The Dentist From a Child' Point of View

Oh My Throbbing Tooth! 3 Ways To Dull The Pain Of A Toothache

With the holidays in full-gear, it's time to head out to family get-together's. If you're going to be spending time out of town this holiday season, the last thing you want is to have a toothache sideline you from the festivities. Finding an emergency dentist when you're out-of-town can be difficult, especially if your dental insurance doesn't cover out-of-network treatment. If a toothache is threatening to cut your travels short, here are three simple ways to alleviate the discomfort.

Reach for the Salt Water

If you feel a toothache coming on, the first thing you need to do is rinse your mouth with salt water. A warm salt water solution will help remove the bacteria that's causing the pain. It will also reduce swelling in your gums. Place about 8 ounces of warm water in a glass and add about 1 tablespoon of table salt. Rinse your mouth with the solution – be sure to spit it out. Repeat the process several times a day to help relieve the pain.

Grab Some Vanilla Extract

If your tooth is throbbing, and you need instant relief, reach in the spice cabinet for the vanilla extract. You might not realize this, but pure vanilla extract has a high alcohol content, which will dull the pain of your toothache. Saturate a cotton ball with vanilla extract and place it between the side of your mouth and painful tooth. Leave the cotton ball in place for about 15 minutes, or until you begin to feel relief. Repeat the application as needed to keep the pain away.

Chew on an Onion

Raw onions are another simple way to cure toothache pain. Peel a raw onion and cut it into small pieces. Chew on several of the pieces, making sure that some of the juice gets on the affected tooth. Grab a fresh piece of onion whenever you feel the pain returning. If you don't want to chew on an onion, you can place a small piece directly on the painful tooth. Squeeze a piece of onion to bring the juices to the surface. Place the piece of onion on the tooth between the gums and the side of your mouth. Leave the onion in place for several minutes.

Toothache pain is nothing to laugh at. If you've developed a toothache while on vacation, don't let it keep you from enjoying yourself. Use the methods suggested here to dull the pain until you can see a dentist, like  TLC Dental Center.


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