Toothache
Natural Remedies

Effective Natural Remedies for Toothache Relief

| Modified on Mar 16, 2025
The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Activated Charcoal
Posted by Keith (Orlando, FL) on 10/05/2006
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Was reading the remedies and just wanted to add the following: I am a medical missionary that uses natural methods of healing. I encounter several different diseases and sickness in my line of work.

One remedy that I have never seen fail for toothache pain, is charcoal. It will stop severe toothache pain in about 20-45 minutes in most cases! I will give you an example with my wife. She begin to have toothache pain last year(2005) around the time of thanksgiving. She begin to call dentists for an appointment; however, the soonest that she could get an appointment was 2 weeks! To make a long story short the pain became unbearable. It radiated all the way to her temple on the side of the bad tooth.

So I took activated charcoal, added a little water, stirred to a paste consistency, placed it on a gauze(a piece of cotton t-shirt could also be used) and placed it directly over the tooth. I had her press down very gently. I then offered a prayer.

In about 12-15 minutes the pain that was radiating up to her temple begin to subside. In about 20-30 minutes my wife, who had been in such great pain, that she was in tears, and was unable to even sleep, dropped off to sleep.

The next day we also started her on a program of drinking 2-3 glasses per day of a table spoon of the charcoal mixed with a glass of water. She did eventually go to the dentist only to find that a small cavity had exposed a nerve, and infection had set in.

The charcoal worked on the infection because it is the inflammation that causes the pain. So by pulling or drawing the poisons from the infection(the underlying cause) the inflammation is addressed.

A friend of mine, who is also a very experienced medical missionary, with more than 30 years of hands on experience, even running a natural clinic in Tennessee for a long time, and having a 45-50% success rate with 4 stage cancer, (conventional success rate with 4th stage cancer is about 5%" gives the following alternative for toothache pain and abscess

These are direct quotes: "Mix 3 tablespoons charcoal,1/2 teaspoon clove oil, 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon olive oil (enough to make a paste), and 1 teaspoon of golden seal. He states: " This remedy is strictly for pain in the jaw or tooth pain. Pack this around the tooth that is giving you problems. If you can cover the tooth up it will generate heat. That will remove the pain faster than any toothache remedy. Try it. You will feel the heat and you can go wash your mouth out. If you are in a lot of pain the heat is comforting. The pain of the poultice drawing is less than the throbbing of the toothache.[The mixture] should be quite thick, about the consistency of natural peanut butter. You want to be able to mould it around the tooth, so that it will stick."

The next is for an abscess specifically.

His words: "If you have an abscess with a lot of swelling, you cannot get that tooth pulled until you get the abscess under control. This recipe is famous for getting that abscess down 3 parts Slippery Elm, 2 parts baking yeast, 4 drops cloves, 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Add a little water, enough to make a paste. It will be gummy due to the slippery elm. Then pack this mixture around the gum. The slippery elm, like charcoal, draws the inflammation, the cayenne stimulates the cells around the tooth to release toxins and the cloves are added for the reputation as a pain remedy, especially in toothache.

Chlorella
Posted by Rain (Wasilla, Alaska) on 01/10/2021
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I had a toothache and a little swelling, the tooth is a bit loose and I had been told by my dentist that it might need to be pulled. I'm 72 and haven't been back because of covid restrictions. Rubbing the area with salt helped.

I packed a bit of green chlorella next to the swollen area, by my cheek, and left it in place for maybe about 45 minutes, then brushed my teeth with regular toothpaste and finished up with hydrogen peroxide.

The swelling disappeared, and I haven't had to repeat the treatment - that was about 10 days ago. It seems that the tooth has tightened up, and I will be doing this again for the gums, which are receding a bit.


Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 06/20/2016

I took my 17 year old son to the dentist today. I wanted the dentist to evaluate his wisdom teeth because they are coming in and I suspect that is why he is having jaw pain. Anyway, dentist thinks the wisdom teeth are causing his jaw pain. It also turns out that one of the teeth that is not fully in is the reason he has tooth pain with a cold - it is right at a sinus cavity.

Anyway, I am beating around the bush. The dentist said that my son should rinse his mouth with diluted hydrogen peroxide and then salt water and that would help the swelling! This dentist is an older dentist practicing in a rural area, serving many who don't have a lot of money. He is kind enough to give simple remedies for problems instead of prescriptions. He isn't a naturalist dentist or anything, so far as I know. But I am grateful that he is willing to give natural suggestions to his patients!

My son is probably not in enough pain to bother doing these things. But I am sharing this story because it is nice to know that there are doctors who care and will suggest natural remedies, even if they are a rare breed! :)


Silver Nanoparticles
Posted by Art (California ) on 05/19/2017 2440 posts
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Last November, I got a toothache while on vacation for a week. It came on fairly gradually starting out as just annoying and by the time I got home from vacation it was pretty painful and made it almost impossible to chew. I started placing a small rectangular cotton facial wipe that I had rolled up and saturated with 320 parts per million (ppm) silver nanoparticles in between my swollen gum and my cheek and I would leave it in place for about an hour twice a day. At the end of three days all pain and swelling were gone and no sign that I had had a toothache at all.

This week I got another toothache and since I was home, I started with the rolled up cotton pad and 320 ppm silver nanoparticles except this time I just put it in place before bed and slept with it tucked between my swollen gum and my cheek. I did this two nights in a row and now that toothache is just a fading memory!

Some years back I had gotten a similar toothache and went to the dentist who immediately said I needed a root canal and charged me accordingly......ouch! From now on I will try the silver nanoparticles for way less than a dollar in material before I head to the dentist. My toothache was literally healed while I slept.....how easy is that?

A word of caution here though......sleeping with a rolled up wad of cotton in your mouth may not be the safest thing to do because you could potentialy swallow it or choke on it while sleeping, so applying it during your waking hours is probably the safer approach, but now I know that silver nanoparticles have worked either way for me.

Art

Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Laurie (Raleigh, Nc) on 01/17/2018 4 posts
★★★★★

I had a painful toothache from one of my top molars, the tooth had broken in half actually, and I was in a lot of pain. But that was almost 11 months ago :) Hydrogen peroxide works!! I brushed my teeth with baking soda, rinsed. Then swished a little HP for a few minutes (let it foam), then spit it out and rinsed with a little warm water. Again, that was 11 months ago, and I have absolutely no pain in that tooth, it's still there.


Oil Pulling
Posted by Althealthfan (Gunner) on 08/26/2016
★★★★★

Oil Pulling for tooth pain. My husband has been suffering from tooth pain (nerve pain) due to a cavity under a current filling. One trip to the dentist and they removed the filling and drilled out the cavity and replaced the filling. Over the counter meds were not touching the pain. He rarely slept for 2 days. I had him swish with peroxide and ACV with just a slight reduction in pain but it did not last more than a few minutes. I also had him use Clove oil and this only worked for about 10 mins. Then on to pressure points in his hands and face but still nothing. As a last ditch effort I had him take a tsp of organic virgin cold pressed cocconut oil and oil pull for 20 mins. He game back in in a great mood since it was the first time in 3 days he wasn't in pain. I just wanted to let others know this worked for my husband and is worth a try for tooth pain!!!

Thank you earth clinic for an amazing community!


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Tonya (Wa, US) on 12/03/2014

The ACV -- are you swallowing it or just rinsing your mouth with it?


Activated Charcoal
Posted by Teresa (Spanaway, Washington) on 07/22/2009
★★★★★

Yes! The activated charcoal STOPPED my TOOTH ACHE within minutes. I opened 1 activated charcoal capsule, poured on saucer, added drops of water, which a made runny paste, put it on my finger and then rub it on the gum above my aching tooth. When the tooth would start to feel like it was beginning to ache again, I added this charcoal mixture, and it stopped the pain.


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Suzi (Missoula, Mt) on 07/10/2017
★★★★★

ACV stopped my severe tooth pain.

After 7 days of agony and mental anxiety this is what I just did. 2 tablespoons of organic ACV with the mother. Put in one glass of warm spring water. Drank it down and then swished throbbing tooth with last mouthfull and spit out. OMG I trully feel alive again. YES THAT FAST. I have no dental insurance and hence no dentist to run to. I will repeat once more before bed for good measure. Thank you all who who reminded me with your posts that ACV works wonders. Bless your hearts!!!

Comfrey
Posted by Diana19 (Cheshire) on 11/15/2018
★★★★★

Hi, just wanted to add this to the mix, I have found that sipping comfrey tea is helpful for toothache. One of it's other names is 'knitbone' which might explain why it seems to me to strengthen teeth :)


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Jennifer (Sunrise, Fl) on 05/12/2011
★★★★★

I had a bad toothache in my decayed wisdom tooth, with a slightly swollen right cheek and a general feeling of fatigue and malaise. The symptoms lasted for almost 2 weeks and didn't get better. I went to my doctor to ask for some antibiotics and they turned me away, telling me I needed to see a dentist. I went to my dentist and they said they could pull the tooth at the end of the month. Desperate and in pain, I tried almost every remedy on this page - oil pulling, oil of oregano, coconut oil (internally and swishing), garlic (tried minced and fresh garlic), hydrogen peroxide, vitamin E... Nothing worked at all. I felt some temporary relief after oil pulling and swishing with hydrogen peroxide that would last about 30 minutes before the pain started to return. Orajel worked for maybe 20 minutes.

I had given up and decided to take apple cider vinegar internally to help with the feeling of malaise (swishing with apple cider vinegar did not help my toothache either). Immediately I felt some relief in the tooth pain. Within about an hour or two the pain had diminished by half. I just thought it was a fluke and stopped taking the apple cider vinegar. The pain came back and lasted for about 2 days. Desperate, I tried the apple cider vinegar again, this time taking it about 2 or 3 times a day. The pain went away completely in 2 days - what a miracle! The pain hasn't come back since. I take ACV maybe once every few days. I have a surgery scheduled to remove my wisdom teeth, but in the meantime, this has been a lifesaver. I wouldn't have thought that taking this internally would help, but it makes sense because most toothaches are due to bacterial infections in the tooth or gum - and ACV is great at getting rid of bacteria infections. By the way, I use the organic kind with the "mother". I've found it is much more effective than other brands.

One last note - if you are having a severe toothache or abcess, please go see your dentist. A dentist won't kill you, but an untreated abcess can. Just bite the bullet and go see your dentist... Even if you don't have health insurance, you might be able to find a dental school near you that offers discounted or free services. Best wishes!!


Onion
Posted by David John (UK) on 11/18/2020
★★★★★

I'm surprised onions are not higher up the list of remedies for tooth ache. I have inflammed tooth nerves which are causing me considerable pain. I've tried most of the top rated remedies but none seem to help. Last night I tried biting on a small piece of white onion and it seemed to work! I would recommend it. I chewed on small pieces and then spat them out. Definitely worth a try if you like raw onion.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Nicole (Warren, Mi) on 07/01/2017
★★★★★

I have a broken tooth on the top in the back of my mouth. I haven't been able to go to the dentist and the pain has been keeping me awake. The most painful thing I have ever felt in my life!! So I looked up home remedies and came across apple cider vinegar. I used 2 tsp apv and 2 tsp warm water rinsed my mouth for about a min. And the pain is was gone right away!! I think I might finally get some sleep!!


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Fe (Detroit, Mi) on 01/25/2017
★★★★★

Wow... I had the exact same problem...like you mentioned..it wasn't a cavity type of pain but more so the nerve..and boy oh boy was it painful..I couldn't even turn my head a certain way..so I after taking every pain reliever in sight without getting any relief I pulled up home remedies and came across this site and I am extremely glad that I did...two tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar with the mother mixed with Luke warm water really helped tremendously..thank you all for posting because that pain is no joke...


Activated Charcoal
Posted by Issie (Jax, Fl) on 07/02/2011
★★★★★

wow I now know the meaning of trying anything to make the pain stop. my tooth has been hurting on and off for a couple of days now. but I was using over the counter meds til I could get in to dentist last night it became unbareable. I was in sooo much pain. I almost got the tool box out and pulled my own tooth.

Instead I hopped on internet and found this thread. I used what I had in closet to get me through night. (honey, cinnamon, tea, garlic and I threw in oats too. This helped to draw some of the infection out. Cause around 4am I was spitting it blood that had a yellow color to it) around 9am I went to health foods store and got the charcoal and slippery elm clove oil and pick up some cayanne pepper at grocey store. Came home made a paste out of all of it and put it in my gum and tooth and pain free wooohooo. so I am hoping this will draw infection out and that I can go to denist with it under control instead of having to pay for two appts but who ever started all of this thank you cause I am going to make it through holiday weekend now.


Activated Charcoal
Posted by Suzanne (Oregon) on 10/22/2023
★★★★★

I had a two dental issues going on. one is that I had tooth that was painful only when I was eating and I had two failed dental implants removed weeks ago still I was having pain. I emptied four activated charcoal pills and mixed a few drops of water to make a really thick paste. I put the thick paste made from charcoal one the problem areas in my mouth and the pain was gone and my tooth had quieted down until I could get to the dentist,


Activated Charcoal
Posted by Ellie (minneapolis mn) on 11/26/2022
★★★★★

I've been using salt to calm down a tooth infection with a lump on my gum. This time salt somehow made it worse and I woke with terrible tooth pain at 3am! I prayed and tried salt again. Nothing. Iodine. Nothing. Then quickly came here to Earth Clinic - my go to if all else fails! Seeing that I had charcoal in my "medicine closet" I quickly made a poultice and applied. The pain and swelling subsided pretty instantaneously. Thank you so much!!



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