Tooth Abscess Home Remedy: 5 Effective Methods

We all know how big of a headache dental issues can cause. Before listing out tooth abscess home remedies, it is essential to know what tooth abscess is and how it is caused.

We all are aware that our mouth contains both good and bad bacteria¹. But when the bad bacteria reaches an open tissue, it starts multiplying and forms a tooth infection; it is called a tooth abscess.

A tooth abscess is the inflammation of the tooth pulp² (the third layer of the tooth from the top) due to bacterial infection, which causes pain and irritation. It is often identified as a toothache, but it is so much more.

Causes of Tooth Abscess

The reason for your tooth abscess can be many, like:

• The most common one is tooth decay, which happens when a cavity in your tooth is left untreated and becomes so large that it reaches the pulp.
• Another reason is when the filling of your cavity reaches the pulp, it creates an opening for the infection to spread.
• Another obvious reason is an injury to the tooth. If in an accident your tooth is harmed, it is advised to consult your dentist immediately. It may not seem so, but the injury can leave an open area for bacteria to culminate.
• Inadequate sealing during a root canal procedure can also lead to tooth abscess.

Symptoms of Tooth Abscess:

If you are facing the following symptoms, then it can mean you have a dental abscess.

• The blackening of teeth is one of the signs of tooth abscess. If you witness that one of your teeth is darkening compared to other teeth, then contact your dentist.
• It is a tooth abscess symptom if you are in severe pain while eating in your teeth and gum.
• The most obvious symptoms of tooth abscess and infection formation are swelling of the gums and pus formation.
• Pain in your teeth, whenever air passes through it, is also a symptom of tooth abscess. This means the infection has spread so much that the tooth’s nerves are dead.
• Swelling of the jaw or face is also a symptom of tooth abscess.

Home Remedies for Abscessed Tooth:

Now that we have covered the symptoms and causes of tooth abscesses, let’s look into some home remedies for tooth abscesses. But before we go further through the article, keep in mind that tooth abscesses are not treatable at home.

Please treat it as a dental emergency. A home remedy for a tooth abscess can only help you temporarily with the pain; it can only keep you going till your dentist is available.

So, without any further wait, let’s look into these home remedies for a tooth abscess.

1. SaltWater

Saltwater rinse is the most effective and affordable home remedy for tooth abscess. This rinse can provide some relief to your aching tooth and gums.

It also works as a mouthwash, so you can use it after every meal to maintain your oral health. Here is how you make it:

1.1 Ingredients

• Salt
• Lukewarm water

1.2 Method

Take a teaspoon of salt and mix it with half a cup of water, rinse your mouth with this saltwater solution and spit it out. Do this 3-4 times a day for better results.

Click here to know some added benefits of saltwater rinse.

2. Cold Compress – Ice

Cold compresses work as a home remedy for tooth abscess because it is believed that ice blocks the pain signals sent to the brain. So try it; all you would need is some ice cubes and a cloth.

2.1 Method

Wrap some ice cubes with a cloth and put them on the affected area. Place it there till it starts to feel numb and repeat the process.

3. Clove Oil

The next home remedy for tooth abscess is clove oil³. Clove is believed to be very good for teeth because it contains eugenol, which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

3.1 Ingredients

• Clove oil
• Carrier oil – coconut oil or olive oil

3.2 Method

Dilute some olive oil with the carrier oil, and this would make clove oil to be less irritating. Now there are two ways to use clove oil as a tooth abscess home remedy.

Either apply a small amount of diluted oil to the affected area or use the mixture of water and olive oil as a mouthwash to rinse your mouth.

4. Baking Soda

Another tooth abscess home remedy from your kitchen is using baking soda. It has excellent antibacterial properties, which are good for your dental care. It is excellent in removing plaque,⁴ decreasing the number of bacteria.

You can use the baking soda either as a mouthwash or a paste.

4.1 Methods

• If you feel pain all over your mouth and can’t distinguish the definite source, make a mouthwash using baking soda and water.
• Take half a cup of lukewarm water, mix half a tablespoon of baking soda, and then rinse your mouth with the made solution. If the taste of baking soda is not bearable, you can add a pinch of salt to the solution.
• If you know the tooth abscess region and can feel the region’s pain and irritation, apply the baking soda paste directly to that area.
• You have to add a few drops of water to baking soda until it makes a thick paste and then apply it to the affected region. Rinse your mouth with tap water after 10 to 15 minutes.

This method can give you some relief from the pain caused by a tooth abscess.

5. Fenugreek Tea

For ages, fenugreek⁵ is being used as a pain reliever because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. That is the reason it has made it to our list of home remedies for tooth abscesses.

You can easily find fenugreek at your home, and if not, it is probably available in your nearest supermarket sitting on the spice aisle.

For using fenugreek tea to relieve your pain from a tooth abscess, you will need:

• Ground fenugreek
• Water
• A cotton swab or cotton ball

For making fenugreek tea boil a teaspoon of ground fenugreek with water in a saucepan. Boil till the water starts changing its colour and let it sit to cool down. Now absorb some of this tea into a cotton swab and apply it to the affected area.

Do this tooth abscess home remedy 4 to 5 times from the same tea, and you will see some difference in your pain level. Another vital thing is that you should avoid alcohol because it can worsen your symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can a tooth abscess go away on its own?

An abscessed tooth won’t recover on its own. An abscess can burst on its own, relieving some of the pressure and agony. However, the infection from bacteria will remain, which can be dangerous.

2. How serious is an abscessed tooth?

If ignored, serious pulmonary, heart, and neurological infections can result in death. Another possible cause of death is inflammation of the mouth floor.

3. How long can a tooth abscess last?

If a tooth abscess is not treated in its early stages, the infection may persist, ranging from five to twelve months or even longer.

EndNote: Tooth Abscess Home Remedy

So, these are some of the proven home remedies for tooth abscess. Although these natural remedies can help you with tooth pain, they will not solve the problem.

Listed above are some of the tooth abscess home remedies for instant and inexpensive relief. So, to be completely cured of tooth abscess, you must visit your dentist as soon as possible because a delay in doing so can have serious consequences.

Be careful and stay healthy!

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Proofread by:

Dr. Foram Bhuta

Dentist (B.D.S)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-foram-bhuta-543b0a215

https://www.facebook.com/foram.p.bhuta

1. Venkova, Tatiana, Chew Chieng Yeo, and Manuel Espinosa. “The good, the bad, and the ugly: multiple roles of bacteria in human life.” Frontiers in Microbiology 9 (2018): 1702. ↩︎
2. Goldberg, Michel. “The dental pulp.” The dental pulp. Berlin: Springer Berlin Heidelberg (2014): 47-59. ↩︎
3. Nadeem, Muhammad, et al. “Clove oil.” Essential Oils. Academic Press, 2023. 325-344. ↩︎
4. Bentzon, Jacob Fog, et al. “Mechanisms of plaque formation and rupture.” Circulation research 114.12 (2014): 1852-1866. ↩︎
5. Singletary, Keith W. “Fenugreek: overview of potential health benefits.” Nutrition Today 52.2 (2017): 93-111. ↩︎

Last Updated on July 29, 2024 by Muskan Mishra