A cracked tooth, cavities, loose fillings, or an abscess – toothaches can be incredibly painful and make one desperate for pain relief. While the most obvious step is to visit the dentist as soon as possible, you might have to wait a bit for your appointment arrives. In this blog, we share a few temporary fixes for toothaches that help alleviate the pain until you make it to your dentist.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
While your primary concern would be to seek relief, it’s important to identify the cause and origin of the pain first. Pain is our body’s way of alerting us that something is wrong and oral pain that exceeds one or two days needs to be checked immediately.
Such pain is often the result of a mild injury or more serious conditions such as a gum infection that could lead to serious health complications. In any case, the loss of a tooth or compromised bone structure can also cause bacteria to travel to other parts of the body and even contribute to a number of heart diseases.
Here are a number of local remedies that’ll help reduce the pain.
Salt Water
Pour boiling water into a cup and add about a teaspoon of salt for a natural painkiller mouthwash. Salt water is known to reduce inflammation, heal oral wounds, and remove any irritating debris. Swish it inside your mouth for around 30 seconds. Repeat this process as often as required especially if it helps alleviate the pain.
Rinse with Hydrogen Peroxide
Rinsing and swishing with a 3% Hydrogen peroxide solution reduces discomfort and kills bacteria. This treatment is especially effective if the toothache is accompanied by a fever as well as a foul taste (both of which are signs of infection). Similar to other treatments, this is also a temporary cure. It is important to use the solution only for rinsing and then later washing your mouth several times with water.
Peppermint Tea
Not only does peppermint tea have a nice flavor, but it’s also known to posses numbing properties. Add 1 teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves in a cup of boiling water for around 20 minutes. When the tea cools down, swish it inside your mouth before spitting it out. Also, a substance known as astringent tannins found in black tea helps reduce pain and swelling. Simply place a warm tea bag on the affected area for temporary relief.
Prevention is always better than cure. Regular brushing and flossing, as well as routine visits to the dentist, will help you keep oral diseases at bay. West Hills Smiles are qualified dentists in Woodland Hills, California that provide a wide range of dental solutions. Contact us today for more information.