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.
Garlic
Posted by Kelly (Cambridge, Ma) on 05/12/2011
★★★★★
Stick with the garlic. It works wonders! I had a very similar experience a few months ago and was blown-away by how well the garlic worked.
You didn't mention how much garlic you've been taking. I used fresh garlic. Chop up one good sized clove and let it sit for about 10 min's, then put it on a spoon to take it and wash it down with lots of water.
I did this three times a day and in about 3-4 days, the swelling and pain were completely gone. I can't say enough about the use of garlic for these type issues. Truly amazing.
Garlic
Posted by Ilya (Los Angeles, Ca) on 05/09/2011
★★★★★
Oh wow, I can't believe how well Garlic worked. I've got pretty bad tooth infection so my dentist told me to take penicillin and painkillers for a week before he can pull the tooth.
For some reason painkillers he prescribed me have almost no effect, unless I double the doze and Penicillin takes 1-2 days to even start wokring. I was in horrible pain with stomach full of usless drugs when I found this forum. Needless to say I stuck a garlic glove right in my mouth and let me tell ya, the pain is GONE... almost instantly and swelling seems to be getting better.
Thanks everyone for the advice, I hope I can sleep better tonight :)
Garlic
Posted by Kay (In The Valley, Ca) on 03/25/2011
★★★★★
I want to second this post! About a week ago, I bit down on my left side and it was painful. I hadn't had any tooth pain, so I was quite suprised. I felt my jaw and noticed it had a good sized lump and it hurt when I put pressure one it. After about two days I noticed it was getting bigger, so I decided to also try the garlic. I slice a small piece and put it between my gum and cheek before I go to bed at night, leaving it all night. I noticed pain relief the first day, and almost all of the swelling is gone after about five days. I'm pleasantly surprised. Thanks again to all that post.
Garlic
Posted by Viola (Hampton Bays, N.y.) on 03/24/2011
★★★★★
Reading feedback on site last night. Face very swollen on right side. Tried Garlic remedy and I no longer have an infection. I absolutely LOVE Earth Clinic. I am forever recommending it to one and all. Bless you for sharing. Viola
Garlic
Posted by Susan (Owen Sound, Ontario, Ontario Canada) on 02/10/2011
★★★★★
I have been having an issue with an infection in the bone beneath a failed root canal. Antibiotics didn't touch it, and I was told the tooth would have to come out. I started chewing raw garlic for the pain, which worked immediately. I then started rinsing with a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water, and after only two days, the swelling has gone down and the tooth again feels like it "fits' in my mouth. I would never have believed that garlic and H2O2 would have made such a remarkable difference, but it has. I may still have to have an extraction in the future, but for now, all is well and that's good enough for me! Thank you EC for this amazing resource!
Garlic
Posted by Mike (Madison, Ms) on 02/02/2011
★★★★★
Garlic works! I have never posted to a board like this but I have a terrible abcess on my upper left gum that has been extremely painful. Ibuprophen was almost useless as a pain reliever. Long story short, I read the thread, got a $.26 clove of garlic, cut up a couple of small slices, chewed them up a little bit then used my tongue to shove the chewed pieces up into the inflammed part of my gum and cheek.
They are not kidding when they say it burns, but I paced around the house and after about 10 minutes the burning subsided mostly. I kept in in there for ten more minutes then chewed it up and swallowed the pieces. RELIEF! I can still feel the huge bump on my gum which is uncomfortable but nothing like the tooth and gum pain I had before I did that.
I will have to see what happens now as far as the abcess shrinking and my left cheek draining - it is full and swollen, but I wanted to quickly post just to let people know that the relief is amazing. Hope it continues to heal.
Thanks to everyone who has posted before to tell me of this natural remedy.
Garlic
Posted by Tara (Savannah, Ga.) on 01/24/2011
★★★★★
The galric really works. Have had an abscessed tooth for two days now. Needless to say it hurt like heck. I have tried everything. - the salt water and baking soda helped some. But let me tell you the Garlic is like What's Up. I used the garlic powder. It burns but the reward is great. The swelling in my jaw has gone down like to almost nothing. The pain 100% gone. So, I guess its safe to say Thank God for Garlic and for this site!
Garlic
Posted by Mominmaine (Waterville, Maine) on 12/14/2010
★★★★★
I was young when I got braces, which messed my teeth up more then anything! I had my top teeth extracted, after years of fighting with broken teeth, infections, and so on. (now goin through alot with my bottom teeth) ive tried EVERYTHING.. But have found that whole clove garlic (3-5 cloves a day.. I cut them up and swallow them with water) will help with infection, and clove oil works wonders! I couldnt get over how fast clove oil can take away the pain. I dip just the tip of a q-tip into the oil, and hold it to my tooth for a few seconds, then the surrounding gums. It will make your mouth numb if you use to much! I had severe pain that took over one side of my face.
I cant stress how much clove oil has saved me from those sleepless nights, and awful pains. The only other thing that has worked for a little while was natural vanilla extract. I did the same thing, q-tip dipped in the vanilla, but I would take the cotton off the q-tip, and press it against my tooth or gums. I really hope this helps someone out there.. This pain, and having to deal with tooth pain/infection/abcess is the WORST! Btw, garlic works wonders for colds and sinus infections too!
Garlic
Posted by Katrinika (Morehead City, Nc, Usa) on 12/09/2010
★★★★★
I had a very painful root canal done 5 months ago. The last couple of days I noticed some unusual bad breath in the morning, last night I felt a hard bump above the root canal (extending almost to my eye), by 3am I was in terrible pain. Just two months ago I had a severe drug reaction to a cyclosporan antibiotic and was so very, very ill I was terrified of taking another antibiotic so I got online and found this website. I read a few of these posts and got out some chlorhexidrine mouthwash (not recommended here), activated charcoal, grapeseed extract and asperin (not recommended here). I don't do my best thinking at 3am... I rinsed my mouth with the strong mouthwash, put a few drops of grapeseed extract, the contents of an activated charcoal capsule and some crushed asperin in some gauze and put it between my cheek and gum, then came back and read some more. Went and took out the asperin-laced pouch and tried to think of something else that might heal and could only find some "echinacea plus" tea - mixed one drop of grapeseed extract with charcoal and dry tea in gauze and put it in my cheek and tried to sleep. After a while it started to hurt but I left it. The third time I debated the way it was hurting I took that out, too. To my dismay I had obviously badly burned the area in my mouth touching the poultice. I would not have bet anything that I would ever put a raw garlic clove in my mouth, but I finally did. Because the lump went all the way to my eye now I also put a slice of garlic and a piece of tape and placed it over the bump under my eye. It took two hours, but the pain finally subsided enough for me to go to sleep. Two hours later, the pain from the abscess is greatly reduced but the area where I burned my mouth with the earlier poltices is very sore and angry. Guess you can't use grapeseed extract straight?
Anyway, my dog is going in for dental surgery next week, but today I'm going to go buy some oily fish, more garlic, and some tumeric, grind then together, add some agave nectar, form it into 1 inch balls, freeze them and then give them to her three times a day to chew on. Maybe by next week I will have saved myself the cost of the antibiotic I know the vet will otherwise certainly have recommended. Plus, I've found a doggie toothpaste made only from baking soda, almond oil, and beeswax that works better than anything I've ever used before (even the treacherous dental enzyme). I won't fall behind on her tooth brushing in future. Blessings and thank you to all the garlic folks.
Garlic
Posted by Dee (Burke, Va) on 11/15/2010
★★★★★
I would like to thank you for the garlic suggestion. I have an abscessed tooth and it started on Sunday, I tried to reach my doctor all day. While waiting I came across this site. I cut a piece of garlic and placed it on the tooth, left it there an hour, I did this three times. Today I am so much better. I thank God that I found this site. It worked for me, Dee
Garlic
Posted by Sleighb7 (Barrie, Ontario, Canada) on 11/05/2010
★★★★★
Holy smokes.... I am very grateful for earth clinic AND garlic. On Halloween I caused some sort of trauma to my tooth/gums from eating hard candy in the same spot in my mouth, my gums become swollen and it felt like I had cut the gum severely. When I took a mirror I could see my gum was bright red/purple and had become infected as there was little indents around the gum. I waited 4-5 days before I'd had enough of waiting for the cut and the pain to heal itself. I read about garlic and took a fresh clove sliced it into a few peices and held it to the cut/infection area for around a half an hour. By gosh I wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and tadaaa the purple infection/cut is GONNNNEEE I am amazed garlic worked overnight for me!!! Ive been telling everyone about this -the area is still a little tender but the infection is gone which was my main concern and the gums look healthy again, THANK YOU AGAIN EARTH CLINIC
Garlic
Posted by Laurahelen (Dublin, Oh) on 11/04/2010
I emptied a tea bag and filled it with a minced garlic clove. I placed the tea bag just on the infected area, but I noticed I had some pain on my lips where the tea bag had been hanging out of my mouth. I put some chapstick on them before using the tea bag again and didn't have the problem. I just had to protect the raw skin... That might help!!
Garlic
Posted by Nurioneheart (Tacoma, Wa, Usa) on 09/14/2010
Sunny and all the rest of the world who suffer from tooth and jaw pain... I wouldn't wish this kind of pain and worry on anyone. I have had an abscess once a year in one particular molar, which I have always treated successfully and quickly with a little gauze pad soaked in clove oil or oil of oregano. But a week ago I had an infected gum around one of my front teeth. What a freaky surprise that was. I hit it with a swab of clove oil and all the skin on the roof of my mouth came tumbling down for the next three days. Then the gum around my upper front tooth got infected so I hit it with oil of oregano and scared the bejiggers out of myself wondering if I had some kind of hoof and mouth disease. The front teeth seemed a whole lot better but then all the molars on the same side of my mouth became infected. No blister, just swollen so I could not chew, let alone sleep. I packed the molar area with a mixture I make in my food processor: equal parts of ginger, garlic, onion, lemon and a dash of ACV and cayenne pepper and some raw honey to taste... Love the stuff, but it burned the skin so now I have big canker-like sores on that side of my face. Oh, woe is we who have such tribulations!!!! I have not had a cavity since I was 17 years old (I am age 68 and am in fantastic health) and I haven't been to a doctor ever except for the childbirth thing... Haven't taken a pain pill since my drinking-hang-over days (1960-1980. ) But yesterday the tooth and jaw pain was so great I got some aspirin from my neighbor and took 3 of them every two hours. It sort of made the swelling go down, but by that time all the skin was burned around my upper and lower back molars and I wished to make a quick ascension into the Heavenly Kingdom real fast! My face, ear and top left side of my head hurt so bad I could barely sleep, and I so dearly love my precious sleep. This morning I realized this bad-boy wasn't going to go away without bringing out some bigger guns so I made a more thorough study on this site to see what else I could do. Nothing too new to me here, but the garlic in the tea bag trick, so owwwwwwww I did it. Mmmmmmm, it bit me real bad. Exactly as the one other woman said, "rather give birth" than suffer this kind of pain... Garlic on a skinless cheek ain't my idea of entertainment. If a dentist treated me this way I'd sue for every penny I could get. (So I owe myself a billion dollars for this little week long fiasco! ) Now I have had the crushed garlic tea bag on my open sores for 3 hours because I am determined to kill whatever is there. If I take it off too soon and fail to kill it, there is no way I would ever put another hot fiery substance on it again. I know there are other billions of other people (even children) who have gone through far worse pain and loss than I am going through, so my heart is full of compassion for them. Maybe that's the up-side of this event, that I become more aware and compassionate for others and try to be a more educated helper or comforter. Thanks everybody for making EC such a fab. Place to get natural healing ideas!!!!!! Love, NuriOneHeart from Tacoma
Garlic
Posted by Misstammy (Ottawa, On, Canada ) on 08/29/2010
★★★★★
I had to come and comment about using Garlic to cure my aching tooth, jaw and throat pain that I have had for 2 days straight, and like many of you I have tried some OTC drugs which were NOT as effective as Garlic. Here is what I did: I took a garlic clove and removed the outer layer, I then sliced the garlic in half and gently rubbed the garlic on my affected area for about 5-10 minutes on each side of the tooth/gum line.
**People have mentioned the burning sensation, let me tell you right now. It is NOTHING compared to the intense pain that was already there, in fact it was soothing so do not be worried too much about it, but if it is burning a lot perhaps you are leaving it on for too long**
When I was satisfied with the pain relief inside my mouth I gently chewed the garlic to release more of the oils. Within 15 minutes the pain which even Advil did not kill was gone! I was amazed! After I was done doing this I rinsed my mouth out with sea salt and water to prevent the garlic from burning the skin inside my mouth (suggested by a friend). ~I also decided to make a mouthwash that would provide the same type of relief I got from the garlic and it also worked immediately! Here is what I did:
4 cloves of garlic (minced) or chopped very fine
1 half tea spoon of Cumin
1 teaspoon of Sea Salt
1 and a half cups of boiling water
I took all the ingredients and placed them in a bowl, I then added the boiled water to the mixture and stirred it up. After the mixture cooled down a little I would take enough to fill my mouth and would gargle it so that some entered my throat, I would also swish it between and around the teeth and gums vigorously and gently chew the baby pieces of garlic. Instant relief!! *I also sipped on the mixture, just enough to get some of the stuff in my throat as it was also swollen pretty badly. I did this last night at 3:00am and it is now the next morning. The swelling has gone down almost completely and there is only a very dull pain, I will continue to use this throughout the day and I am also at work, which I though would be impossible. Thank you everyone who posted with regards to this topic, the comments that I read literally saved me about $40.00 in medication and a possible medical bill which I cannot really afford at this time!! Xoxox Love Miss Tammy
Garlic
Posted by Finally Pain Free (Twin City, Georgia) on 04/08/2010
★★★★☆
I have had an abscessed tooth for the last week, went to the dentist only to have this fool tell me " I can refer you out to get it pulled." Of course I did not go there for an extraction, I wanted an antibiotic. Anyway I found this site by accident, I didn't have any fresh garlic, but I do have garlic powder (Made a paste with warm water)....Let me tell you it's just as effective.....I will finally get full nights sleep.......
Awesome site....
Garlic
Posted by Ariel (Bend, Oregon Usa) on 03/23/2010
★★★★★
I have had recurring problems with a tooth I had a root canal on over ten years ago. Eventually, according to my dentist, I will need an extraction and dental implant because it is cracked and the cause of abcesses I have been experiencing periodically over the past 4 years. However, I don't have dental insurance, so, I deal with them the best I can, sometimes resorting to antibiotics, but I hate taking those, so this time, when I noticed my gum swelling up and becoming red and pussy looking, I took a clove of garlic, minced it, and placed it inside of a teabag I emptied to make a poultice, and have been keeping it inside of my mouth against the inflamed gum. Amazingly, the swelling has already subsided, and (gross) looks like the infection is coming to the surface, and is forming a pimple-like area that might eventually drain (gross!) I am relieved, I am SO afraid of the infection travelling inward-have heard of healthy young folks like myself dying from untreated abcesses-not something to mess around with. I am seeing a dentist in a couple days, but needed to begin treatment before it got worse. Also applying colloidal silver spray liberally and taking goldenseal, echinachea tea, vitamin C and D3 to boost my immune system. One warning about garlic---I work with the public- I did this treatment last night, then brushed my teeth AND used mouthwash, and my boyfriend said I still stunk like garlic-hopefully chewing ginger root as was mentioned here earlier will help my cause when I have to work later tonight!!??
Garlic
Posted by Rifkah6 (Lancaster, Uk) on 03/12/2010
★★★★★
Garlic for gum abscess
I am amazed at the potency of garlic as a nautural antibiotic, and although I had always been aware of this property, I am stunned at how well it has worked on a particularly nasty gum abscess that I had been suffering from.
To cut a long story short(er), I have a grumbling wisdom tooth on my lower right side, and the flap that was partially covering it became infected about 2 weeks ago. By the wednesday of the first week I went to the dentist who informed me that the particularly nasty case of pericoronitis I had would not clear without antibiotics, even using the hot salt water rinses that have cleared more superficial abscesses for me in the past. By the Wednesday evening, I could hardly open my mouth, and I could feel the infection spreading into the muscles that hinged my upper and lower jaws. I knew it was a very deep abscess, but I was determined not to use the antibiotics as I am very much against the routine use of antibiotics unless in emergency situations.
So I commenced with the salt water rinses, echinacea, oil pulling with tea tree and sunflower/sesame oil to arrest the infection, and ibuprofen for the pain. These were working well enough, but, i.e I could feel that the infection was being drawn somewhat out of my jaw muscles over the next few days. I continued this course of action until the Sunday, when I decided to add grapefruit seed extract into the mix. This helped somewhat although worked no major miracles, and by the Tuesday I was ready to try terramin clay packed over the abscess overnight. This seemed to work well as on the Wednesday morning the abscess had come to a head and burst (uber gross!), but it was still inflamed and I could feel the infection was still there. But I continued with the terramin and the rest of my protocol over the next day, and yet again by the Thursday morning the abscess had refilled over night and now had not just one head on it but two!
At this point I came across garlic as a possible magic bullet - this was a real "aha!" moment, cos i knew of garlics efficacy as a natural antibiotic, but I just hadn't considered putting it on my abscess. So i went straight and mashed up some garlic in my pestle and mortar and placed some of the mash on my abscess and drank the rest down with some water. My god, the pain was incredible, so much so that I could not sit still and had to walk around the house inbetween rushing to the bathroom to get rid of the excess saliva my mouth was producing, but I knew that the garlic was getting to work and killing the infection.
Within 12 hours the abscess had reduced by half, and this morning it is looking pretty grizzly, but is almost back to it's normal gum profile with no pain and no refilling with that god awful pus. I am continuing with the garlic protocol until I am sure this is completely healed (and the oil pulling too as i think this is invaluable for gum health), but all other treatments I feel are now unnecessary - garlic is the magic bullet for oral problems :o)
All in all, I think that the salt water rinses, oil pulling, echinacea, grapefuit seed extract and terramin arrested the infection and drew it to the surface of my gum, but it was the garlic that actually killed it.
Garlic
Posted by Ivannam (Takoma Park, Maryland, United States) on 01/11/2010
Yes, Ginger is good for your breath. After doing the 'garlic routine', cut a slice of ginger and chew it for a minute or two, then spit it out..else. Then you are good to go!
Garlic
Posted by Drugfree (Trenton, Nj, USA) on 12/21/2009
★★★★★
just 2 days ago i was in pain all day long. it was keeping me up all night. even advil wasn't working. had 4 fillings done at the dentist and even a month later i couldn't drink cold drinks because it would hurt right away and i couldn't drink juice without brushing right away because it would hurt really bad 30 minutes later. noticed a bubble on my gums. found out it was an abscess. started researching tooth abscesses. while searching the web found earthclinic which helped me before with hypothyroidism, for that i used coconut oil. noticed that garlic really works for infected teeth and abscesses. at first i just rubbed half a clove of raw garlic sliced in half on the abscess. didn't really help. so i chewed 1/4 clove of garlic and let the garlic juice sit on the infected area for at least 10 minutes, sometimes 30 minutes. by the 3rd night all the pain was gone. now i can drink cold juice without the pain like before although if i do drink cold juice and don't brush its still a 1 on a scale of 1 to 10 for pain. thanks to everyone who posted their testimonials. can get back to my life now. earthclinic is a real lifesaver.
Garlic
Posted by Merryanne (Orange City, Florida, USA) on 11/23/2009 113 posts
Well John,,that is good oral care,,but with oral decaying in the mouth, with maybe some sensitivity and maybe pain,,I would start chewing that garlic, and consuming at least 1 whole clove(the whole thing)each day,,and if there is any infection you might eat two cloves each day,,,I don't think I can eat too much garlic, but I also sleep alone :) Merryanne, FL
Garlic
Posted by John (Hampton, Virginia) on 11/21/2009
Garlic is known as the Russian penicillin. I too suffer from gum and tooth problems. Swishing peroxyl, (a mouthwash), around the affected area, will help. Also msm rubbed on the gum or used as a toothpaste will help with swelling. Bee propolis is also said to be of help. good luck
