How to Get Rid of a Toothache Without Medication


Toothaches can be downright debilitating, causing so much pain that you cannot eat, drink or talk. It is almost always necessary to see a dentist when you get a toothache as the cause is likely a cavity, tooth decay, gum disease or an abscess. If you cannot get in immediately to see a dentist, try treating your toothache at home to relieve the pain. There are several home remedies for toothaches that do not require the use of medication.

Things You'll Need


  • Toothbrush
  • Floss
  • Glass
  • Warm water
  • 1 tsp. table salt
  • Cotton balls
  • Clove oil
  • Medicine dropper
  • Vanilla extract
  • Ice cubes

Brush and floss your teeth gently, especially where the sore tooth is located. It is necessary to remove any food that may be stuck around the sore tooth.

Fill a glass with warm water. Mix in 1 tsp. of table salt. Gargle with salt water after meals and at bedtime. This will help to heal any infection and loosen any food stuck in the tooth.

Soak a cotton ball in clove oil. It is a natural oil that is available at most pharmacies.

Hold the cotton ball directly onto the affected tooth. The oil will absorb into the tooth and surrounding gum.

Leave the cotton ball on the tooth for about an hour at a time. Typically, the clove oil will only relive the pain for about an hour.

Soak a new cotton ball with clove oil and apply it to the tooth if the pain persists. Continue switching the cotton balls with new ones every hour for as long as needed for pain relief.

Fill a medicine dropper with vanilla extract for an alternative method for relieving toothache pain.
Place two to three drops of the vanilla directly onto the sore tooth to instantly decrease the pain.

Try pressure point therapy if the toothache pain persists. Rub an ice cube on the fleshy part of skin between the thumb and forefinger for several minutes. The idea is that the ice overwhelms the pain impulses that normally travel along the pathways to the nerves, thereby eliminating pain in the tooth. For added relief, place ice directly onto the tooth or the cheek outside of the tooth.