2 Toothache Home Remedies That Cause More Harm Than Good

When you have a toothache, you probably will try just about anything to help get rid of the excruciating pain that you may be experiencing. However, although there are a few home remedies that may help reduce your toothache symptoms, there are a couple that could do more harm than good if you try them.

1.  Making a Temporary Filling Using Dental Wax

One home remedy you may use is to create a temporary filling for your tooth, especially if you believe there is a hole or crack in the enamel that is exposing the tooth's nerve. The filling created by the wax blocks air, food, and bacteria from entering the tooth, so you may believe that you are protecting it from infection.

However, if the tooth is draining because it already has a small pocket of infection, covering the opening will block the fluid's only means of escape. As a result, the pus and bacteria will stay within the tooth and extend into the gum tissue, creating an abscess that can cause an increase in pain as well as cause your jaw to swell.

If an abscess is not treated, it can burst and contaminate your bloodstream, causing an infection to spread elsewhere in your body. If you think you have an opening in your enamel, it is better to have a dentist decide whether a filling is an appropriate treatment option as well as whether you have an infection that needs treating. 

2.  Applying a Crushed Aspirin on the Affected Tooth

This next home remedy may have come from an older person in your relative, as it was commonly used before its adverse effects were fully realized. In the past, people would crush an aspirin, mix it with water, and put it directly on the tooth to deliver the analgesic effects directly to the site of the pain.

However, aspirin is very caustic to the delicate tissues of your tooth's pulp and gums. If you use this remedy, you may notice an increase in pain as well as cause erosion of the surface gum tissue. If you cannot see a dentist right away for your toothache, use an over-the-counter numbing agent to help with the pain instead of using aspirin.

If you have a toothache, it is better to get to the root of the problem and have it treated instead of just trying to mask and reduce your symptoms. Make an appointment with a dental office as soon as possible to have the tooth examined so that they can find and treat the underlying cause of your pain. Ask the staff at a dental office any questions you have.