Toothache can be distracting and unnerving, especially if it’s persistent and keeps you up all night. You may have an important meeting that is now botched because your teeth hurt, and you can’t focus on the task at hand. Figuring out what’s wrong with your teeth and going to a dentist in Wimbledon is the logical course of action here, but meanwhile, you should do something about the pain. Whether it’s an abscess or a small cavity, or just sensitivity from eating something very hot or very cold, there are a number of ways you can deal with the pain at home.
You may be familiar with these methods, or have a few tricks that are not discussed here yourself. People have been using the DIY treatment for their toothache since the dawn of civilization, and some of them are still useful today.
1. Saltwater rinse can reduce the pain
This is the go-to solution for a lot of us if we have a throat ache or swollen gum. Salt is one of the best disinfectants, and it has no harmful effects on your teeth or even the digestive system. You can use find it practically anywhere, and it is an instant pain reliever and cleaning solution.
You can even use it for your wounds but the pain can be a bit much in wider cuts.
Remember not to use too much salt in the mix, and always keep it less than half a teaspoon for 250ml of lukewarm water.
Even if you aren’t experiencing a toothache, washing your teeth and especially gums with saltwater every night is a great way to avoid infections.
2. Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide can be found in a lot of bathroom cabinets since it is used to disinfect wounds as well. You can mix it with an equal amount of water, and use the solution to rinse your mouth. It’s a quick anti-inflammatory treatment as it kills the bacteria causing the inflammation, removes plaque and can even help stop your gums from bleeding.
Do not use hydrogen peroxide with purity levels higher than 3 per cent.
If you are not sure about using hydrogen peroxide by yourself, contact dentists Wimbledon to help you.
3. Cold compress
Keeping a swollen cheek pressurized sure helps with the pain, since it’ll relax the muscles. Trying a cold compress can be more effective if it doesn’t make your tooth hurt more. Sometimes with root infections, applying a cold compress can cause burning pain in your tooth. If that’s the case, visit a root canal specialist to try and treat the infection before you may have to pull out the tooth due to a severe infection.
If you don’t have special cold compress bags in the fridge, a bag of frozen peas or anything else works too.
4. Peppermint is the magic
Peppermint leaves are a natural anti-inflammation remedy, that can be used to treat inflammation of bee stings, gum infection and toothache as well. It is capable of disinfecting sensitive gums when applied in a teabag. You should just leave it on the infected or swollen area for about 30 minutes. It’s better if you cool the teabag in the freezer before use.
5. Garlic can change everything
Seems like garlic is a one-man army against a lot of diseases, and there are middle eastern parables that claim garlic a remedy for seventy different ailments. Garlic isn’t just an anti-inflammatory treatment, and it can help reduce plaque layers by removing the bacteria that produce it. It does, however, work wonders for tooth pain. Applying garlic paste on your infected tooth can soothe the pain in no time, and ward off possible infectious bacteria.
6. Vanilla extract
you may associate vanilla with sweetness if you haven’t cooked with vanilla extract, but it is the farthest thing from desirable for bacteria that feed on glucose and simple carbohydrates. It contains amounts of alcohol, a natural pain relief remedy. In addition, its antioxidant-rich extract can make your gums look fresher, and improve their colour.
Apply the extract using your fingertips or a small piece of cotton or tissue paper, don’t use more than a small drop or you’ll never forget the bitter taste.
7. Clove and Clove Oil
Cloves are included in a lot of food recipes, but their medicinal properties have long been tested both by people and at the labs. That’s why its essence is used in antiseptic medication. The eugenol must be diluted if you want to apply it to your teeth, so use cooking oil or similar oil and apply it to the infected area.
Clove oil can be mixed with water, to be used as a mouthwash and treat swollen gums as well.
8. Guava leaves
The guava fruits are a tropical wonder, but natives use the leaves as a treatment for a lot of chronic pain issues and infections. They can even be chewed to clean your teeth and gums, and their essence can be used as a mouthwash.