For all those who have had a toothache, you know how excruciatingly painful it can be. The pain gets so bad your entire head feels like it is about to explode. At that point and time, you swear off sweets, vow to drink sugarless tea and even contemplate scheduling dentist appointments more often. Toothaches are caused by various issues like; cavities, an infection, a cracked tooth, gum disease, a loose filling, an exposed tooth root or jaw joint disorder. The problem is, your toothache may think of flaring up during the night and your options may be limited. Here are a few remedies to try out to help relieve the pain.
Ice
Place a couple of tabs of ice on a piece of cloth then place it in your mouth just directly on top of your aching tooth. One can also use packs of frozen products such as frozen peas. After a while, the area around the tooth starts to become numb. Researchers believe that the ice stops pain signals from being received by the brain.
Whiskey
Now this may sound unorthodox and even I was sceptical at first but it does actually work. Just place some whiskey in a small container, soak some cotton wool in it, place it directly on the gum line connecting your tooth and gum. Repeat this until the pain starts to wear out. Apparently, whiskey was used during the civil war to fix toothaches. The alcohol content attacks the bacterium that is causing the toothache or infection.
Toothpaste
This remedy requires that you heat up some water until it is warm in enough to gargle. Press some toothpaste into the water then stir until it dissolves leaving behind a whitish liquid. Gargle the liquid slowly allowing the concoction to sit on your aching tooth for a minute before you spit it out. This also works better if you have antiseptic in your possession. Gargle the antiseptic after you are done gargling the toothpaste mixture. Just as the toothpaste kills bacteria as we are brushing, it will work the same way.
Chewing garlic
This might be a nasty remedy due to the taste and odour left behind. However, at that point, you just want to stop the pain. Chew some garlic for a while. If you are unable to chew, crush it into finer pieces, add a little salt then rub it on the aching tooth. The compound ‘allicin’ present in the herb is useful in the treatment of dental issues and oral infections.
Hydrogen Peroxide
This is an option that should be exercised with caution. Excessively strong hydrogen peroxide can harm your teeth, gums and even give you stomach issues if you ingest it. You are not trying to switch out one problem for another. Mix some hydrogen peroxide with ample water to reduce its strength, then gargle the mixture. The hydrogen peroxide acts as a cleaning agent killing and washing away the bacteria in your tooth.
You can also use traditional remedies like crushed cloves or those traditional sticks or powders (like the ones Maasai’s sell.) I have not included over the counter medication because those should be your first option before trying any of these remedies. Some of these remedies also work well together to increase the chances of relief. However, it is important to know that they are only temporary fixes. If you are having dental issues, it is best you consult a dentist. Do not mess around with a tooth infection.
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