Toothache can be extremely painful and can happen for a variety of reasons. If you have gum disease, an abscess or another dental problem, you may suffer from toothache. This should always be seen by your dentist, but before treatment and during, there are ways to lessen your toothache. If your toothache is due to wisdom teeth however, you may need to get them removed. Here are some home remedies you can try beforehand:

Salt Water

Sterile water, or water boiled and left to cool mixed with some salt can be used to kill bacteria. If you have tonsillitis, it is often recommended that you gargle salty water to help rid the bacteria. If you have an abscess or toothache that is caused by an infection, salty water may help in the same way. Check with your dentist first if it is safe to do so with the toothache that you have. It may be that it won’t help depending on what the root cause of the pain is.

Clove Oil

Cloves, which are a spice, are a natural remedy known for numbing the nerves. Clove oil can be bought online and in many drug stores or supermarkets. Eugenol is one of the main compounds that make up cloves, and in the days before modern medicine, it was often used as an anesthetic for many treatments. Clove oil should be used carefully so check the bottle for the recommended dose, as too much could cause further pain. It is usually recommended to put two drops on a small ball of cotton wool and to hold it against the painful area.

Pain Killers

Toothache can be an agonizing pain, therefore using home remedies along with Paracetamol and Ibuprofen is the best way to stop pain and swelling. These should be taken spaced out from each other, meaning you should not take them all at the same time. Take two Paracetamol and wait two hours, then take your Ibuprofen. This ensures that you are getting regular pain relief rather than waiting four hours between each dose. Both can stop pain, but Ibuprofen is also an anti-inflammatory.

Toothache could be a sign of many dental problems and it is always best to seek a dentist’s advice. If you believe you are suffering from an abscess, this is a dental emergency and needs to be treated as soon as possible. If you are experiencing any kind of toothache, contact us today to schedule an appointment with the best dentist in Staten Island.