Natural and Safe Home Remedies for a Toothache – 6 Ideas for Sweet Relief

Ouch! Few things can mimic the severe pain a toothache causes. Getting to the dentist as soon as possible to find out what’s wrong is always wise, but there are also some safe home remedies for a toothache you can try in the meantime to make the wait a little more bearable.

Toothaches can have several causes including cavities, cracked teeth, or infection. Dental pain can be intense, and it can make it impossible for you to function day to day.

It will interrupt your eating and sleeping patterns, it can make you feel irritable, and cause pain in other areas of your body, such as headaches and sinus pain. 

Remember, any toothache you’re experiencing needs to be examined by a dentist so you can understand where it’s coming from and fix the problem before a bigger problem is created.

Home remedies for a toothache to try today

Excellent dental care with a dentist you trust should be able to help get your teeth feeling clean and pain-free again. Since we know it’s not always possible to get to the dentist as soon as the toothache hits, this collaborative post features a few natural remedies you can try to ease your discomfort and get some relief.

Let’s take a look at these below:

Clove oil

My husband injured his inner cheek pretty severely by biting it while eating. If you’ve done it, you know it hurts! We mixed clove and thyme oil each day on a cotton ball with some fractionated coconut oil, placed it against his wound, and he healed completely within a few days.

Clove oil has long been used as a traditional remedy for toothaches too. It contains the compound called eugenol, which acts as a local anesthetic. A whole clove used to be something that was inserted into the aching tooth to relieve pain throughout history.

Of course, you don’t have to go to such extremes these days. Instead of putting a whole clove into the area, all you need to do is add a few drops of clove oil onto a cotton ball and place it against the painful teeth. Powdered cloves can do the same job.

Essential oils are very powerful and you need very little for them to be effective.

Thyme oil

Thyme is a powerful anti-bacterial and antiseptic. Although clove is probably the first and most effective choice, thyme holds its own too. As mentioned above, we have used both oils at the same time.

To use thyme essential oil, try filling a small bowl with some warm water and adding 8 to 10 drops of thyme oil into the water. Soak a cotton ball in the mixture and then place on the tooth or gums causing you pain. Let it stay in place until you experience some relief. Reapply as needed.

Salt water rinse

Swishing salt water around the sore area of your mouth can be a great pain reliever. The fluid is drawn out from the inflamed tissue to reduce swelling, and the salt water has antibacterial properties, which makes it a great choice for pain that’s caused by an infection.

It doesn’t taste very nice, but dissolving 1/2 – 2 teaspoons of salt in a cup of warm water and allowing it to cool could help you reduce pain in the affected area. It only takes around 30 seconds for it to work effectively.

Alternate with ice

For cavity type pain or pain that is temperature sensitive, avoid this tip! For other types of toothaches, applying an ice pack to your painful teeth can ease inflammation and reduce the pain.

You can use an ice cube wrapped in fabric directly on the tooth and gum, but, be careful, this could cause more pain. Applying the ice pack over the cheek that’s directly by the tooth might feel better.

Peppermint tea bags

In our home, we are big believers in peppermint essential oil. We use it for everything from headaches, muscle tension pain, stress relief, and so much more. We also love the benefits of drinking peppermint tea. Plus, it tastes amazing!

Did you know that Peppermint tea bags have a numbing effect that is temporary and can help to relieve the pain of a toothache? Let the teabag steep for a few minutes in the water and allow it to cool.

You can then apply the tea bag directly to the painful area. If you cool the teabag in the fridge for a few minutes, that can really enhance the painkilling effects that it will have on your teeth.

No wonder we love peppermint so much. The smell is therapeutic all by itself!

Hydrogen peroxide mix

These days, peroxide can be found in a lot of different products due to its antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, germ killing power.

When using this mix, do not swallow!

To experience the kind of pain relief hydrogen peroxide can offer, mix equal parts water with 3% hydrogen peroxide.

(i.e. 1/4 cup water to 1/4 cup 3% hydrogen peroxide)

Swish this solution in your mouth until relief is felt. Like the salt water rinse, this method will not taste good but it has helped get many people out of toothache misery!

Once you’ve finished swishing, spit the mix out!

Conclusion

Dental pain can be brutally painful, but there is some hope for relief with these natural home remedies for a toothache.

Do you or your family members have any tried and true methods for toothaches? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!