Toothaches can be a pain in the neck - or mouth, making you desperate to do anything to stop tooth pain. This pain can be very aggravating and debilitating, and it comes with the pesky realization that you have to visit your dentist as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, toothaches often strike at the worst possible moment, such as in the middle of the night or when you are hundreds of miles away from your dentist. Fortunately, your pantry and medicine cabinets are full of products that can ease the pain for a few hours.
For temporary relief, try one of these five remedies to stop tooth pain:
1. Ice it
Hold a cold compress against the outside of your cheek for about 20 minutes to relieve tooth pain, especially if a toothache is accompanied by swelling. Cold numbs the area and helps reduce inflammation, ensuring the swelling goes down.
2. Rinse your mouth with hydrogen peroxide
Toothaches that are accompanied with a foul taste in your mouth or a mild fever could signal an infection. Ease the discomfort by swishing a mouthful of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution, then spit it out. Finally, rinse your mouth several times with water. Hydrogen peroxide will kill some of the bacteria that are causing the pain.
3. Salty water
Add a teaspoon of salt to one cup of boiling water for a pain-killing mouthwash. Swish the water in your mouth for about thirty seconds before spitting it out. Repeat this every few hours for pain relief. The saltwater solution cleans the irritating debris inside your mouth while reducing swelling. Furthermore, this solution cleanses the area around your teeth and draws out some of the fluid that's causing the swelling. As a bonus, swishing salt water inside your mouth can also relieve sore throat pain.
4. Clove oil
Cloves are known for their numbing properties. This is because they contain a natural anesthetic known as eugenol. However, clove oil should be used cautiously. Pouring a generous amount onto the wound could actually worsen the situation. This is because it could get on your tongue or on sensitive gum tissues. For best results, put a few drops of clove oil onto a ball of cotton wool and place it against the affected tooth until the pain goes away. If you do not have clove oil, place some powdered clove or a whole clove on the affected tooth. Chew on the clove for a few minutes to release the oil, and keep it on top of the painful tooth for about thirty minutes.
5. Ginger and cayenne paste
Ginger is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, while cayenne is high in vitamin C and helps reduce inflammation. Furthermore, cayenne has a chemical known as capsaicin which blocks pain messages from getting to your brain. When equal parts of these two spices are combined, they help reduce the pain and the swelling. To create the paste, mix cayenne, ginger, and some water, Roll a cotton ball in the paste and place it on your tooth. Ensure the cotton ball does not come into contact with your tongue and gums. Leave it there until the pain begins to fade.
Wrapping up
These remedies can reduce the discomfort of a toothache and help you sleep at night. However, they do not provide a solution to the root cause of the pain. After the pain subsides, remember to book an appointment with a dentist to treat any underlying problems.
Call (913) 553-5222 to schedule an appointment with IronHorse Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in our Leawood dental office.
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How we keep our patients and staff safe during the current Coronavirous (COVID-19) environment:
We wanted to reach out to all our patients and personally let you know that we remain committed to offering you the best and the safest care here at our office.
As the situation around novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve, we are doing everything we can to ensure your safety and provide you with the peace of mind that our office makes the health of our patients and team members our highest priority.
We take great pride in maintaining the highest standards of health safety and in response to the coronavirus, we have taken additional measures recommended by the global and local public health authorities (including the WHO and CDC) to screen every patient and guest that enters our facility. We are screening all guests and patients before every appointment and have adjusted our cancelation policy and fees. We want to assure you that our office has taken every precaution to maintain our patient’s health and safety.
Our office is equipped with multiple high efficiency air purifiers that kills bacteria, viruses and molds in the air throughout the entire office.
We use the AIRIUS Destratification Air sterilizer with Photohydroionization® (PHI) and a Broad spectrum 100-300 nm HE/UV™ ultraviolet disinfection unit. PHI is an advanced oxidation technology developed by RGF Environmental Group to minimize and neutralize indoor air pollutants such as bacteria, viruses, mold, gases (VOCs) and odors. Photohydroionization (PHI) cell emits advanced oxidation plasma (0.01 – 0.02 ppm). The fan circulates Hydro-Peroxides, super oxide ions and hydroxide ions throughout the space, neutralizing more than 99 percent of micro-organisms. PHI utilizes a broad-spectrum, high intensity UV light targeted on a hydrated quad-metallic catalyst surface. This target surface is covered with a proprietary quad-metallic and hydrophilic coating. The UV light reacts with the catalyst and moisture to produce an advanced oxidation plasma consisting of hydro-peroxides, super oxide ions and hydroxide ions. These friendly oxidizers will revert back to oxygen and hydrogen once they’ve come in contact with and eliminated the pollutant.
These units create an aggressive advanced oxidation atmosphere to kill 99% of bacteria, viruses and mold in the air surrounding the unit.
Ionized-hydro-peroxides are very effective at destroying harmful microbials in the air and on surfaces. As oxidants, they do this by either destroying the microbe through a process known as cell lysing or by changing its molecular structure and rendering it harmless which is the case in VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and odors.
Universities like Kansas State University and independent labs have tested these units and they found a 4-log reduction (99.99%) surface bacteria/virus reduction, a 97% airborne bacterial reduction, a 99% reductions of Ecoli, Listeria, Strep and Bird Flu, a 97% airborne mold reduction, a U.S. and International 99% reduction of Staph (MRSA) and they are approved by the USDA, FSIS and FDA.
As always, our office puts the health, safety, and well-being of our patients, employees, and communities at our highest priority. We continue to monitor this quickly evolving situation and are here to assist our patients as needed. Deep breaths and positive thoughts. We’re all in this together.