All-Natural Relief: The Best Essential Oils for Toothaches
There are all kinds of reasons you might look into alternative medicine. Maybe you want to look into natural remedies instead of psychiatric drugs. Maybe you don’t love going to the doctor.
You’ve heard all about what essential oils can do. But you might not know that essential oils can help relieve your tooth pain, too.
Want to find out more? Keep reading for some great essential oils for tooth pain.
Essential Oils for Tooth Pain
Maybe your wisdom teeth are coming in. Maybe you need a root canal (if so, check out this website). Or maybe you just have an aching tooth that won’t quit.
There are a lot of reasons why you might turn to essential oils. They’re a more natural option than many chemical-heavy choices provided by your dentist, and you may already have the ingredients on hand anyway.
Check out these essential oils for tooth pain and see what you can do to make your mouth feel calmer and healthier.
Clove
Clove isn’t necessarily the best-known herb in cooking, which is a shame because it lends a certain richness to any spice blend.
As a healing oil, it should be your first choice for tooth pain.
Humans have been using clove as a pain reliever for thousands of years. The benefits come from its eugenol content, which is also used in dental filler and dental cement.
Specifically, eugenol has antibacterial and analgesic properties, which means it helps prevent infection while numbing your gums.
Peppermint
Peppermint is in most kinds of toothpaste for a reason. Have you ever wondered why?
That’s because mint naturally contains methol, which is responsible for the cooling sensation you get from mint or your toothpaste. It has strong antibacterial properties and can also act as a minor anesthetic when applied topically.
Keep in mind, though, that you should never ingest pure peppermint oil. Instead, put about ten drops of peppermint oil into one cup of water and use it as a mouthwash. Don’t swallow any of it, and don’t give peppermint oil to children, no matter how diluted.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is a known salve for healing burns, and it’s a fantastic pain reliever for your teeth as well.
In a 1994 study, tea tree oil was among the most effective essential oils in treating dental maladies due to its antimicrobial properties. That’s good to know, considering that there are around 700 different types of bacteria in the human mouth.
Don’t worry, most people only host about 34 to 72 types, most of which are harmless. Some of them help us break down our food, and some of them even help protect our teeth.
For the bad stuff, though, you’ll want tea tree oil. The same rule as peppermint oil applies: do not ingest it.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a popular cooking spice. But what you may not know is that cinnamon oil can actually help soothe your teeth.
This is why cinnamon is the second most popular ingredient in chewing gum (after mint, of course). Like many other oils on this list, cinnamon oil has antimicrobial properties. In fact, it’s great at combating dental plaque.
Of course, it’s also a good pain reliever. It works by expanding blood vessels, improving the flow of oxygen to damaged tissue.
Lavender
If you’re like most Americans, you’re probably more used to seeing lavender in a garden than your kitchen. But if you’re not using lavender oil when a toothache rolls around, you’re missing out on an opportunity to soothe your teeth.
Lavender is particularly effective at fending off certain types of bacteria, like the bacteria responsible for plaque and tartar.
If you’re in circles that swear by essential oils, you’ve probably heard rave reviews of lavender as a stress-reliever. It’s known as a calming scent, which means it can also help reduce stress associated with grinding your teeth.
To use it, put a few drops of lavender oil in a diffuser before bed. The smell will lull you into a peaceful sleep and keep you from grinding your teeth out of anxiety.
Garlic
You may like eating garlic in your favorite Italian dishes, even if you don’t love the garlic breath that follows it.
You might feel better about that garlic breath once you realize how much garlic can help relieve tooth pain.
Crushed garlic cloves release allicin, which is a powerful antibiotic. It can also help relieve a toothache when used in small doses. As with other oils, it’s a good idea to use it as a mouthwash (when diluted with water). You can also chew a piece of raw garlic–just make sure to use mint afterward!
Ginger
Finally, for a remedy with a bit of kick, you can try using ginger oil.
Ginger is a powerful antiseptic, and raw ginger contains all kinds of good things like gingerone, shogaols, and gingerols.
It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which make it a great choice as a pain reliever.
You can chew raw ginger to get the antibacterial benefits (plus, it tastes better than garlic). You can also use it in a mouthwash–just put a few drops into a cup of water and swish it around.
More Educational Posts to Share
How is your mouth feeling? Hopefully, these essential oils for tooth pain made you feel a little better.
If you want more great tips like this, check out our health and fitness section for more posts like this one on how to educate yourself on senior healthcare, or this post on why adult braces are a fantastic choice for health-minded adults.