Peppermint tea has a nice flavor and some numbing power.
- Put 1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaves in 1 cup boiling water and steep for 20 minutes
- After the tea cools, swish it around in your mouth, then spit it out or swallow.
- Repeat as often as needed
Rinse your mouth with a tincture of myrrh. The astringent effects help with inflammation, and myrrh offers the added benefit of killing bacteria.
- Simmer 1 teaspoon of powdered myrrh in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes
- Strain and let cool
- Rinse with 1 teaspoon of the solution in a half-cup water 5-6 times a day
To help kill bacteria and relieve some discomfort, swish with a mouthful of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. This can provide temporary relief if the toothache is accompanied by fever and a foul taste in the mouth (both are signs of infection), but like other toothache remedies, it’s only a stopgap measure until you see your dentist and get the source of infection cleared up.
- A hydrogen peroxide solution is only for rinsing.
- Spit it out, then rinse several times with plain water
Salt water cleanses the area around the tooth and draws out some of the fluid that causes swelling.
- Stir a teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water and rinse for up to 30 seconds before you spit it out
- Repeat this treatment as often as needed
