. Leave it until the pain fades—or as long as you can stand it (the concoction is likely to burn). You can also try these spices separately, as both are potent painkillers. The main chemical component of cayenne—capsaicin—has been found to help block pain messages from reaching the brain.
- Myrrh: You can also rinse with a tincture of myrrh. The astringent effects help with inflammation, and myrrh offers the added benefit of killing bacteria. Simmer 1 teaspoon of powdered myrrh in 2 cups water for 30 minutes. Strain and let cool. Rinse with 1 teaspoon of the solution in a half-cup water five to six times a day.
- Acupressure: Try an acupressure technique to stop tooth pain fast. With your thumb, press the point on the back of your other hand where the base of your thumb and your index finger meet. Apply pressure for about two minutes. This helps trigger the release of endorphins, the brain’s feel-good hormones. (Off-limits…if you’re pregnant.)
- Ice: Place a small ice cube in a plastic bag, wrap a thin cloth around the bag, and apply it to the aching tooth for about 15 minutes to numb the nerves. Alternatively, that ice pack can go on your cheek, over the painful tooth. Also, according to folklore, if you massage your hand with an ice cube, you can help relieve a toothache. When nerves in your fingers send “cold” signals to your brain, they may override the pain signals coming from your tooth. Just wrap up an ice cube in a thin cloth and massage it in the fleshy area between your thumb and forefinger.
- Peppermint tea: Peppermint tea has a nice flavor and some numbing power. Put 1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaves in 1 cup boiling water and steep for 20 minutes. After the tea cools, swish it around in your mouth, then spit it out or swallow. Also, the astringent tannins in strong black tea may help quell pain by reducing swelling. For this folk remedy place a warm, wet tea bag against the affected tooth for temporary relief.
- Cover a crack with gum: If you’ve broken a tooth or have lost a filling, you can relieve some pain by covering the exposed area with softened chewing gum. This might work with a loose filling, too, to hold it in place until you can get to the dentist. To avoid further discomfort, avoid chewing anything with that tooth until you can have it repaired.
