How to Cure a Toothache

Co-authored by Tu Anh Vu, DMD and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: January 22, 2024 Fact Checked

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Toothaches occur when the extremely sensitive central portion of the tooth, called the pulp, becomes inflamed. This can happen for a variety of reasons like cavities, a blow to the tooth, or an infection of the gums. Read on for information on how to cure a toothache yourself or determine if it's time to go to the dentist.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Soothing Pain Quickly (Easy Methods)

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1
Take an over-the-counter painkiller. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen provide quick, effective relief for most minor toothaches.^{[1]
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Tu Anh Vu, DMD
Board Certified Dentist

Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.} Tylenol is also a good over-the-counter medication.^{[2]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source} Having a throbbing tooth can impede your ability to eat, speak, and get to sleep. It's also more difficult to treat the toothache when you're in pain, so getting some relief from an over-the-counter pain medicine can help.
- If the pain is intense and/or you can feel it radiating to other neighboring areas such as your ear, head, or throat, then an emergency appointment to your dentist is necessary.^{[3]
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  Tu Anh Vu, DMD
  Board Certified Dentist
  
  Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.}
- Use only the recommended dosage printed on the package, or the dosage recommended by your doctor.
2
Apply a cold compress. Fill a food storage bag with ice, cover it with a thin cloth or paper towel, and apply it directly to the tooth or the cheek area just outside the tooth. The cold temperature will help ease the pain. Using an ice pack instead of a bag will have the same effect, but be sure to cover it with a towel.^{[4]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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- There are cases of pulpitis when the pain calms down with a warm temperature. If the pain increases with the cold pack, switch to a warm compress.
- Do not apply the ice directly to the tooth. This will increase the pain, especially since teeth inflamed by toothaches are often quite sensitive to hot or cold temperatures.
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Buy an over-the-counter tooth and gum numbing gel to help ease the throbbing. These gels are applied directly to the affected area and usually work for several hours. Saliva may dilute the effects of the gel and spread it down your throat or over your tongue, so do not swallow any.^{[5]
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National Health Service (UK)
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4
Clean your mouth thoroughly. Sometimes, toothaches are caused by small pieces of food that have gotten lodged in the tooth and are exacerbating the pain of cavities or gingivitis. When this is the case, thoroughly cleaning your mouth can go a long way toward eliminating the pain and making the problem go away.^{[6]
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Mayo Clinic
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- Floss around the tooth. Make sure the floss goes up to your gums. Sweep it back and forth across the tooth so that it picks up any particles that have lodged there.
- Brush the area. If your ache is caused by gingivitis, this is one of the best ways to ease the pain. Brush your teeth for several minutes, concentrating on the painful area. Keep brushing until the area no longer feels as sensitive.
- Use a rinse. Finish the cleaning by using mouthwash to rinse away dislodged particles. Or, pour a few drops of bee propolis into a half of a glass of water and use this to rinse your mouth.^{[7]
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- Keep it up. Use this routine twice a day, every day, and keep using it after the pain subsides.
A toothache caused by a blow to the tooth or a mild infection might go away on its own. To help it along, make a rinse with warm water and a spoonful of sea salt.^{[8]
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Tu Anh Vu, DMD
Board Certified Dentist

Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.} When the salt dissolves, gargle the water in your mouth, making sure it splashes around the affected area. Repeat several times daily until the pain subsides.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Medical Treatments

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Know when to see the doctor. If the toothache is caused by a major infection or tooth decay, it won't go away on its own. See a doctor or dentist if you experience the following symptoms along with the toothache:^{[9]
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Tu Anh Vu, DMD
Board Certified Dentist

Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.}
- A fever and chills. This could be a sign that the infection is serious and the symptoms will get worse.^{[10]
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  Mayo Clinic
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- Discharge. Again, you don't want to risk letting a bad infection get worse.^{[11]
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  Mayo Clinic
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- Pain that grows worse and won't go away, even after taking medication. You could have a cavity that gets worse after every meal.
- The pain is in a wisdom tooth. Many people have to get their wisdom teeth removed if the teeth grow in at an angle that crowds the mouth.
- You have trouble swallowing or breathing, which may be caused by an abscess.
If you have a cavity that is exposing the nerves of your teeth, leading to pain, the dentist may decide to put in a filling to protect the nerves in the pulp from getting overstimulated.^{[12]
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Cleveland Clinic
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If you have a dental abscess, which happens when the pulp of the tooth gets infected, a root canal will be performed. The dentist cleans the inside of the tooth to get rid of the infection. Since this procedure may be painful, the mouth is numbed with local anesthesia beforehand, especially if the dentist performs a surgical drainage of the abscess through the gum.^{[13]
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Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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4
Get a tooth extraction. In some cases, the tooth is damaged beyond repair and the best course of action is to get it taken out.^{[14]
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National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK

Go to source} In the case of baby teeth, an extraction is almost always performed since the teeth are going to fall out eventually anyway.^{[15]
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Research source}
- Adults who get an extraction often get bridges or dental implants to make up for the lost tooth.
- In the case of wisdom teeth, tooth extraction is almost always performed because the functional advantage of keeping them is low and the position of the tooth does not allow for a proper root canal treatment. In some cases, when patients are scared or the wisdom tooth is severely impacted, patients are put under general anesthesia.^{[16]
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  Go to source} Recovery takes a week or so.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Alternative Methods

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This is a home remedy that is said to cure (or at least ease the pain of) a toothache until it goes away on its own. Rub a few drops on the affected tooth several times daily until the ache goes away.^{[17]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source} Clove oil can be found at most drug stores.^{[18]
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This time-worn home remedy eases the pain of a toothache, but it probably won't cure it. Still, it's a useful trick when the ache is caused by a blow or a mild infection that will go away after a few days. Pour some whisky or vodka on a cotton ball and apply it to the affected tooth. If the gums become red or irritated, stop using this method.^{[19]
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3
Clean with hydrogen peroxide. This procedure will clean the area and can help to ease the pain. Be sure to rinse your mouth with water afterward and absolutely refrain from swallowing the peroxide.^{[20]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

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- Create a mixture of equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide and swish it around your mouth to rinse the affected tooth. Spit out the mixture and rinse your mouth with water.
4
Try an acupressure technique to stop tooth pain fast. With your thumb, press the point on the back of your other hand where the base of your thumb and your index finger meet. Apply pressure for about two minutes.^{[21]
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Research source} This helps trigger the release of endorphins, the brain’s feel-good hormones.
- Note that this is considered an alternative treatment and more study is needed to prove its efficacy. However, there is no harm in trying this method.
Swish 1 tablespoon (14.8 mL) of coconut oil in your mouth for 15-20 minutes. There are claims that this reduces the amount of harmful bacteria in the mouth.^{[22]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source} When you swish the oil, the bacteria get “stuck” in the oil. This is how the bacteria, as well as plaque caused by bacteria, is removed. After 15-20 minutes, spit out the oil into a trash can without swallowing it (otherwise, you will be swallowing the bacteria in the oil). Do not spit oil in the drain, as it can harden and cause it to clog.

Expert Q&A

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Question

What if it still hurts. Then what do I do?

Cristian Macau, DDS
Doctor of Dental Surgery
Dr. Macau is a Doctor of Dental Surgery based in London, England. Dr. Macau is an oral surgeon, periodontist, and aesthetician at Favero Dental Clinic where he is known for his cosmetic dentistry and facial aesthetics work. He is actively involved in scientific research in the field of dentistry and he received his DDS from Carol Davila University of Medicine in 2015.

Cristian Macau, DDS

Doctor of Dental Surgery

Expert Answer

There are few cases when the pain can go for a while and then reappear. In most situations, tooth pain is hard to control without medical attention. Try taking medication and book an appointment with your dentist as fast as you can.

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Question

How can a protruded tooth be corrected without braces?

Cristian Macau, DDS
Doctor of Dental Surgery
Dr. Macau is a Doctor of Dental Surgery based in London, England. Dr. Macau is an oral surgeon, periodontist, and aesthetician at Favero Dental Clinic where he is known for his cosmetic dentistry and facial aesthetics work. He is actively involved in scientific research in the field of dentistry and he received his DDS from Carol Davila University of Medicine in 2015.

Cristian Macau, DDS

Doctor of Dental Surgery

Expert Answer

If the tooth is not fully developed and the root is still forming, you can apply low pressure with your thumb to make it grow in the right position. Depending on the tooth, tongue and lips can also help a lot. If the tooth has completed the evolution process and you are a grown up already then maybe veneers or crowns can be the answer in this case.

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Question

How do you stop a toothache at home?

Tu Anh Vu, DMD
Board Certified Dentist
Dr. Tu Anh Vu is a Board Certified Dentist and Owner of Tu's Dental, her private practice, in Brooklyn, New York. With over six years of clinical experience, Dr. Vu helps adults and kids of all ages get over their anxiety with dental phobia. Dr. Vu has conducted research related to finding the cure for Kaposi Sarcoma cancer and has presented her research at the Hinman Meeting in Memphis. She received her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College and a DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.

Tu Anh Vu, DMD

Board Certified Dentist

Expert Answer

I would recommend a patient to take over the counter either Tylenol or Motrin, and try to rinse a warm salt water, and then see a dental professional as soon as they can to see what the underlying cause is. Temporarily, the over-the-counter anti inflammatories, such as Tylenol or ibuprofen, should help for the short term, but if the pain lasts longer than a few days, you should see a professional.

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Tips

Go to the dentist. Whether you like them or not, it's the best place to go.

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Brush your teeth at least twice daily to keep your mouth and teeth healthy and prevent toothaches.

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Go to the doctor and consider booking an emergency visit if the pain is intense.

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