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Toothaches can make everything from eating to sleeping more challenging. Fortunately, there are many different ways to relieve a toothache. Below are just a few different forms of pain relief to explore.

See a dentist

Booking an appointment at your local dentist office is the most obvious thing to do if you have a nagging toothache - particularly if you can feel it getting worse. A toothache could be a sign of an infection, which if not treated could spread to other teeth. Antibiotics can often be prescribed to treat such infections if they are caught early. The longer you put off getting treatment, the more likely you are to lose a tooth. 

Use pain relief medication

Until you see a dentist, it’s worth exploring different forms of pain relief. There are numbing gels that you can apply directly to your gums to reduce the pain. There are also over-the-counter painkillers that you can take to relieve pain - anti-inflammatory painkillers like ibuprofen are your best choice against toothaches.

Compress with an ice pack

Compressing the side of your mouth with an ice pack or frozen bag of vegetables could also help to reduce inflammation. You can wrap this up in a cloth so that your skin doesn’t get too cold. Press this gently against the area where the tooth hurts.

Chew some cloves

Cloves contain a chemical known as eugenol, which is a natural anaesthetic. Gently chewing on some cloves can release these chemicals into your mouth and help numb painful gums. This is a form of herbal pain relief that has been used for centuries. Some dental numbing gels even use cloves because of its effectiveness as a numbing agent. 

Rinse your mouth out with saltwater

Warm saltwater can serve as an effective DIY disinfectant. By rinsing your mouth out with warm saltwater, you could help to get rid of bacteria contributing to any oral infection - which could relieve some of the pain. A teaspoon of salt in a 9-ounce glass of warm water is all you need.

Use a hydrogen peroxide mouthwash

You can also relieve a toothache by using a hydrogen peroxide mouthwash. These mouthwashes are designed to kill off all bacteria in your mouth. This can help to reduce any oral infection and relieve inflammation. You can buy these mouthwashes from many local convenience stores or you can order them online. 

Drink some peppermint tea

Many people find that sipping peppermint tea helps relieve a toothache. Like cloves, peppermint has numbing properties. You can drink peppermint tea and swill it around your mouth to ease the pain, or you can apply a warm peppermint tea bag directly to the sore area to offer pain relief.