Is Honey Bad For Toothaches?

A toothache is usually a sign that you have a cavity or an infection that only your dentist can care for properly. While honey might not cure your toothache, it might not be bad for it, either. Depending on the nectar source, honey has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Honey’s anti-inflammatory activity and high antioxidant content could have a beneficial effect on free radical damage caused by infected and inflamed tissues. Consult a health professional before using honey or any home remedy.

Toothache

Natural bacteria in your saliva combine with food, particularly carbohydrates, and form acids that eat away at tooth enamel to cause cavities. The chemical reaction produces plaque, a sticky film that coats the surface of your teeth. If plaque isn’t removed thoroughly and regularly, a cavity could develop. Most cavities are painless unless they affect the tooth’s root or become infected and cause a toothache. If a cavity isn’t properly cared for, you could lose a tooth.

Honey

All honey generates the common antibacterial agent hydrogen peroxide. The New Zealand manuka bush has a powerful antibacterial component, methylglyoxal, also found in the honey produced from its nectar, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Manuka honey's antiseptic activity is significantly higher than most other types of honey. It also contains other components, called flavonoids, that have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Honey for Oral Health

According to an article in the November-December 2001 edition of “General Dentistry,” manuka honey’s anti-inflammatory properties might be useful in the treatment of periodontal disease, mouth ulcers and other oral infections. Manuka honey’s antibacterial properties could help prevent and treat infections in wounds following tooth extractions and oral surgery. While some studies have been conducted to test these proposals, research is in its infancy.

2011 Laboratory Study

Different species of bacteria often cluster together to form biofilms, plastic wrap-like coatings that help protect bacteria from antibiotics. Biofilms influence the way plaque forms and coats your teeth. One study published in the February 2011 edition of “Anaerobe” suggests that manuka honey might help prevent plaque deposits and reduce the levels of bacteria in your mouth by keeping biofilms from growing. Less plaque and bacteria decrease your risk of developing cavities.

Clinical Studies

In a 21-day study published in the April 2004 edition of the “Journal of the International Academy of Periodontology,” one group of patients chewed semi-solid strips of moderately active manuka honey leather for 10 minutes after meals, three times a day. A second group chewed sugarless gum. Test results indicated that manuka honey significantly reduced plaque buildup and gingivitis. Sugarless gum had no statistical effect. Larger-scale studies are needed before your dentist recommends honey to treat tooth decay, however.