Tooth decay, infected gums, cracked molars or even food particles wedged between your teeth may cause a toothache. The best remedy for a toothache is to seek professional medical care. Until then, implement a variety of home remedies and cures to relieve toothache pain and irritation. Simple self-care remedies using household ingredients may relieve tooth pain. Seek immediate attention if you have trouble breathing or if pain lasts longer than two days, suggests The Mayo Clinic.
Removed Wedged Food
Rinse mouth with room-temperature water. Do not use hot or cold water, as the temperature fluctuation causes further irritation. Flush water vigorously through teeth. Add one teaspoon of salt to 8 oz. of water for disinfection. Gently floss teeth to remove any stubborn particles of food. Use dental floss gently--teeth and gums will most likely be sore and irritated.
Numb the Area
Rub over-the-counter oral ointment containing benzocaine onto the irritated tooth and surrounding gums. Oil of cloves, or eugenol, also decreases pain by working as a local anesthetic. Clove is commonly associated with the dentistry field for anesthetic properties, according to UCLA's Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library. Add a few drops onto a cotton ball and pack into the mouth. Consider swishing mouth with a shot of whiskey, suggests website Mother Nature--the alcohol temporarily numbs the area; swish the liquid around the tooth and then spit out.
Hand Massage
Try massage therapy to alleviate tooth pain. Rub an ice cube between the areas where the thumb and forefingers meet--the V-shaped crevice on the hand. Apply the ice for five to seven minutes. The area is the same nerve passageway used for tooth pain. Only one type of stimulation or impulse is allowed to travel on the nerve at one time. By massaging the area, the pain of the toothache is temporarily eliminated.
Ice
Place ice chips into your mouth for numbing and pain relief. Place ice into the cheek or near the tooth for 15 minutes three to four times a day. Do not use ice if pain increases or continues. Frozen vegetables or ice cream can be substituted for ice.
