Toothache can
be caused by a number of problems, such as gum disease, a cracked tooth, an
abnormal bite, or if you grind your teeth.
For all intents and purposes, we’re going to be focused on tooth
pain caused by tooth decay, as that is the most common root cause (pun very
much intended), although these remedies will help with pain from a variety of
causes.
The tooth is made up of four layers - enamel, dentin, cementum,
and the pulp.
Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, and is highly
mineralized and brittle. It makes up the outside of the tooth.
Beneath the enamel is dentin, a more flexible supportive tissue
that is softer than enamel.
Under the dentin is cementum, which is a bone-like substance
that is highly specialized and covers the root of a tooth. It is softer than
dentin and enamel, and its primary function is to serve as a medium that the
periodontal ligaments (essentially specialized tissue that connects the tooth
to the jaw bone) can attach to the tooth for stability.
Finally we have the pulp, the central part of the tooth filled
with soft connective tissue rich in blood vessels and nerves.
A cavity is the result of bacteria in the mouth, and its
reaction to sugars and starches. As bacteria break down the sugars and
starches, sticky plaque filled with acids form over the tooth.
If left unchecked, plaque can form tartar, which cannot easily
be brushed away. These acids eat away at the tooth enamel, and unless they are
reversed, will continue to eat away at the tooth until the pulp becomes
infected.
It is when the pulp is infected that a root canal becomes
necessary to prevent the spread of infection and an abscess.
It’s important to get to a dentist ASAP to identify the cause
before it progresses, but these remedies will help ease the ache until you can.
Toothache
Relief #1 - Use Cloves
Cloves contain a substance called eugenol, which is a powerful
antiseptic and painkiller. Cloves were used by dentists well before modern
dentistry developed, and eugenol, in an extracted purified form, is still used
today. In fact, it is a main constituent of the stuff a dentist will swab on
your gums to numb the area because administering Novocain or lidocaine.
While it’s mechanism of action has yet to be totally understood,
despite its prevalence in the dentist’s office, it is thought to act on certain
pain receptors, blocking them and thus blocking the sensation of pain.
You
will need…
-Clove essential oil
-Cotton
balls
-1/2 teaspoon of olive oil
-Cotton swabs (optional)
Directions
Rinse
your mouth with warm salt water to get it nicely flushed out. By doing this
beforehand, you’re allowing the oil to do its job the very best it can since
there’s nothing to block it or make it hard to sink down into the sore spot.
Mix
a few drops of clove essential oil with ½ teaspoon of olive oil. Thoroughly soak
a cotton ball in this mixture and then hold it gently but firmly against the
sore tooth or gum.
If
you wanted to take a shortcut, you could try putting some of the oil on a
cotton swab and dabbing it directly where it hurts, however, jabbing a cotton swab
onto a hurting tooth or gum may not be too comfortable.
Toothache
Relief #2 - Alcohol
Normally I avoid alcohol in my remedies if at all possible, but
you know what? Sometimes, it’s a great remedy. Especially when it comes to
surviving excruciating pain until the dentist is open.
You’ll read a number of conflicting view points on whether or
not it actually numbs pain, but I for one think it does. I can’t trump the
American Dental Association, which claims there is no basis to the remedy, but
I can attest to personal experience.
Ingesting alcohol doesn’t numb pain in a direct sense, but it
can slow down the responses of the central nervous system-including the
transmission of pain.
When applied topically (this remedy does not call for drinking)
it probably doesn’t affect the CNS, but it does seem to do something to numb
the area. It’s long been old wives remedy, but it’s a good one.
You
will need…
-Whiskey or Bourbon
-A cotton ball
Directions
Soak the cotton ball in the alcohol, and squeeze out the excess
so it isn’t dripping all over the place. Pack it in by the sore tooth and let
it sit. Repeat as necessary.
If you’d rather not put a whole cotton ball in there, then you
should soak a cotton swab in the alcohol and swab it over the gum around the
sore tooth.
Toothache
Relief #3 - Peppermint oil
A good dose of peppermint essential oil can do the trick when it
comes to numbing tooth pain. A whopping 3,000 tons of menthol, the naturally
occurring constituent in peppermint, are manufactured annually to be used in
over the counter pain relieving, gels, creams, rubs, and sprays.
It’s one of nature’s most effective pain killers. A type of
molecule known as a ligand, present in the menthol, attaches itself to a
protein known as the k-opioid receptor (KOR.)
KORs are one of four receptors that bind opiate-like compounds
in the brain, and control the effects of those compounds. Among the effects is
the perception of pain-basically, KOR agonists are analgesic.
Menthol is a KOR agonist, naturally occurring in mint, which is
what makes it such an effective pain blocker. In addition to this, it can
desensitize a region through TRPM8, also known as the cold menthol receptor.
If you’d like the full name for that, it’s transient receptor
potential cation channel subfamily M member 8. You can whip that out next time
someone brings up anything minty.
Menthol does not actually change temperature - the activation of the TRPM8
simply “tricks” the brain into registering a cold sensation.
You
will need…
-Pure peppermint essential oil
-Cotton balls or cotton swabs
Directions
Mix 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil into 2 tablespoons
of neutral oil (grapeseed, olive oil, etc.) It’s important to dilute the oil
first so as to avoid any irritation.
Soak a cotton ball in the oil and pack it around the sore tooth,
or soak a cotton swab and swab the gum surrounding the sore tooth. Repeat as
needed.
Toothache
Relief #4 - Saltwater Rinse
This is a repeat of a remedy in the Everyday Roots book, and it is one worth
repeating, as it can really help a sore tooth heal after a procedure, or ease
pain before you can get the tooth checked out.
To understand it, here’s a very simplified version of what goes
down as decay is eating away at your tooth. Bacteria in the mouth feeds off of
sugars in the diet-namely sucrose.
When it breaks down the sugar, it produces lactic acid. This
lactic acid eats away at the enamel, into the dentin, and so on until the pulp
becomes infected. The infection can then spread and turn into an abscess or
what have you.
The salt, however, helps to neutralize the lactic acid. This can
slow the process of decay significantly, and also relieve pain. The warm salt
water will also help contract inflamed tissues as it draws excess fluid out of
them, further easing discomfort.
You
will need…
-1 cup of warm salt water
-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Directions
Mix the salt into a glass of warm water. Swish the water around
for 1 minute, then spit it out. Repeat until the glass is gone. You can do this
as many times a day as needed until you can get to the dentist.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to get to the bottom
of the problem before it gets worse. While going to the dentist may seem like a
not so great (and expensive) experience
you’d rather avoid, you will only end up suffering, and paying, way more in the
long run when you let the problem go. These remedies are only to help get you
through until you can get professional help.
Keep
in mind that these remedies are for the purpose of getting rid of the pain, not
something that will cure whatever is making your tooth hurt. Brushing and
flossing regularly and eating less processed sugary/salty foods can help
prevent toothaches in the long run as well.
You
can also watch this Video HERE for more toothache relief
ideas.
By Claire Goodall
(a bee-obsessed natural-convert from Minnesota) who is a holistic health lover.
She is the author of Everyday Roots Book.
It's a Book that
she creates to help you replace the toxic products and medications in your home
with healthier, all-natural alternatives.
It contains 215+
effective home remedies and covers everything you will need to protect your
family and save money every month.
