An abscessed tooth can be extremely painful to deal with, and getting to a dentist immediately isn't always possible. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do at home yourself to deal with this problem. In this article, we have described 5 of the best home remedies for an abscessed tooth.
Each of these remedies uses everyday household items that you probably already have at home, so you can begin treating your tooth right now without having to run out to get anything. They are extremely easy and safe to do at home, and they will get you one step closer to healing your abscessed tooth for good.
If you're sick and tired or tooth pain and swelling and want to take care of the issue for yourself, then continue reading to learn just how easy these 5 home remedies actually are.
Your first instinct when you feel pain and swelling in your mouth may be to do a saltwater rinse, but baking soda may actually be a more effective option when it comes to a tooth abscess. Swelling and pain aren't all you have to worry about with your tooth - you also want to be mindful of plaque and bacteria building up at the gumline.
Baking soda, a common ingredient in many toothpaste brands, actually has the ability to remove plaque from the surface of your teeth. This can be extremely helpful in the situation of a tooth abscess, because clean teeth and healthy gums are far less likely to become inflamed or, eventually, infected.
Additionally, baking soda has antibacterial properties that can help reduce swelling around the tooth and further prevent the likelihood of an infection, helping you avoid a trip to the dentist in the near future.
This is a great home remedy for tooth abscesses, because most of us already have baking soda on hand at home and won't have to rush out and buy anything new. It is also super fast and easy to do when you're low on time.
To create a baking soda rinse, simply stir half a teaspoon of baking soda into about 4 oz. of warm water with a small pinch of salt. Stir until the baking soda has completely dissolved and no more powder appears in the water. Swish some of this mixture around in your mouth for about 3-5 minutes, then spit it out and rinse your mouth with clean water.
You can do this process twice a day, and you will notice the pain and swelling around the affected tooth going down significantly in just a few days.
Unfortunately, tooth abscessed often come along with a fairly great deal of pain. This can be uncomfortable and distracting throughout the day, especially when we can't get to a dentist to address the situation permanently.
To handle the pain, along with any inflammation or swelling, cold compresses can be used for some temporary relief as needed. While it is not advised to apply anything too cold directly to the abscessed tooth or gums themselves, something cool on the outside of the jaw, near the affected tooth, should soothe pain and reduce swelling effectively.
To create a cold compress, simply take a clean and dry kitchen towel and fill it with a handful of ice cubes. Carefully fold the towel up and press it firmly but gently the the jaw where the affected tooth is. Do not press so hard that the tooth becomes more uncomfortable.
Hold the cold compress against the jaw for about 10-15 minutes, being careful that your skin does not become too cold by using a fairly thick towel. You can repeat this throughout the day as necessary, and alternating with heat in between cold compresses may further alleviate pain and swelling.
If you are concerned that your abscessed tooth may become infected, or if the swelling has caused bleeding and painful gums, them rinsing with hydrogen peroxide may be an even better option that rinsing with baking soda. This is a known home remedy for many issues like small wounds and cuts, and it makes perfect sense that it would help with a bleeding gumline caused by an abscessed tooth.
Hydrogen peroxide is an antiseptic, so it helps fight off infection when applied to the tooth and affected gums. This is extremely important if you want to keep an uncomfortable abscess from turning into something more severe when you're dealing with the problem at home yourself.
Additionally, the properties of hydrogen peroxide allow it to help prevent the buildup of plaque in the mouth. Keeping the teeth and gums clean as you work to heal an abscess can help move the process along faster and with less discomfort.
Luckily, most people already have some hydrogen peroxide in their medicine cabinets at home, so you won't need to run out for any supplies when treating your tooth pain. It is extremely easy and convenient, and you won't have to worry about any health risk if you carefully rinse your mouth out between treatments.
To do this method, all you have to do is mix equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water. Swish this mixture around in your mouth for a couple of minutes, and then spit it out. Follow them up by swishing around some clean water in your moth and spitting again, as this ensures that no hydrogen peroxide is left behind for you to accidentally swallow.
Yu can repeat this process as needed throughout the day to manage gum swelling, tooth pain, or bleeding gums. You should likely see healing results in just a few days.
If you have more than just a few minutes of your time to spare, than oil pulling may be a great way to remedy an abscessed tooth at home. Raw coconut oil is believed to be able to remove the buildup of any toxins in the mouth, keeping your teeth and gums clean as they heal themselves.
Coconut oil is also soothing and moisturizing for swollen or bleeding gums, so it helps make you more comfortable and pain-free as you treat your abscessed tooth yourself.
To get all of the benefits possible from oil pulling, you will want to use a high-quality and raw coconut oil instead of a processed alternative. you will not have to dilute the coconut oil before swishing it around in your mouth.
For this treatment method, simply put a tablespoon of the raw coconut oil into your mouth, allow it to melt completely, and then swish it around. You will want to do this for as long as possible for up to half an hour, but anything over 15-20 minutes will be helpful.
After swishing the oil around in your mouth, spit it out and rinse your mouth with clean water a few times until all of the oil is gone to avoid swallowing it. Make sure that you have not had anything to eat or drink for at least a couple of hours before oil pulling. It is best to do this process first thing in the morning.
Garlic can be an intense flavor in its raw form, so this remedy may not be ideal for everyone. However, garlic has been believed throughout history as a natural way to alleviate pain and even kill bacteria or keep it at bay. This makes it a great home remedy for an abscessed tooth.
One of the worst things that can happen to your abscessed tooth is that it becomes infected, so killing the bacteria around the tooth at the gumline is extremely important, and applying a paste made from garlic can help with that.
All you have to do is use a mortar and pestle (or a fork and bowl with a little more elbow grease) to crush a single clove of raw garlic. You want to continue crushing it until is has completely broken down into as smooth of a paste as possible.
Then, you will apply this garlic paste directly to the gums around the abscessed tooth. Allow it to sit without disturbing it too much for about half an hour, and then you can rinse your mouth out with clean water.
You can repeat this process as needed throughout the day whenever you feel any discomfort, as it will releive pain while also keeping your gumline as clean as possible.
While it is important to see a dentist if you are dealing with an absessed tooth at risk for infection, these home remedies can help you manage the pain you may be in and even keep the tooth and gums clean, allowing them to heal, when you aren't able to get there.
We hope that these 5 best home remedies for an abscessed tooth can help you be more comfortable, pain-free, and worry-free with some everyday supplies you probably already have at home.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional consultation or advice related to your health or finances. No reference to an identifiable individual or company is intended as an endorsement thereof. Some or all of this article may have been generated using artificial intelligence, and it may contain certain inaccuracies or unreliable information. Readers should not rely on this article for information and should consult with professionals for personal advice.