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What Are the Different Natural Treatments for Wisdom Tooth Pain?

By S. Berger
Updated May 17, 2024
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Wisdom teeth can create pain through impaction, or as they emerge through the skin in the mouth. Often, dentists must surgically remove wisdom teeth. When surgery is not possible or recommended, there can be a significant need for home remedies for wisdom tooth pain. There many different ways to relieve this pain using herbal and traditional methods.

One easy way to treat wisdom tooth pain is to apply ice to the cheek, just outside of the source of pain. Putting the ice on a hand, against the area where the index finger and thumb join, is also thought to effect the same remedy using pressure points. Rinsing the mouth on a regular basis, every couple of hours, with warm salt water, can help augment the healing process.

Many herbal remedies for this pain exist. Garlic is a natural analgesic, and can be applied to tooth pain in two main ways. Chewing a whole clove of garlic each morning could help. Alternately, rolling a clove of garlic in rock salt and placing it on the sensitive area could help, as well. The combination of painkilling and antibiotic activity may facilitate relief and aid in the healing process.

Other plant-based and herbal treatments exist for tooth pain. Potatoes naturally contain a variety of healthy compounds and natural versions of contemporary pharmaceuticals. Slicing a potato in half and applying the inside to an impacted tooth can help. Creating a solution of two to three drops of vanilla extract with water can create a mouth rinse with a similar effect.

Instant relief for this pain may seem difficult without prescription medication, but it is not impossible. Heating up a tea bag of green or black tea, then applying it to the source of pain, may give more rapid pain relief. Caffeine assists some natural painkilling processes, so it may serve as an indirect but efficient way to eliminate pain.

Guava is commercially available in most places. Chewing the fruit can help with toothache. Wheat grass juice is also common, and is thought not only to be helpful in the treatment of tooth pain, but may also kill the bacteria that led to tooth decay. These two methods may provide immediate relief, while staving off future problems at the same time.

Some of the best wisdom tooth pain remedies may seem unpalatable, but they may also be worthwhile. Chewing chopped raw onion for a minimum of three minutes will help to kill bacteria, and alleviate chronic pain. A slice of lime, when chewed, may prevent loose teeth, pain, and associated decay. Herbal remedies can't always take the place of more modern methods of pain relief, but they can often help with one's suffering until a doctor can evaluate the problem.

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Discussion Comments

By anon990605 — On Apr 29, 2015

Clove oil works great to numb the painful tooth/gum. Some recommend diluting pure clove oil with a carrier oil, like olive oil. My pain was so extreme I used it straight, but sparingly.

Chamomile tea and tea bags help to stop the bleeding and heal after extraction.

By bluedolphin — On Mar 28, 2014

I was up until late last night because of wisdom tooth pain. I tried regular mouthwash and salt water rinses but neither worked. Then, I remembered that my grandmother used to use clove oil for tooth aches. So I dipped a small piece of cotton in the clove oil and applied it over the wisdom tooth. After a few minutes, the pain was gone! I was able to go to sleep.

I highly recommend clove oil for those with tooth pain. I've also heard great things about garlic but I have never tried it as I'm not a fan of the taste.

By burcinc — On Mar 28, 2014

@bear78-- Drinking something very hot might make the pain worse. But sipping on a warm/lukewarm drink may help. I personally used warm tea bags when I had wisdom tooth pain and they really helped. I used chamomile tea.

Caffeine helps reduce pain because it's a vasoconsrictor. So it basically makes veins constrict. As I'm sure you know, we feel pain because of the nerve signals that travel to our brain and tell our brain that we are in pain. Caffeine, by causing veins to constrict, reduces the pain messages reaching the brain. So although we are still experiencing pain, we are less aware of it. This is why some pain relieving medications contain caffeine.

By bear78 — On Mar 27, 2014

How does caffeine assist the natural painkilling processes? I thought that heat would make wisdom tooth pain worse. Should I drink hot coffee for wisdom tooth pain?

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