Home Remedies for a Toothache

Have you ever felt a sudden and sharp pain that disrupts your daily routine? If yes, you are not alone. One out of every four Canadians is dealing with oral pain or avoiding foods because of oral problems. Look, nothing beats seeing a dentist for a real fix, but there are some tried-and-true home remedies that can help you get through until your appointment. Let’s look at what actually works for calming tooth pain, especially when you’re dealing with swelling or infection. 

Cold Compress for Immediate Relief

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grab an ice pack or even a bag of frozen peas from your freezer. Press it against your cheek where the tooth is hurting – this works great if you’ve injured your tooth or your gums are swollen.

Give it a few minutes and you should start feeling some relief. The cold basically tricks your body into calming down by tightening up the blood vessels around the sore spot, which cuts down on swelling and numbs things out.

What to do: Wrap some ice in a towel (don’t put it directly on your skin) and hold it against your face for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Why it helps: The cold makes your blood vessels constrict, bringing down the swelling and numbing the pain at the same time. 

Salt Water Rinse for Tooth Pain

Warm salt water is one of those old-school remedies that actually works. Mix about half a teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water and swish it around your mouth for 30 seconds or so, then spit it out. Do this at least four times throughout the day.

What’s happening is the salt water gets into all those spots your toothbrush can’t quite reach—between your teeth, around your gums, anywhere food particles might be hiding and making things worse. It helps flush out debris and bacteria that could be aggravating the pain.

The salt also draws out fluid from swollen gum tissue, which brings down the inflammation. Plus, it creates an environment where bacteria struggle to thrive, so if you’ve got a minor infection brewing, this can help keep it from getting worse while you wait to see your dentist.

A lot of people find the warm water soothing on its own too – it’s gentle and doesn’t irritate sensitive areas the way cold water might. Just make sure the water isn’t too hot, or you’ll end up with a whole new problem.

Quick tip: If the salty taste is too much for you, you can use a bit less salt or rinse for a shorter time. Something is better than nothing. 

How to do it: Mix a teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water and stir until it dissolves. If the pain is really bad, you can use up to two teaspoons.

Swish it around your mouth for at least 30 seconds, making sure it reaches the sore spot – don’t just swirl it around your front teeth. Spit it out when you’re done (don’t swallow it).

Do this every few hours, especially after eating. The more consistently you rinse, the better the relief.

Why it actually helps: Salt is a natural disinfectant that makes it hard for bacteria to survive. It also pulls fluid out of swollen tissue, which means less pressure and less throbbing.

If there’s a minor infection, the salt water won’t cure it, but it’ll keep bacteria levels down and give you some relief while you’re waiting to see the dentist.

Garlic for Tooth Pain Relief

Garlic isn’t just for keeping people away – It has been used as medicine for centuries. The secret ingredient is allicin, a compound that’s seriously good at killing bacteria.

Here’s what you do: take a fresh garlic clove and crush it up (a fork works fine). Mix it with a little pinch of salt and put the paste directly on the tooth that’s bothering you. Fair warning – it’s going to taste pretty intense, but a lot of people swear by this for knocking out tooth pain and bringing down swelling.

How to use it: Crush a fresh garlic clove, add a bit of salt, and apply it right to the painful tooth. Keep it there for a few minutes if you can handle it. 

Why it helps: The allicin in garlic fights off bacteria that might be causing or worsening the infection. The salt adds an extra punch by reducing inflammation and drawing out fluid from swollen gums. Together, they can really take the edge off that throbbing pain.

Just don’t use garlic powder from your spice rack—it needs to be fresh garlic to release the allicin that does the actual work. 

Aloe Vera for Tooth Pain Relief

Thought aloe vera only give you softer skin? We have news for you! Aloe vera also has natural antibacterial properties and can assist in destroying bacteria that cause tooth decay. It can also help soothe those small cuts and reduce tooth pain. 

The gel has natural antibacterial qualities that fight off the bacteria causing decay, and it’s incredibly soothing on irritated gums.

If you’ve got an aloe plant sitting on your window, you’re in luck. Break off a leaf, squeeze out some of the clear gel, and rub it gently on your gums around the painful tooth. You can massage it in a bit – the cooling sensation alone feels good, and it actually helps calm down inflammation too.

How to use it: Cut open a fresh aloe vera leaf and scoop out the gel. Apply it directly to the sore area and gently massage it into your gums.

Why it helps: Aloe vera is naturally anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, so it tackles both the discomfort and the underlying bacteria. It also promotes healing in damaged gum tissue, which is helpful if your toothache has left your gums raw or swollen.

Just make sure you’re using pure aloe gel from the plant itself, not the bright green stuff from the drugstore that’s loaded with additives.

Painkillers for Immediate Relief

Often the most common and clinical method to treat tooth pain, painkillers are a sure shot and the fastest way to reduce throbbing pain. Over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can relieve tooth pain temporarily. 

How to use it: Just follow the dosage instructions on the bottle—don’t go overboard thinking more will work better. If you’re not sure what’s safe for you, check with a pharmacist or your doctor, especially if you’re on other medications.

Why it helps: These painkillers work by blocking the pain signals your nerves are sending to your brain. Ibuprofen also reduces inflammation around the tooth, which tackles the problem from two angles. You should feel relief within 30 minutes to an hour.

One thing to remember—don’t put aspirin directly on your tooth or gums. Some people try this thinking it’ll work faster, but it can actually burn your gum tissue and make things worse.

Peppermint Tea for Tooth Pain Relief

Peppermint isn’t just refreshing-it actually has a mild numbing effect that can take the edge off tooth pain. The menthol in peppermint is what gives it that cooling sensation, and it also happens to fight bacteria, which is a nice bonus if infection is part of the problem.

Brew yourself a cup of peppermint tea and let it cool down completely. Once it’s lukewarm or room temperature, swish it around your mouth like mouthwash, making sure it reaches the painful area. Hold it there for a bit before spitting it out. The coolness and the menthol work together to numb the discomfort and calm down inflamed gums.

You can do this a few times a day-it’s gentle enough that you won’t irritate anything further, and honestly, it just feels nice.

How to use it: Steep a peppermint tea bag in hot water, then let it cool completely. Swish the cooled tea around your mouth for 30 seconds to a minute before spitting it out.

Why it helps: Menthol creates a numbing sensation that temporarily blocks pain signals. It also has antibacterial properties that help fight the bacteria causing your toothache. Plus, the anti-inflammatory effect can reduce swelling in your gums and jaw.

If you don’t have peppermint tea, you can also dab a tiny bit of diluted peppermint essential oil on the area- just make sure it’s food-grade and heavily diluted with a carrier oil.

Antihistamine for Tooth Pain Relief

If your tooth pain is associated with swelling or an allergic reaction, antihistamines may help. Antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can reduce inflammation and discomfort.

Why it works: Antihistamines block histamine, which is responsible for causing inflammation, helping to reduce swelling and provide temporary relief from tooth pain.

When to Seek Professional Dental Care

Look, these home remedies can help you get through a rough night, but they’re not a cure. If your tooth pain lasts more than two days, gets worse, or you notice fever, serious swelling, bleeding, or pus-see a dentist. Those are signs of something more serious like an infection or abscess that won’t fix itself.

Understanding Tooth Pain: What’s Actually Going On

Toothaches feel different depending on what’s wrong. Sometimes it’s a dull, constant ache. Other times it’s sharp and stabbing when you bite down or drink something cold. You might get a throbbing that pulses with your heartbeat, or pain that comes and goes randomly.

If you’re getting sudden sharp pains that disappear quickly, that could mean a cracked tooth, loose filling, exposed roots, or early decay. Pay attention to what triggers it—cold drinks, chewing, lying down at night?

Tracking these details helps your dentist figure out the problem faster, which means you get the right treatment sooner.

Ready to Get Real Relief?

If you’ve tried the home remedies and you’re still hurting, don’t wait it out. At Greenwoods Dental, we can actually fix what’s causing your pain-whether that’s a simple filling, a deep cleaning, or something more involved like a root canal. We handle everything from routine checkups to emergency situations.

Give us a call to schedule an appointment, or if you’ve got questions about what might be going on with your tooth, we’re happy to talk you through it. You don’t have to just deal with the pain.