Toothache

Chew on this: That toe-curling, flesh-crawling, all-consuming pain caused by a toothache was probably instigated by something as simple as a tiny amount of bacteria penetrating the tooth’s tissue and inflaming its pulp.

Actually, chewing on anything is probably the last thing you want to do when you have a toothache. Your first thought may be to berate yourself for not brushing and flossing better or to find a few choice words for a broken or loose filling. A cracked tooth or blow to the mouth can also trigger an inflammation. Toothache pain can be deep and throbbing and can cause extreme sensitivity. The natural remedies in this chapter—in conjunction with medical care and used with your dentist’s approval—may help relieve the pain of a toothache, according to some health professionals.

Acupressure

To ease the throbbing pain, press point LI 4 on the hand that’s on the same side as your toothache, says Michael Reed Gach, Ph.D., director of the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, California, and author of Acupressure’s Potent Points. LI 4 is located in the webbing between your thumb and index finger, close to the bone at the base of the index finger. (For help in locating this point, refer to the illustration on page 565.) The point is on the large intestine meridian, which is a traditional acupressure pathway for relieving toothaches, according to Dr. Gach. He explains that the meridian flows from the hands and up the arms until it reaches the teeth and gums.

To press point LI 4, says Dr. Gach, hold it with your thumb on top of the webbing and your index finger underneath, then squeeze into the webbing, angling the pressure toward the bone that connects the index finger to the hand. He suggests holding the point for one minute as needed to relieve pain. He cautions that pressing this point can cause uterine contractions and is not recommended for pregnant women.

Food Therapy

“Take a couple of cloves from the spice rack and place them between the aching tooth and your cheek, much like you’d use chewing tobacco,” says Richard D. Fischer, D.D.S., president of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology and a dentist and homeopath in Annandale, Virginia. “This remedy has been known for centuries to relieve many kinds of toothaches.” Dr. Fischer says to chew the cloves a little bit to release their juice, then leave them in place for a half-hour or so or until the pain subsides. He advises continuing the treatment until you can see a dentist.

Herbal Therapy

Try oil of clove to soothe the pain until you can get to the dentist, says Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D., professor of pharmacognosy at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. But don’t use it full strength, he cautions: It’s so strong that it can damage your tooth’s nerve. Ask your pharmacist to recommend an over-the-counter preparation containing oil of clove (sometimes called eugenol), such as Orajel, and follow label directions for use, he says.

Homeopathy

To relieve a throbbing toothache that develops suddenly, try a 30X dose of Belladonna every 30 to 60 minutes until the pain begins to diminish, says Richard D. Fischer, D.D.S., president of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology and a dentist and homeopath in Annandale, Virginia. If cold weather or foods worsen your tooth pain and warmth and light pressure on the jaw make it feel better, he suggests a 30X dose of Magnesia phosphorica every 30 to 60 minutes as needed.

Belladonna and Magnesia phosphorica are available in many health food stores. To purchase the remedies by mail, refer to the resource list on page 637.

Hydrotherapy

For quick relief of a toothache, try a charcoal compress, says Agatha Thrash, M.D., a medical pathologist and co-founder and co-director of Uchee Pines Institute, a natural healing center in Seale, Alabama. Mix a heaping tablespoonful of activated charcoal powder (which is sold in most health food stores and some pharmacies) with enough water to make a paste, apply it to a strip of gauze and bite down on the gauze “so that the paste squishes around your aching tooth,” says Dr. Thrash. “Your tooth should feel better in ten minutes.”

Imagery

Recall a time when you swam in ice-cold water or played in the snow. Imagine the sensations of that moment. Feel the chill of the water or snow penetrate your hands and feet so that they become almost numb. Now imagine that feeling of numbness surrounding your tooth, soothing it as if you were rubbing it with snow until all of the pain is gone, says Deena Margetis, a certified clinical hypnotherapist specializing in dental care in Annandale, Virginia. This imagery should last no longer than five minutes and can be repeated as often as needed, she adds.

Reflexology

Work all of the points on the sides and bottoms of your toes, paying special attention to the middle of both big toes, says St. Petersburg, Florida, reflexologist Dwight Byers, author of Better Health with Foot Reflexology. To work these points, use whichever technique you find most comfortable.

To help you locate these points, consult the foot reflex chart on page 592. For instructions on how to work the points, see “Your Reflexology Session” on page 110.

Relaxation and Meditation

Focus on your pain and rate it from zero to ten, with ten being the worst pain you’ve ever experienced and zero being no pain. Now concentrate on places in your body that feel calm and are pain-free, such as your left foot or your right ear. Keep searching deeper into your body and mind for pain-free points. As you refocus your attention on the calm parts of yourself, the pain in your tooth will fade into the background, says Neil Fiore, Ph.D., a psychologist in Berkeley, California, and author of The Road Back to Health: Coping with the Emotional Aspects of Cancer. Use this technique whenever you have pain or worry about pain. If the pain increases, call your doctor.

Vitamin and Mineral Therapy

One way to soothe the pain of a toothache is to increase your intake of calcium and magnesium, says Richard D. Fischer, D.D.S., president of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology and a dentist and homeopath in Annandale, Virginia. He recommends taking 500 milligrams of calcium and 200 to 300 milligrams of magnesium at the first sign of a toothache: “It’s soothing to the nerves of your teeth.”