A warm salt water rinse is the simplest and most widely recommended home remedy for a toothache, and it works almost immediately to reduce inflammation. But depending on the type and severity of your pain, you have several other options that can buy you time until you can get to a dentist. None of these remedies fix the underlying problem, but they can make the next few hours or days significantly more bearable.
Salt Water Rinse
Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water and swish it around your mouth for 20 to 30 seconds before spitting it out. Salt water reduces inflammation and helps clear bacteria from the area around the painful tooth. You can repeat this several times a day, especially after meals when food particles may be irritating the spot. It’s gentle enough to use alongside any of the other remedies below.
Clove Oil for Numbing
Clove oil is the closest thing to a topical anesthetic you’ll find in your kitchen. Its active compound works at the nerve level, blocking pain signals in a way that’s similar to how a dental numbing agent works. It also reduces inflammation by interfering with the same chemical pathways that ibuprofen targets.
To use it, dab a small amount of clove oil onto a cotton ball and hold it against the painful tooth and surrounding gum for a few minutes. The numbing effect kicks in quickly. If you don’t have clove oil, you can place a whole clove near the sore tooth and let your saliva soften it.
One important caution: clove oil is toxic to soft tissue when used frequently or in large amounts. Occasional use is fine, but repeated application can irritate or damage your gums, the inner tissue of the tooth, and other soft tissues in your mouth. Never swallow clove oil. Always dilute it with a carrier oil like olive or coconut oil, especially if your gums are already raw or inflamed.
Cold Compress
If your cheek is swollen or the pain is throbbing, a cold compress can help on two fronts. It constricts blood vessels to reduce swelling and dulls pain signals from the area. Wrap ice or a bag of frozen vegetables in a thin towel and hold it against the outside of your cheek on the painful side for 20 minutes, then take a 20-minute break. You can repeat this cycle as many times as you need, which makes it especially useful for managing pain overnight. Never apply ice directly to your skin or tooth.
Crushed Garlic
Garlic contains a compound called allicin that forms when the clove is crushed or chopped. Allicin is a potent antimicrobial, effective enough that garlic extract has shown comparable germ-killing ability to chlorhexidine, the gold-standard antiseptic mouthwash used in dental offices. If your toothache involves any kind of infection, garlic can help fight the bacteria contributing to it.
Crush a fresh garlic clove to release the allicin, then apply the paste directly to the affected tooth. It will sting or burn slightly, and the taste is intense, but many people find it provides noticeable relief after a few minutes. You can also chew a raw clove slowly on the opposite side of your mouth.
Hydrogen Peroxide Rinse
A diluted hydrogen peroxide rinse can help if you suspect the pain is related to infection, gum inflammation, or bleeding. Mix 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (the standard concentration sold at pharmacies) with equal parts water. Swish the mixture around your mouth for 30 seconds, then spit it out completely. Do not swallow it. This rinse kills bacteria and can reduce plaque buildup that may be aggravating the area.
Peppermint Tea Bags
Peppermint contains menthol, which has mild anesthetic properties that can temporarily numb sore gums. Brew a peppermint tea bag, let it cool until it’s warm but comfortable, and press it against the painful area. Some people prefer to chill the used tea bag in the freezer for a few minutes first, which adds the benefits of cold therapy. It’s a gentler option that works well for mild, aching pain rather than sharp or throbbing pain.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relief
Home remedies work best when paired with over-the-counter pain medication. Ibuprofen is particularly effective for tooth pain because it reduces both pain and inflammation. Acetaminophen handles the pain but not the swelling. For severe dental pain, you can actually alternate or combine the two, which is more effective than either one alone. A combination tablet containing 250 mg acetaminophen and 125 mg ibuprofen is available over the counter, with a maximum of 6 tablets per day for adults. If you’re taking acetaminophen separately, never exceed 4,000 mg in 24 hours.
What to Avoid
A few common instincts can actually make things worse. Applying aspirin directly to the gum tissue can burn the soft tissue and cause a chemical injury. Eating very hot or very cold foods will likely spike your pain if the tooth has exposed nerve tissue or a crack. Lying flat increases blood flow to your head, which can intensify throbbing, so try propping yourself up with an extra pillow at night.
Signs Your Toothache Needs Urgent Care
Most toothaches are manageable for a few days while you wait for a dental appointment, but certain symptoms signal something more serious. Get care quickly if you notice any of the following:
- Fever, chills, or body aches alongside tooth pain, which can indicate the infection is spreading
- Visible facial swelling in your cheek, jaw, or under your eye, especially if it feels warm to the touch
- Pus or a foul taste in your mouth, or a small pimple-like bump on the gum near the tooth
- Swollen lymph nodes in your neck or under your jaw
- A loose tooth combined with bleeding gums
A dental infection that reaches the bloodstream or spreads to the jaw can become dangerous fast. Fever with tooth pain is the clearest signal that home remedies alone aren’t enough.