Home Treatment for Toothache

A toothache, also known as odontalgia or, less frequently, as odontalgy, is an aching pain in or around a tooth. In most cases toothaches are caused by problems in the tooth or jaw, such as cavities, gum disease, the emergence of wisdom teeth, a cracked tooth, infected dental pulp (necessitating root canal treatment or extraction of the tooth), jaw disease, or exposed tooth root.

Causes of a toothache may also be a symptom of diseases of the heart, such as angina or a myocardial infarction, due to referred pain. The severity of a toothache can range from a mild discomfort to excruciating pain, which can be experienced either chronically or sporadically. This pain can often be aggravated somewhat by chewing or by hot or cold temperature. An oral examination complete with X-rays can help discover the cause. Severe pain may be considered a dental emergency.

However, you may also try the following toothache remedies to relieve the pain until you see your dentist.

Home Treatment for Toothache

1. Rinse vigorously – Take a mouthful of water (at body temperature) and rinse vigorously. If your toothache is just caused by trapped food, a thorough rinse may dislodge the problem.
2. Gurgle some whiskey – Take a shot and gurgle some whiskey to numb the pain. Your gums will absorb some of the alcohol that will numb the pain.
3. Rinse with salty water – After each meal and at bedtime, stir 1 teaspoon of salt into an 8 ounce glass of water (at body temperature). Hold each mouthful and roll it around your mouth then spit.
4. Hand massage – Rub an ice cube into V-shaped area where the bones of the thumb and forefinger meet Gently push the ice over the area for 5 to 7 minutes. According to research, this procedure works by sending rubbing impulses along the nerve pathways that the toothache pain would normally travel on. Since the pathways can carry only one signal at a time, rubbing outweighs the pain.
5.  Suck some ice – Put ice on the aching tooth or the nearest cheek for 15-minute intervals at least three or four times a day.
6. Keep heat away from your aching cheek – If it is an infection, the heat will draw the infection to the outside of the jaw and make the infection worse.
7. Over the counter pain relievers like ibuprofen may also give some relief.

Note: If you can’t even touch your tooth, that’s an ache. But if the tooth is merely reacting to heat or cold, then it’s a problem with sensitivity. You may use over-the-counter toothpaste made specially for people with sensitive teeth.

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