Acupressure & Toothaches

Toothaches often arise at the least convenient time---when there's no chance of getting to your dentist. Fortunately, acupressure---the ancient Chinese practice of stimulating key sensitive points on the body---can help to release pain and tension, even in your teeth. Use acupressure for immediate relief, but see your dentist as soon as you can to address the underlying cause of your toothache.

Theory

Your body contains energy lines, also called meridians, that draw qi from food and your surroundings and distribute it throughout the body, according to the website of the Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation. Qi in Chinese medicine functions as both a source of fuel and a lubricant. When it flows smoothly, your body functions well and your emotions are balanced. When energy becomes blocked---usually due to negative emotion, stress, injury or infection---illness results. Acupressure works on pressure points, also called acupoints, that sit along meridians, to relieve stagnation and restore the flow of qi.

Function

Western medicine accepts acupressure and acupuncture---the stimulation of pressure points with tiny, hair-like needles---primarily as methods of pain relief. According to western models, acupressure works to relieve pain because acupoint stimulation releases endorphins, the body's natural pain relief chemicals. Some practitioners refer to this function of acupressure as "closing the gates" of the body's pain signaling mechanism, according to Acupressure.com.

Research

As of 2010, no studies were available on the effects of acupressure on toothache pain; however, acupuncture has been proved effective in relieving dental pain, according to a 1998 review published in the "British Dental Journal." Authors E. Ernst and M.H. Pittler, of the Department of Complementary Medicine at the University of Exeter, examined 16 studies of acupuncture and dental pain. They found that the majority of the trials showed that acupuncture is an effective means of relieving toothache.

Considerations

To treat a toothache with acupressure, include stimulation of two energy lines: the large intestine meridian, and the stomach meridian, says John Cross, world authority on alternative healing. In his book "Acupressure and Reflextherapy in the Treatment of Medical Conditions," Cross notes that it's important to focus on the large intestine meridian for pain in the lower teeth, and on the stomach meridian for pain in the upper teeth.

Try This

Stimulate the large intestine pathway by working on the point Li4, also called the "great eliminator." Find Li4 on the hand, where the bones of the thumb and forefinger join. Close the hand and follow the crease that forms between the thumb and forefinger on the side of the hand. Place the thumb of the opposite hand on the end of the crease, then spread your thumb and forefinger. Li4 lies high in the joint, so press into the muscle and toward the bones to find a tender spot. Press and hold the point until it no longer feels sore or tender. Be sure to treat the point on both hands. Do not use this point if you are pregnant, advises Acupressure Online. Stimulate the stomach pathway by working on Stomach 6, a point that sits on either side of the jaw, on the muscle that bulges when you clench your teeth. Press and hold these points with your fingertips until the pain subsides.