Pain Relief for a Toothache

Sometimes, you'll find yourself with an intense tooth pain and no way to get to a dentist immediately. Tooth pain can happen to anyone at any time and should never be ignored. There are simple ways to handle toothaches that pop up that should tide you over until you can find your way to a dentist.

Simple Actions

• When you feel your tooth start to hurt, try rinsing your mouth with warm salt water. Gargle it for a bit, then spit. Once you've done that, try a very gentle flossing. Your tooth pain may be caused by a bit of food stuck in between your teeth and flossing will dislodge it.

  If your tooth is hurting when you lie down, try elevating your head a bit more. The blood rushes to your mouth when lying flat, and that makes your mouth hurt more. Put a piece of ice against the affected tooth to try and numb it. A swig of liquor such as whiskey can help numb your tooth as well. Take a shot of the liquor and hold it over your pained tooth for a minute to numb it.

  Ice can also be used to numb part of your hand, which in turn will ease your tooth pain. Place an ice cube on the v-part of your hand between your thumb and index finger and massage it in that area. The nerve receptors in your body can only process one feeling at a time, and the numbing of your hand takes precedence over your tooth pain.

  Chew your food on the opposite side of your mouth than the side affected by pain. Try not to breathe through your mouth while your tooth is hurting because cold air flowing over your tooth can make it hurt more.

Home Remedies

• Many people have found that using oil of cloves can help with tooth pain. Put a few drops of oil against your tooth, and let it sit. You can also soak a cotton ball with the oil and hold it on your tooth. Garlic is also used to treat tooth pain. Hold a clove of garlic against your tooth to let it cure you of the pain.

  If you have cucumber in your fridge, slice it thickly and place a slice against your tooth. Cucumber works because it has a cooling, soothing effect. In the same way, you can use peppermint leaves to soothe your pain. Stack a few leaves up, and hold them in your mouth against the tooth. This will need to be done at least 10 times a day until your pain goes away.