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Natural Home Remedies to Ease and Relieve Toothache

toothache sinus infection natural remedies

There is nothing more uncomfortable than a toothache. It's not just the pain alone, but it also means eating becomes a huge problem.

The pain from a toothache has been reported to be just a dull pain all the way to severe throbbing pain. There is often an infection or inflammation happening to the tooth or surrounding gums. It is possible as well that a sinus infection is causing the pain.

Until you can make a visit to your dentist, there are several home remedies and natural remedies you can try at home first to get relief from the pain.

Facts and Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

What are some of the causes?
What other home remedy can I use?
What is a sinus infection toothache?
What can I do to reduce the risk of recurrent tooth pain?

Natural Home Remedies for Pain Relief from Toothaches

See Toothache Pain Relief with Natural Remedies for dosage and detailed discussion.

Natural Remedy	What experts say about them
Clove oil (Syzygium aromaticum)	(What's this?)
Willow bark
Chamomile	Helpful
Corydalis (Cordyalis yanhusua)	Helpful
Thyme	Helpful
Wintergreen	Helpful
Oregano Oil	Helpful
Ginger	Helpful

Facts and Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

What are some of the causes of a toothache?

It is important to see a dentist to identify and rule out some of the causes of a toothache. Causes of the pain could be due to:

cavities (dental caries) - The most common cause
abscess tooth
broken or chipped tooth
loose tooth
impacted tooth (tooth pushed against another tooth or bone)
bleeding or inflammation of the gum (gingivitis)
food stuck below the gum line
excessive grinding of the teeth at night
congested sinus cavity (sinus congestion)
sinus infection
physical injury to the facial or jaw area

What other home remedy can I use?

One study shows that most people suffering from toothache do not initially see a dentist to get pain relief. Most would like to manage the pain using home herbal remedies and self-care techniques.

To ease the pain, use the following techniques:

If the pain is from food that is stuck between the gum and tooth, use a dental floss to attempt to remove the food.
Rinse your mouth using mouthwash containing thyme or wintergreen to kill bacteria and bring down the inflammation. Salt water rinse can also be used. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 250 mL (1 cup) of warm water and rinse as often as needed.
Use an ice pack on the cheek to help stop the pain and to keep the inflammation down.
If the pain is unmanageable, take non-prescription anti-inflammatory drugs such as Aleve (naproxen), Advil/Motrin (ibuprofen), Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Aspirin (ASA) to tie you over until you can make a visit to your family dentist.

What is a sinus infection toothache?

It is possible that a sinus problem could manifest as an aching tooth. A sinus infection would most likely require antibiotic treatment from your family doctor.

A congested or infected sinus (sinusitis) puts pressure on and irritates the nerves leading to the upper part of the mouth This may cause a dull or general pain spread out over several teeth that may be difficult for you to pin-point exactly.

Moreover, bacteria from an infected tooth can get into the sinus cavity (specifically the maxillary sinuses) and cause an infection. The symptoms of a sinus infection may be very similar to an aching tooth problem.

What can I do to reduce the risk of recurrent toothaches?

If you experience mild tooth pain regularly that has been checked your family doctor, there are things you can do to maximize the health of your teeth and gum. This will reduce the likelihood of suffering from aching tooth in the future.

Visit your dentist and get a cleaning at least twice a year.
Avoid acid drinks and carbonated beverages as they can cause tooth decay. If you do drink them, rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth as soon as practical to remove the acids.
Floss at least once daily if not more often to remove plaque and prevent gingivitis (inflammation of the gum).
Brush your teeth twice daily. Also brush after each meal if it is practical to do.
Vitamin C chewable tablets are acidic. Use the time-released tablets or just the regular tablets you swallow. Or you can use Ester-C which is the non-acidic formulation.
Don't smoke.

In essence, maintain great oral hygiene, especially after eating or snacking on foods. By preventing tooth decay, a major cause of toothaches, you can reduce the chance of ever suffering from this painful condition.

Related Articles and Resources

Tooth Pain Relief Using Natural Remedies

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References + Selected References
Updated: June 13, 2010

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