Toothache Home Remedy

Find home remedies for toothaches, using natural cures and herbal products.

2–3 minutes
Toothache Home Remedy

Signs and Symptoms of a Toothache

Toothaches are characterized by deep and sharp throbbing sensations in a tooth, as well as extreme tooth sensitivity. Practising a daily routing of brushing and flossing, as well as regularly visiting the dentist (at least twice a year) are effective ways to prevent such toothaches. However, if pain does occur, you can try some of the home remedies below to get some relief. You should also always see your dentist when a toothache occurs, even if the pain goes away, since there is always the risk of losing a tooth if the infection penetrates deep into the root.

Causes of a Toothache

Most toothaches are due to a build up of bacteria and decay in the mouth, which eventually penetrate the tooth’s tissue (also called the pulp, which is located at the center of the tooth). This results in inflammation, which leads to pressure and pain. Other common causes of toothaches are gum disease, restorative dental work, and tooth fractures.

Home Remedies and Natural Treatments for Toothache

Oil of Cloves

The oil of cloves (also known as Eugenol) is a fantastic pain reliever for toothaches, particular those that are due to temperature sensitivity. Simply add a few drops of clove oil directly onto the tooth, cavity, or crack for some fast relief. Eugenol is often available over the counter in most drug stores.

Warm Salt Water

Swishing warm salt water can help to reduce toothache pain. Simply mix 2-3 teaspoons of salt into a warm glass of water and use it as a mouthwash. The salt will help clean the area around the infected tooth, and will help draw out some of the fluids that are causing the swelling and pain.

Tea Tree Oil

A simple mouthwash using Tea Tree Oil can help provide toothache relief. Simply add a few drops of tea tree oil to a glass of water and use it as a mouth rinse, and be careful not to swallow. The tea tree oil will penetrate into the gums and de-sensitize the nerves of the tooth that is causing the ache.

Cinnamon and Honey

A simple paste made with cinnamon and honey can help provide toothache relief. Mix one teaspoon of cinnamon powder with 5 teaspoons of honey, then apply a small amount of this paste directly onto the aching tooth. Store the remainder in a small container at room temperature. Continue to apply a small amount to the aching tooth 2 or 3 times per day until the pain is relieved.

Black Seed Oil

Black Seed Oil has been found to be very effective at treating toothaches. To alleviate the soreness and pain, simply rub a small amount of the oil on the affected gum and tooth, and repeat for 15 seconds. You can also mix a half teaspoon of Black Seed Oil in a small glass of warm water, and gargle with it.

Green Tea

The active ingredients in Green Tea can help treat infections and reduce inflammation. Therefore, a simple remedy for toothaches is to drink two cups of Green Tea daily while symptoms are present.

References

Gupta C, Kumari A, Garg AP, Catanzaro R, Marotta F. “Comparative study of cinnamon oil and clove oil on some oral microbiota“. Dec 2011; 82(3):197-9.

Medical disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice. Talk to your doctor before trying a new remedy, especially if you’re pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.

Keep reading

104 responses

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Jennifer

    This article is very helpful!

  2. Had immense pain in my tooth and jaw! Dentist couldn’t find anything wrong! Nothing had worked to dull the pain but….I tried cinnamon and honey which were the only things I had on hand – wow! What a difference almost immediately! Thanks for the info!

  3. Thanks so much because the black seed oil works wonders.

  4. Sendbad

    For toothache, nothing works like fresh Selected Miswak (natural toothbrush) made from Salvadora Persica.

  5. Mark M. Hogan

    I love this and appreciate this article for your honesty. So thank you very much. My teeth are so bad and I had no idea that they would be so. This needs to be shared with others, because you only get one set for a lifetime.

  6. I have a lot of experience and have read a lot on this topic. Coconut oil, activated charcoal (works down to the bone), colloidal silver, sliver of garlic clove, clove oil, iodine, and salt water. The best is the colloidal silver, second best is activated charcoal, third best is clove oil, then coconut oil. The bacteria in the mouth is sucked up by the charcoal and then you spit it out . Brush it on before bed and leave it till you wake up.
    If you want good teeth you need a few things to keep them safe, sugar only is not the culprit. Vitamin D-3 needs K-2 to go into your cells. Vitamin K is in kelp and helps teeth to renew. Vitamins A and E are important to teeth. Vitamins C helps the gums heal. Magnesium helps Calcium go in the cells and you need lots of minerals for healthy teeth and bones. MSM helps the collagen and fights bacteria, molybdenum heals the enamel on the teeth. Alpha lipoic acid (an anti-oxidant) knocks down dental pain. If you google “teeth” you can find lots of sites with testimonials to help encourage you on your journey to healing. Blessings, Kay.

  7. Guestuser

    Peppermint oil and cinnamon helps with Toothache.

  8. The absolute best way to stop toothache is whiskey, gin, or vodka – whatever you might like but you only need a few drops. I am not saying get drunk, just hold a small amount on the painful spot for as long as you can and then drink it or spit it out. Your pain is gone!

  9. KellerB

    For my toothache, I tried cinnamon powder and cinnamon mouthwash it did good. I also use toothpaste on a cotton ball on the aching tooth. It does wonders and is an amazing thing to get relief from a toothache.

  10. Susan g

    I have a coffee K-cup maker and took a tea K-cup, dumped out the tea grinds into the filter screen filter and put half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder in it. Brewed the drink today and had it. Now my toothache feels better I have three bad rotten teeth and receding gum line and cinnamon powder tea helped within the first 2-3 minutes. Thank you so much!

  11. DeNita Muhammad

    I have a huge crater in my right lower molar. Didn’t have honey but the cinnamon I did have. I mixed it with a little bit of warm water and put it on with a cotton ball and I can barely feel a thing right now – love it. It has helped a lot. Thanks!

  12. Shubham Rohila

    I guess I’ll use all the remedies cause my toothache won’t go away…. I took a brufen (Iboprufen) and a disprin and applied honey then drank milk and the pain is reduced 🙂

  13. AshleyReed

    Cinnamon and Honey and green tea would be perfect. I love drinking green tea. I actually add honey to my green tea a lot, I should try making that paste and see if it helps. Thanks for all the great remedies!

  14. Tanjanika

    The warm water and salt worked for me and afterwards I drank some hot green tea with honey in it. its a miracle I thought about pulling my tooth out myself because I was in so much pain. My teeth and gums feel a whole lot better. It almost feels like I took an antibiotic. 🙂

  15. I didn’t have honey or cloves. I was desperate. So I tried garlic, onion, ice, etc. and nothing worked 🙁 I took out my powdered cinnamon jar, covered my finger with it and rubbed it on allover the gums and teeth. It worked!!!!

  16. Rachael

    Wow, the cinnamon and honey mixture really does work! I just tried it and my pain is gone. Had some relief within minutes, but now it’s been about 15 minutes and the pain is almost completely gone. I feel a few little twinges, but that are very slight and almost non-existent. Thanks SO much for sharing!!!!

  17. Donna Temple

    I have a bad infection in my bottom gum. What is good for that?

  18. L Jackson

    Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. This toothache is trying to kill me. Considered removing it myself but remembered the doctor cleaning out nerve endings. Thank you again, goodnight!

  19. ellie

    First time there wasn’t any clove powder in the cupboard! Applied cinnamon powder directly on inflamed gum (oral surgery 4 years ago removed tooth but still get flare ups). Instant relief! I might try the honey and cinnamon mixture but cinnamon powder alone did it for me. Grateful to come across this site!

  20. celena

    Tea tree oil works instantly for desensitizing the nerves. Just put some on a Q-Tip and rub around the tooth and gums that is causing the pain. You will get immediate results.

    ….try it! You can even get trees tree

  21. I tried everything to get my toothache to stop, including high doses of pain killers. What helps the most is peppermint green tea bags placed between the gum and tooth. Swish cool to cold water around every few minutes. It hurts a little bit to begin with, but after about 5 minutes I hardly feel a thing.

  22. Viking

    OMG! worst toothache EVER. I saw the post about cinnamon and honey and gave it a try. Almost instant relief?!?! I cannot believe it!!!! Thank GOD I ran across this. I was about to try and pull the thing with pliers!!!

  23. Jordan

    Thanks so much everyone for their willingness to share and raise awareness of what has worked for them. Helpful indeed.

  24. Margo

    One way too dispel tooth pain – place tip of finger over the pained area – and hold it there for 10/ 20 minutes!!

  25. Trishie

    Whatever you do, DO NOT put crushed aspirin in your mouth and leave it on your gums! It will cause a chemical burn! I know because it happened to me accidentally. I was half asleep when I took some aspirin (crushed aspirin headache powder) and didn’t make sure my mouth was completely rinsed of all the aspirin before I went back to sleep so some was caught between my teeth and my cheek. The next morning, the cheek area was sore, raw and peeling. Please think twice before doing this.

  26. Henry

    I have trials at the moment and my gums (all of them) are swollen as all hell. I haven’t eaten properly in ages because it hurts so much and I’ve lost and 2kg already. I really need help with what to do, I can barely concentrate in exams it hurts that much. Please help!

  27. Henry

    I have trials at the moment and my gums (all of them) are swollen as all hell. I haven’t eaten properly in ages because it hurts so much and I’ve lost and 2kg already. I really need help with what to do, I can barely concentrate in exams it hurts that much. Please help!

  28. bebexo

    Hello! i have a question.. i been having a bad toothache since friday last week and i been taking tylenol and other medication.. but it seems that it doesnt seem to go away.. i have a premature baby and I’m breast-feeding and i don’t know if i take anything that won’t be that bad for me or my baby??

  29. lynnie

    I took a tablespoon of hot picked pepper juice, warmed it and used a qtip dipped and drenched the sore tooth area, OMG!! Finally some relief after all night of pain. I beleive the vinegar, salt, garlic and pepper does the trick.

  30. gemma

    Oh forgot to mention — for oral hygiene maintenance, do oil pulling with organic coconut oil nightly. Swish it around for 20 min, split out and rinse. It is antibacterial and promotes gum health. Look up more info on Mercola.com.

  31. gemma

    I have had great success with packing the affected dental area with organic Turmeric powder (mixed with some ground black pepper for enhanced absorption). Leave in 30 minutes, then rinse and spit out. Repeat as needed.
    If you try ACV, remember to add a pinch of aluminum free (like Bob’s Red Mill brand) baking soda to help alkalize somewhat and protect enamel.
    For maintenance, make your own toothpaste cheaply with organic coconut oil, mixed with AL-free baking soda and a few drops of grapeseed extract. You can add a little diatomaceous earth (DE is naturally antibacterial) if you like but brush gently as it is a mild abrasive.

  32. Anonymous

    oh my word ….ive been guzzling down disprin and grandpa’s for the last 3 days….and still I feel like dying….I hate sugar now with all my heart as I know damn well that it is the cause of all of this torture….ive missed tests and school because of the unbearable pain….i hear garlic is good ….but right now its a tad bit out of reach…#help

  33. siyethemba

    I have a bad toothache I’ve tried using warm salt water and putting a tea bag on the sore tooth but its not working plz help me!!!

    Sincerely 14 years old!!!

  34. Wendy

    I have been suffering with a nasty toothache/abcess for for the last couple days. I have done everything. Saltwater rinses, swishing alcohol, mouthwash, scrubbing the gumline with my toothbrush til it bleeds to get most of the nasty out. The infection started to spread though instead. Soon the right side of my jaw was swollen and could barely open my mouth enough to eat. Swallowing hurt like hell and there was swelling across the top of my palate too.
    I woke up this morning, in agony after finally getting things settled, but the swelling was worse and I could barely talk. I did the routine again and again and nothign was working. Felt like it was only getting worse. I made myself a hot as I could stand it cup of green tea with mint and sat down, whimpering in pain as I tried to get a hold of my work to let them know I couldn’t work today. After about two tall glasses of hot green tea, the swelling sarted going down and the pain was less. Right now, as I write this, the swelling is only around the tooth now and only my jaw aches a little due to being locked up all night from the swelling. I am going to keep doing this and adding yarrow tea later today when my roommate comes home with it.

  35. David

    u can also wet your finger and sprinkle on some salt and rub it onto the affected tooth, the poison will come out in the saliva quickly and take away pain, but only do it if u dont mind a salty mouth xD

  36. chloe

    i tried everything etc: salt water, lemon juice nothing worked then i tried olive oil. I put some on my finger and rub where it hurts… trust me it helps:)

  37. Bryan

    @ Jordan, Root canal is done with local anesthesia so it doesn’t hurt. I got mine done a few years ago and all I felt was the pain of the needle and then frozen jaw and just heard drilling sounds and stuff. It didn’t hurt afterwards either. So don’t worry it’s going to be okay!

  38. jordan

    Do root cannels hurt ! IM SO SCARED OF DENTISTS

  39. If you add a pinch of salt to a glass of water and add 1-2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar, it doesn’t harm the teeth enamel. I’ve been using it for years – no damage whatsoever!

  40. KThanks

    Hey, uhmm to the comment below me… ACV ruins the enamel of your teeth! be careful and ask your dentist to make sure.

    Anyways… If you have a toothache.. clove oil is honestly the best remedy [listed in the article above] my mom got like 4-6 surgeries in her mouth [I know, its crazy] and she used to use that to basically numb out the pain and if it works for her..then it will work for you because she cannot tolerate the pain of even a bloodtest. Yikes! hah. Good Luck! X Follow me on Twitter @Nandos_D

  41. Danielle

    I have had my last molar broken in half for almost a year and up until a week ago no problems, Then the swelling came…No insurance, Petrified of the dentist. My advice, Although I am certainly no doctor/dentist/anything with the healthcare profession…is this. first if you have any antibiotics around take them, second go to a healthfood store, some grocery stores may carry it but its hit or miss, Find BRAGGS apple cider vinegar with “the mother”, This is absolutly amazing stuff!!! Shake it very good, Use 1 tablespoon in about 8 ozs of water swish it in your mouth around the abcess, Make sure you rinse afterwards. You can drink this mixture as well 1 glass a day. I started this 3 days ago because of the monster abcess I couldnt even open my mouth hardly…This evening it burst through the opening in the tooth. Don’t squeeze it, gentle pressure GENTLE will help it, Rinse it out with the vinegar mixture to kill bacteria. Trust me even before it burst the vinegar rinsed helped numb it, I did this about every hour 3 or 4 times. It has to be the BRAGGS brand, its cheap too, 5.99. Hope this helps someone else, I know it did me!!!!

  42. Dr Morgan Rogers

    Mixing baking soda with warm water helps pretty good too for pain. Or else you can use Teeth Sensitivity Removal toothpaste and regularly you can brush and clean your teeth, Hopefully within few months your tooth pain will be gone. Source: http://www.morganrogersdental.com

  43. If you get a bad toothache, the warm salt water rinse will help (assuming its caused by peridontal abcess). If you see swollen red gums, try rinsing with warm water and then putting light finger pressure on the swollen red gum. Hopefully, you will see pus drain around the tooth, which will relieve pain. Keep rinsing and get to the dentist. If your toothache is caused by an abcessed root, you almost need to see the dentist. You can get numbing medicine at the pharmacy oragel or whatever, and put that on the “hole” in the tooth. You can also use eugenol but careful, it is very strong and will burn your tissues. Ultimately, until that abcess drains (which it will, through your chin, face, gums, wherever it can), you will have pain. Heat will make it worse. Plugging the tooth can make it worse, so use beeswax and get to the dentist. There isn’t much you can do except get to the dentist. Even if you can’t afford it, you need to talk to them and explain your situation. Short of symtomatic relief–a few hours/day, etcv., there is nmothing that will cure it. Eventually the nerve will die, and pain will go away, but it still needs to be dealt with. The infections can be fatal if untreated.

  44. Barb macmartin

    I have been having terrible tooth ache cant keep getting them pulled did some research said to take fish oil I take 3 a day 1500mg am amazed what it does takes the pain away but another bonus it lifts your mood. never saw me as having low mood or depression but feel so much better more energy. worth a try make sure you get good quality fish oil

  45. Nita K.

    For anyone that is suffering from bad teeth, take Olive Leaf Extract Capsules. Start out taking about 6 a day and after about 3 or 4 days you can usually get by with just 3 a day. Olive Leaf Extract has saved me for over 2 years now. I have 3 teeth broken off at the gum line and one tooth that is holding a bridge that is broken almost off and if I miss even one dose of the Olive Leaf I can tell. This has kept me out of the dentist chair for over 2 years. I buy it at my health food store. For intense pain, you can also make a poultice of Activated Charcoal and put it directly on the tooth. Not wood charcoal, Activated Charcoal is in capsule form also at health food store.

  46. i have had toothaches and no dentist insureance, salt water does help, but i usually just brush where the pain is lightly with pure peroxide, careful tho, make sure u spit it out, antibiotics, penicillian is usually free at some store pharmacy, but u do need a script for it,, good luck to all

  47. Odorless Garlic 1,000 mg x 4 per day WORKS wonders for anyone who is fighting a tooth infection. if you feel that an infection is resufacing taking garlic 1,000 mg x 4 per day *and don’t stop taking it* you will be surprised by the results. They call Garlic pills Russian penincilin becaue Garlic wass used to treat Russian soldiers when they ran out of penincilin during the war. I was simply amazed by the results of these little capsules. They also are beneficial for so many other things. I put a garlic pill on an open cut on my finger…healed in several hours. Can’t hurt to try it out…discuss with your doctor of course….do the research for yourself and try it out!!!! Before taking read any and all precautions. Discuss it with your doctor.

  48. Anonymous

    In LOTS of pain right now!!!! Salt water works, and whiskey works for a little while! Had perfect teeth until I had my children! I’ve had two teeth pulled and now I need three root canals. No dental and can’t afford a big bill! Suffered almost a year before I had the other teeth pulled but don’t know how long I can deal with it this time!!!!!

  49. Tracy

    Jenn, I have the exact same problem as you do at the moment. The only thing that is helping is keeping cool water in my mouth over the problem tooth until the water becomes warm, and doing it all over again. I’m online trying to find another solution, because I can’t sleep and simultaneously sip water. Also, this happened to me before, only on the left side, and it ended with an abscess and getting that tooth extracted. You have to find your way to the dentist ASAP.

  50. Felicia

    The Salt with warm water actually works…but you have to see the dentist.