Your Teas and Herbs Can be Great Natural Toothache Remedies
Have you ever considered trying natural toothache remedies using teas and herbs?
It’s something you can do easily and quickly until you can see a dentist.
Usually, a toothache can be caused by swelling due to anything from a cavity, a cracked tooth, an infection in your gums, or even a sinus situation. These might all cause throbbing gums and intense, pulsating headaches and of course, a very achy mouth.
Under normal circumstances (and only if you are NOT ALLERGIC to aspirin) you might immediately reach for an anti-inflammatory remedy such as Ibuprofen.
If unable to take Ibuprofen, then you might reach for acetaminophen(paracetamol) commonly known in the United States by its trademark name, Tylenol.
Your next step, more than likely, would probably be to call your dentist and set up an emergency appointment to be seen as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, due to several different reasons, seeing a dentist right away is not always possible.
And even if you are someone who can take either of the above-mentioned medications, it’s good to know that there are also some natural toothache remedies using teas and herbs that you can reach for along with (or in place of) those commonly used over-the-counter pain relievers. At least until you are (hopefully) able to see a dentist.
The first and easiest thing to do (and you’ve probably already heard it before from your doctor or pediatrician) is to make a saltwater mouth rinse:
Saltwater Mouth Rinse
Mix ½-1 teaspoon of regular table salt into about 8-10 ounces of boiling water and let it cool. Swish this around your mouth for at least 20-30 seconds (without swallowing) and then spit it out.
This is a good rinse to help wash away some junk that might be irritating the gums. The saltwater will cleanse the surface around the achy tooth and it also may help reduce gum swelling by pulling out some of the fluid that is causing the swelling.
You can use this mouth rinse as often as you like. It’s the quickest and easiest and you probably have the ingredients on hand already.
But, options are always a good thing, right? So here are a few other natural options for using certain types of teas or herbs for some very much needed temporary relief.
Black Tea
Soak a teabag of your favorite black tea in hot water. Then when its temperature is comfortable enough that you won’t burn your mouth, use it as a compress by putting it on your aching tooth.
What happens is that tea contains tannins (chemical compounds that give tea its dry and sometimes bitter taste and, in some teas, its color) that will help with the pain and also helps to reduce gum inflammation.
There has been some research showing that tannins kill the bacteria that are irritating and causing the gums to swell thereby reducing your pain.
Apart from black tea, green and hibiscus teas are also very high in tannin content (just in case you happen to have bags of those on hand also).
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea not only tastes good (hopefully you like the taste of peppermint), but it also has a nice cooling and a bit of a numbing effect that can help to ease your toothache.
If you have bags of peppermint tea, make yourself a cup and then use the warm teabag to place on your tooth for some relief.
If using loose-leaf peppermint tea (maybe even from the plants in your garden), make yourself a cup and swish the tea around in your mouth several times before swallowing. Or if you prefer, just spit it out.
Peppermint Leaves
If you just don’t feel like even making peppermint tea but have the fresh leaves available, just chomp on one or two leaves until they’re nice and wet. Then put them on the part of your mouth that is in pain.
Leave them in for a couple of minutes, then take them out and at this point, you can rinse your mouth out with warm water (preferably a saltwater rinse like the one described above).
Chamomile Tea
A chamomile tea mouth rinse can help with the pain of swollen gums, bleeding gums, and even tooth infections.
With its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benefits, this rinse can have you feeling better quickly.
First, brush your teeth, then prepare yourself a cup of chamomile tea using either a teabag or fresh chamomile. Once the tea has cooled a bit (but is still warm), add a drop of vanilla extract and a teaspoon of lemon juice.
The vanilla extract contains some alcohol which helps to numb pain and the citric acid in the lemon juice helps to kill bacteria (and fight bad breath). Swish the liquid around in your mouth a few times, and spit it out when finished.
Clove Tea
Cloves contain anti-inflammatory (via a compound called eugenol), anti-bacterial, and numbing (anesthetic) properties.
You can make yourself a cup of clove tea to swish around in your mouth several times and spit out. You can also enjoy the tea, by holding it in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing.
Prepare clove tea using the freshest cloves you can find. You can click on this link for the recipe.
Another option is to just take two cloves and grind them down (using a spice grinder or mortar & pestle) and add a little bit of olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil. Pour the mixture onto a clean cotton ball and apply it to the painful area.
Ginger Tea
Ginger has antibacterial properties, so the use of ginger for a toothache can be very helpful.
Make yourself a cup of ginger tea to use as a mouth rinse or take approximately a half-inch slice of peeled ginger, put it in your mouth over the aching tooth and bite down on it.
Yarrow Tea
The root of the yarrow herb has anesthetic as well as anti-inflammatory properties. It will help to sedate your pain as it relaxes the circulation in your gums.
You can put a piece of fresh yarrow root on your tooth and bite down, or you can make a tea to use as a mouth rinse.
If you decide to make yarrow tea, you’ll need to add a teaspoon of dried yarrow flowers to boiling water. Let it steep covered for about thirty minutes and strain before using.
Huge Word of caution here; Do not take yarrow if there is any chance you might be pregnant or breastfeeding. Yarrow is known to be a uterine stimulant (via a compound called eugenol) that can promote menstrual discharge and cause a miscarriage.
So, there you have it! A few natural toothache remedies using teas and herbs for you to consider when you’re the victim of a horrible toothache and can’t get to a dentist right away.
But remember, these are only temporary, natural solutions and this article is not written by a medical professional.
You never know what the actual underlying cause of a toothache might be. It could be the sign of a medical situation much worse than just a toothache, so please, go see a dentist as soon as possible for your pain!