A toothache can be caused by stress or anxiety, but it’s more likely to be caused by bacteria infecting the tissue at the root of the tooth, dental cavities, exposed tooth rot, a cracked tooth, or gum disease. We’ll go over some of the different home remedies and formulas for toothache relief, as well as some other recommendations.
Schedule an appointment with a reputable dentist. In the meantime, try one of the home remedies listed below.
13 Common Home Remedies for Toothache and How to Use
1. Clove
It had been used to treat toothaches for generations. It gives the mouth an immediate soothing sensation and prevents pain.
So, if you are wondering how to stop tooth pain fast, clove is one of the best options.
Cloves are antiseptic by nature, so placing one on a tooth will kill not only the toothache but also the germs that caused it.
Clove or clove oil can be applied to a painful tooth, but clove oil is primarily used to numb and relieve pain. It’s a great way to get rid of a toothache.
How to Use — Put 2-3 drops of clove oil in a cup of warm water. Gargle 3-4 times a day.
Possible Side Effects — Vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, bloating, and dermatitis.
Contraindications — If you’re allergic to eugenol, have Crohn’s disease or have liver problems, don’t use it. Cloves and clove oil should be avoided during pregnancy.
When used in its pure form, it can also cause irritation.
Alternatives — Cinnamon, marjoram, and basil.
2. Licorice
Native Americans use this herb for food and medicine, and it can help with asthma, cold and flu symptoms, and earaches.
Precautions — Licorice root should be consumed in moderation because excessive consumption can cause water retention, low potassium, and high blood pressure.
Avoid licorice root if you have diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, or hypertension.
How to Use — If you have a toothache, you can try chewing on licorice root to ease the pain while you wait for a dental appointment.
3. Garlic
Garlic has antibacterial properties, and it can be used to treat all types of toothaches.
The compound allicin, which is found in garlic, is responsible for this miraculous cure because it has a mild antibiotic effect and is antibacterial in nature.
However, it is likely to be a temporary relief that will rid of toothache at night. If the problem persists, make an appointment with your dentist.
How to Use — Crush a garlic clove lightly. Along with it, place some rock salt on the affected tooth.
This is all that is required to alleviate the discomfort. You never know, it might even be able to cure a mild toothache completely.
4. Onion
Onions, like garlic, have antibacterial properties. All you have to do is chew raw onion for a few minutes every day.
This will kill almost all of the bacteria in the mouth and prevent a variety of dental problems.
How to Use — Crush a few onion slices and place them on the affected tooth to relieve toothache.
To avoid toothaches, chew a few slices of onion every day or incorporate them into your diet as salads.
5. Lime
Lime contains vitamin C, which aids in the fight against infections in general.
Vitamin C is also beneficial to the health of your teeth and bones. It helps to prevent tooth decay, dental caries, and other gum diseases.
Lime has higher vitamin C concentrations and lower acidity levels than lemons, making it a better toothache remedy than lemon.
How to Use — Take a lime and bite on it to get relief from a toothache. Keep it in that position as long as you can. You may also chew on the lime along with the peel.
6. Asafoetida
It is a highly effective toothache pain reliever. For a stronger effect, combine it with a little lemon juice.
How to Use — Take a cotton swab and soak it with this mixture. Apply on the affected tooth and how relieved you would be in an instant!
If you want to use asafoetida without lemon, take some clarified butter and fry a pinch of asafoetida in it. Apply this to the affected tooth.
7. Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass, like garlic, has an antibiotic effect on the teeth, which allows it to remove infections and kill germs.
Simply chewing wheatgrass for a few minutes can help remove toxins from between the teeth and gums while also preventing bacterial growth.
How to Use — Wheatgrass juice can be used as a mouthwash. Use this solution to rinse your mouth after each meal and before going to bed.
This will prevent tooth decay as well as the associated aches and pains.
8. Pepper Treatment
Pepper with salt is a great dentifrice, and using it regularly can help prevent halitosis, gum pain and bleeding, cavities, and, of course, toothache.
Tooth sensitivity is a common problem in today’s world. Pepper is beneficial in the treatment of tooth sensitivity.
How to Use — If you have a toothache that goes beyond the definition of pain, go to the kitchen and make a mixture of pepper and common salt, then apply it to the painful tooth right away.
9. BayBerry
Because of its potency in relieving toothache, bayberry coves are a common ingredient in all tooth remedies and toothpaste.
Bayberry cloves contain the compound eugenol, which is a good anesthetic and has antiseptic properties.
As a result, they also get rid of the germs that are causing the toothache in the first place, as well as the infection that these germs cause.
How to Use — The bark of the bayberry can be mixed with vinegar to make a paste that can be used to strengthen the gums and relieve tooth pain.
10. Peppermint tea
It has a pleasant flavor and numbing properties.
How to Use — Put 1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaves in 1 cup boiling water and steep for 20 minutes.
Swish the tea around in your mouth after it has cooled, then spit it out or swallow it. Repeat as many times as necessary.
To help kill bacteria and relieve some discomfort, swish with a mouthful of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution.
If the toothache is accompanied by a fever and a bad taste in the mouth, this may provide temporary relief.
11. Spilanthes
It has antiseptic and analgesic properties, which help to relieve toothache pain.
It will also help with long-term tooth and gum health if used regularly.
How to Use — Make a spilanthes mouth rinse and use it frequently.
12. Commiphora myrrha
It acts as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, and immune stimulant.
Safety concerns — Contraindicated during pregnancy; may cause mild thyroid stimulation.
How to Use — Topical oil – To relieve the pain and discomfort associated with teething or toothache, the pure essential oil can be used in drop doses directly or in a carrier oil, or 2 to 3 drops can be added to about 10 oz. water as a gargle/mouth rinse.
13. Mentha piperita
It acts as an analgesic, antimicrobial, antiseptic.
How to Use — Topical oil – Essential oil, 1 to 2 drops on a Q-tip and applied directly to the tooth to relieve pain, up to three times daily.
Other Natural Remedies Used in Toothache
1. Basil
It is widely used to help reduce fevers. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is considered a general tonic and is used quite a bit for toothache.
2. Plantain
There are more than 200 species of plantain, The two common varieties are P. major and P. lanceolata.
The emollient leaves are commonly used in teas, syrups, and tinctures.
Plantain roots can be chewed or powdered and used for toothache.
3. Yerba Buena
The Costanoan Indians hold the leaves of Yerba in their mouth to treat toothaches.
The leaves can also be heated in a microwave or over a warm fire and made into a poultice and placed over the outside jaw to treat toothache.
4. Caltrop (Kallstroemia grandiflora)
Native Americans chewed the leaves of this plant for toothache.
5. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Native Americans applied the resin of Sweetgum directly to the cheek to ease toothache.
The twigs of Sweetgum can be soaked in water or whiskey and chewed to clean the teeth.
6. Thyme
Use Thyme essential oil mixed with water to create a mouth wash or reduce inflammation.
7. Wintergreen
Use essential oil of Wintergreen by applying 1 drop directly on the aching tooth.
8. Oregano Essential Oil
Dilute 5 drops of oregano essential oil to 25 drops of carrier oil such as jojoba oil and rub directly on the gum closest to the toothache.
9. Tea tree
Tea tree essential oil, when applied directly to the painful area, helps to fight infection.
7 Home Remedy Formulas for Toothache
1. Toothache Poultice
If organically grown goldenseal is not available, use chaparral as a substitute.
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- 2 parts spilanthes powder.
- 1 part goldenseal powder (organically cultivated).
- 1 part myrrh powder.
- 1 drop clove essential oil.
To make a thick paste, combine the herb powders with enough water. Clove essential oil can be used as an analgesic and antiseptic.
Use sterile gauze to make a small cylinder-shaped poultice and apply it directly to the affected area.
2. Toothache Oil
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- 1/8-ounce carrier oil.
- 6 drops of tea tree oil.
- 4 drops chamomile oil.
- 2 drops of myrrh oil.
- 2 drops of peppermint oil.
Add the essential oils to the carrier oil in a clean container. To blend the ingredients, gently turn the container upside down several times or roll it between your hands for a few minutes.
Apply one drop on the aching tooth and the surrounding gum, as needed.
3. Chamomile Compress
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- Fill a bowl with hot water.
- Add 4–5 drops of chamomile oil.
Soak a clean face cloth or folded piece of clean cotton in the bowl and wring it out.
Apply the compress to the affected area until it reaches body temperature. Repeat.
A hot compress is used to treat toothaches as well as arthritic or rheumatic pain, boils, abscesses, and earaches.
4. Toothache Compress
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- 1-quart hot water.
- 2 drops chamomile oil.
- 1 drop peppermint oil.
Pour the water into a two-quart glass bowl and disperse the oils in the water.
Saturate a clean cloth in the water and apply the compress to your face near the aching tooth. Repeat as often as necessary.
5. Jean Valnet’s Toothache Remedy
Jean Valnet, a medical doctor and aromatherapist for over thirty years, is regarded as one of the world’s foremost authorities on essential oil therapy. He gives us the following toothache formula (Valnet 1980):
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- 50 g (1.8 oz.) arnica flowers.
- 10 g (0.4 oz.) clove buds.
- 10 g (0.4 oz.) cinnamon.
- 10 g (0.4 oz.) ginger (root).
- 100 g (3.5 oz.) aniseed (anise seed).
- 1 L (34 oz.) alcohol (grain alcohol or vodka preferred)
These herbs are macerated and left to infuse the alcohol for eight days before being strained and kept.
One teaspoon of this infusion in half a glass of raw honey water (one teaspoon raw honey dissolved in four ounces [120 ml]) is recommended by Valnet.
6. An Ancient Chinese Herbal Remedy for Toothache
To make a tincture, combine the following herbs in equal amounts.
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- Anemone Cernua.
- Fo Ti (He Shou Wu).
- Angelica Anomala.
- Selenium Monnieri.
- Asarum Sieboldii.
- Quercus.
After you’ve made your tincture, mix 8 to 15 drops in a cup of warm water and use it as a mouth rinse.
7. Jared’s Tooth Powder
For toothache relief, Jared Tropple, a Master Herbalist for over 8 years, recommends the following formula.
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- 4 ounces of Orris Root Powder.
- 4 ounces of Arrowroot.
- 2 ounces of Myrrh Gum.
- 1.5 ounces of Licorice Root.
- 1.5 ounces of White Oak Bark.
- 1 ounce of Golden Seal Root.
- 1 ounce of Bistort Root.
- 1/2 teaspoon of Peppermint Oil.
Mix all of the herbs thoroughly with the Peppermint Oil after they’ve been powdered into a fine powder.
For immediate relief, place near the gum where the toothache is present.
Related: Unbearable Tooth Pain: What to Do at Home
General Recommended Home Remedies for Toothache
— Swish the warm salt water around in your mouth for a few seconds before spitting it out. This should be done after each meal and before going to bed. Stir 1 tsp. of salt into a glassful of water, at body temperature.
Holding a small amount of warm salt water in your mouth will provide relief.
— Rinse your mouth thoroughly with lukewarm water. If the pain is caused by food stuck between the teeth, this will help to flush it out.
— Place a charcoal tablet in your mouth and press it against the swollen gum at the base of the affected tooth with your tongue or cheek.
— Drink 1-2 cups of mullein tea or chew some catnip herb.
— Mash the plantain root and apply it to the cheek near the tooth.
— Taking valerian in high enough doses (½ teaspoon of tincture every half hour) can also help with pain relief.
Recommendations
— Floss gently between your teeth.
— Rub an ice cube with your fingers until one side is shaped into a V. Then gently press it against the tender spot and move it back and forth over it for 5-7 minutes. Rubbing has the effect of canceling out the pain signal, which must travel along the same nerve route.
— Keep the heat away from the tooth and the cheek next to it. If it’s an infection, the heat will draw it to the outside of the jaw, aggravating the problem.
— Apply ice to the nearby cheek 3-4 times a day for 15 minutes.
— Bite away from that area of the teeth.
When a toothache strikes, some people find that skipping a meal, resting, taking vitamin C, and behaving very carefully over the next few days and the infection in the tooth is overcome by the body.
Along with these home remedies, it is important to keep the teeth clean at all times by brushing twice a day and limiting sugar intake in the diet, particularly before going to bed.
A continuing toothache is an indication of an underlying problem that could be much more serious and should be investigated by a dentist immediately.
Summary
A toothache can be caused by stress or anxiety, but it’s more likely to be caused by bacteria infecting the tissue at the root of the tooth, dental cavities, exposed tooth rot, a cracked tooth, or gum disease.
Here is a list of some therapeutically active natural remedies that can overcome the toothache problem
- Clove
- Licorice
- Garlic
- Onion
- Lime
- Asafoetida
- Wheatgrass
- Pepper Treatment
- Bay Berry
- Peppermint tea
- Spilanthes
- Commiphora myrrha
- Mentha piperita
- Thyme
- Sweetgum
- Caltrop
- Oregano Essential Oil
- Tea tree
- Wintergreen
There are special home remedy formulas that are designed to eliminate toothache. (Discussed in detail above)
Along with these home remedies, it is important to keep the teeth clean at all times by brushing twice a day and limiting sugar intake in the diet, particularly before going to bed.
A continuing toothache is an indication of an underlying problem that could be much more serious and should be investigated by a dentist immediately.
References
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- Kennedy, A. (2021). Herbal medicine natural remedies: 150 herbal remedies to heal common ailments. Althea Press.
- Gladstar, R. (2014). Herbs for common ailments. Storey Publishing.
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- Ferrell, V., & Cherne, H. M. (2010). Natural remedies encyclopedia: Home remedies for over 730 diseases. Harvestime Books.
- Alexander, L. M., & Straub-Bruce, L. A. (2014). Dental herbalism: Natural therapies for the mouth. Healing Arts Press.
- The Complete Guide to natural toothache remedies and remineralization. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
- Reader’s Digest. (2015). 1,801 Home remedies: Doctor-approved treatments for everyday health problems, including coconut oil to relieve sore gums, catnip to soothe anxiety, tennis balls to stop snoring, and vitamin C to prevent ulcers.
- Izharul Hasan. Encyclopedia of Home Remedies for Better Life.
