No substitutes are available for dental hygiene and professional dental work to avoid the terrible suffering from toothache. However, there are many simple ways to eliminate the infection and swelling that accompanies toothache.
Simple remedies to overcome toothache
When one experiences a toothache, many herbal remedies come handy. For curing the toothache, it is better to take the herbs in the form of tincture as the concentration of alcohol acts as a disinfectant. This helps in bringing down the infection and swelling. In the initial stages of a toothache, a wash with an astringent has proved to be very helpful as the first defensive step. Some herbs owe powerful antibacterial properties that are both topically and systemically useful while dealing with toothache. Neem extracts destroy cavity causing bacteria, improve mouth immunity and prevent building up of plaque and tartar. People using herbal pastes made out of neem do not develop cavities. Clove oil yields satisfactory results for gum disorders and toothaches. There are two approaches for dealing with toothaches. The first involves removing the infection that causes the ache. The second strategy is to relieve the pain. Many patients do not like to use pharmaceuticals for a variety of reasons. Such people can use herbs to relieve the pain. It should be kept in mind that a sore tooth with progressive swelling can lead to spread of the infection to other parts of the face. At such instances one should not go for self treatment; instead a visit to a dentistâs office is highly recommended.
With the help of tooth gels or a wash with tincture solutions, astringents and antibacterials it is possible to overcome toothache before professional help is sought.
Tooth gels
Several tooth gels are available for treating toothache. They come as gels, creams, sprays or liquids. If they are readily available in your neighborhood, they are good for masking the pain for a short period of time until you can visit a dentist. The gels are available in varying strengths for treating mild, moderate or severe toothache. They can be applied externally. However, it is still a good idea to check into a dental care clinic to assess if there is any decay or infection in your teeth that requires immediate attention. Infection and decay can become really worse if left untreated, leading to extraction of the tooth and other expensive treatment methods like root canal treatment if the decay has damaged the root.
A teaspoon of tincture helps
A teaspoon of tincture in undiluted form should be used. It should be gently swished through the area where the pain occurs. Continue doing this as long as possible. Later the tincture can be swallowed or spit depending on the nature of the tincture. Using tincture to eliminate tooth ache is not a permanent solution. This has been proved to be the best way to cure toothache. Once the pain subsides, care should be taken to prevent further infections. One should seek the help of a dentist to ward off advancing dental problems. Dentistâs assistance is very essential to fill the cavities and to remove the dead and rotten teeth. When one goes to a dentist to fix the problem, the dentist will not commence the work as long as the infection persists. An antibiotic is usually prescribed to fight the infection. Only when the infection stops the dentist will work on your teeth.
An astringent wash
Astringents are very helpful in contracting the tissues that are swollen and they are a good antiseptic. Wash with an astringent can be accompanied with the use of antibiotics. It helps in maintaining healthy gums. Astringent wash is recommended once in a while even when one maintains healthy teeth. Take care not to swallow an astringent wash as it can lead to stomach upset. Some of the astringents that are widely used are Garden Sage (Salvia Officinalis), White Sage (Salvia Apiana). Although astringents do not directly eliminate the pain, they help in reducing it. Some of the topical analgesics that also act like astringents are Salix spp., Willow tincture. Initially do a mouth wash with an astringent and later swallow it to experience system-wide pain relieving effect.
Use of Antibacterials
Oregon grape is a good antibacterial. Half or one teaspoon of Oregon grape can be taken three to four times in 24 hours. It should be kept in the mouth as long as possible and can be swallowed to yield a very good effect. Herbs containing berberine can be mixed with antibiotics available in the pharmacies. These types of herbs increase the efficiency of the antibiotics. Some of the herbs that contain berberine are Goldthread (Coptis spp.), Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis), and Oregon Grape Root (Berberis spp.). Oregon Grape Root is highly recommended as it completely cures the swelling.
Many dentists are against the use of herbs randomly to cure toothache. They say that prolonged use of herbs can damage the bones inside the teeth. For any tooth ache, dealing with the root cause of it is very vital. If the root cause is not taken care of, the tooth ache will return. The dentist first removes all dead teeth along with the rotten and dead tissues that surround it. This necessitates filling and closure of existing cavities and caries. Once the bacteria and infection are removed with the antibiotics the dead teeth and tissues will be surgically removed. To remove the traces of an infection permanently a professional dental treatment is a must. Therefore it is best to visit a dentist regularly to have a proven course of treatment professionally. This will guarantee a permanent remedy and solution to toothache.
