Home remedies for a toothache - dr chauvin lafayette la

Home remedies for a toothache

/in /by

A toothache can range from throbbing to excruciating, and with a good dentist it is likely that the pain will not last long. However, there are those times in the middle of the night when you need to take matters into your own hands.

Toothache is at the top of the list for not-a-fun-time, but there are some natural remedies you can use to relieve the pain before you make it to the dentist. From Dr. Chauvin and our office here in Lafayette, Louisiana, here are some home remedies to try.

Home Remedies for a Toothache

It’s always recommended to visit your dentist when facing serious, long-lasting tooth pain. But for quick home remedies to ease the pain in the meantime, here’s what you should consider:

• Clove Oil – Apply directly on your bad tooth. Clove oil has remarkable bacteria-slaying properties—and it also has a numbing effect, which is why it’s a longtime folk remedy for toothache. Today we know that this extract from the clove bud contains eugenol, which acts as a local anesthetic. The oil may sting at first, but then blissful relief sets in.

• Tincture of myrrh – The astringent effects help with inflammation, and myrrh offers the added benefit of killing bacteria. Simmer 1 teaspoon of powdered myrrh in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes. Strain and let cool. Rinse with 1 teaspoon of the solution in half-cup water five to six times a day.

• Peppermint tea – Has numbing power and a great taste. Put 1 teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves in 1 cup of boiling water and steep for 20 minutes. After the tea cools, swish it around in your mouth, then spit it out or swallow. Repeat as often as needed.

• 3% hydrogen peroxide solution – Swish mouthful to assist in killing bacteria and relieve some discomfort. This can provide temporary relief if the toothache is accompanied by fever and a foul taste in the mouth which are both signs of infection. A hydrogen peroxide solution is only for rinsing. Spit it out, then rinse it several times with plain water.

• Salt and Pepper -Salt mixed with pepper can be of great use when a tooth becomes extremely sensitive as both ingredients have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties.

  1. Mix equal amounts of pepper and common salt with a few drops of water to form a paste.
  2. Apply the paste directly on the affected tooth and allow it to sit for a few minutes.
  3. Do this daily for several days.

• Ice – Place a small cube in a plastic bag, wrap a thin cloth around the bag, and apply it to the aching tooth for about 15 minutes to numb the nerves. Alternatively, that ice pack can go on your cheek, over the painful tooth.

• Tea Bag  – A warm, wet tea bag is a standard folk remedy for toothache that’s worth a try. Black tea contains astringent tannins, which may reduce swelling and give you temporary relief.

• Use a toothpaste that’s designated “for sensitive teeth.” If you have a problem with shrinking gums, this could relieve a lot of the pain you probably experience from hot or cold foods. When gums shrink, the dentin beneath your teeth’s enamel surface is exposed, and this material is particularly sensitive.

• Garlic – The use of garlic can also provide immense relief from toothache. Garlic has antibiotic and other medicinal properties that can be very effective in reducing pain.

  1. Mix a crushed garlic clove (or garlic powder) with some table salt or black salt and apply it directly on the affected tooth to alleviate the pain. If you prefer, you can chew one or two cloves of garlic to get relief.
  2. Repeat this natural treatment for a few days.

Contact Dr. Chauvin in Lafayette, Louisiana for all your dental health questions

Whatever else you do, make an appointment to see your dentist. These home remedies can provide temporary relief, but your dentist needs to do some exploration and find out what’s causing this toothache. Odds are, you have a problem that requires treatment. If you don’t find out what’s causing the ache, it will only get worse.

dr tim chauvin lafayette la dentist Seasonal Allergies and Toothaches

Seasonal allergies and toothaches

/in /by

Flowers are blooming, crops are growing and being harvested, grass is being cut… Which means it’s everyone’s favorite time of year again, allergy season! In addition to the scratchy throats, runny noses, itchy eyes, and other assorted discomforts that plague those with allergies, some of you may be experiencing what appears to be a random toothache. Unfortunately, it isn’t random. Your allergies can actually cause toothaches.

Why do allergies sometimes cause toothaches?

There are four pairs of sinus cavities in our face, the frontal, maxillary, sphenoid, and ethmoid sinuses. Allergies can affect all of these. If your toothache is allergy-related, it will most likely be an upper molar. The most common culprit is pressure. Our facial sinuses have to drain upward. Then that drainage will run down the back of the throat. This is called a post-nasal drip, and is why your throat gets scratchy. When your sinuses become blocked, you get congested. That congestion creates sinus pressure, which builds up and inflames your upper molars. This can cause a variety of symptoms, including:

  • Aching teeth
  • Increased sensitivity to heat
  • Increased sensitivity to cold
  • Difficulty chewing

It’s important to see a dentist as a precaution any time you have a toothache. If no other issues are found and allergies are determined to be the cause of your tooth pain, then it’s often easily taken care of. An over-the-counter decongestant or antihistamine (in pill or nasal spray form) should alleviate your symptoms. Talk to your pharmacist about your symptoms and they’ll recommend the appropriate medication, especially if you’ve tried several different drugs that haven’t worked.

I treated my allergies but my tooth still hurts

So you took an antihistamine or decongestant to take care of the sinus pressure, but you’re still experiencing some oral discomfort? Most likely, you’re now experiencing one of the most common side-effects of allergy medication – mouth dryness. Saliva is very important to our oral health. It’s full of enzymes that are antibacterial. These enzymes protect our teeth from decay, and prevent bad breath. Saliva also helps to get rid of food particles that are left within our mouth after eating. A dry mouth creates the perfect environment for cavity-causing bacteria to thrive. The solution for this is to simply stay hydrated. Drink lots of water to refresh your mouth and wash out any lingering food particles or bacteria.

If you have a toothache and aren’t sure whether it’s simply allergies or another problem, set up an appointment with Dr. Chauvin’s office today!

Can your migraine be linked to dental pain dr chauvin lafayette la dentist

Can your migraine be linked to dental pain

/in /by

Can your migraine be linked to dental pain dr chauvin lafayette la dentistLet’s face it, migraines are just awful. They’re debilitating headaches and can have several different causes, including tooth pain. If you’re plagued by migraines and have ruled out other issues, like sinuses, stress, or a lack of sleep, it may be worth a trip to the dentist to see if you have a tooth causing the trouble. Here are some things you need to know about migraines linked to dental pain.

Possible causes of a dental pain migraine

Our nerves are a connected web that span our entire body. Sometimes, discomfort in one area will cause pain in another, seemingly unrelated area. For example, you could have pain or tingling in your hand caused by a pinched nerve in your shoulder. Toothaches and headaches are both detected by the same, large nerve – the trigeminal nerve. That’s why some headaches are actually toothaches! Because the same nerve is responsible for detecting all of those pain signals, your body sometimes cannot tell the difference.

The pain could be coming from a(n):

  • Cavity
  • Missing filling
  • Abscessed tooth
  • Cracked or otherwise damaged tooth
  • Gum disease
  • Disorder, such as TMJ

Treatment

These headache toothache combos (referred to as extended toothaches) are usually remedied by a visit to the dentist. Your dentist will take x-rays and perform an exam to determine the cause. After that, it’s a simple matter of fixing the problem; whether it’s filling a cavity, or prescribing antibiotics for an abscess. If you’ve tried different things to stop the migraines to no avail, get to your dentist. When it comes to dental problems, the longer you wait, the worse they get. So it’s better to get in as soon as possible. If you let a cavity go too long, you may find yourself in need of a root canal.

However, migraines can also masquerade as dental pain

In some cases, you may find that you’re experiencing the reverse. It is possible to experience severe tooth pain, and nothing be wrong from a dental standpoint. If a visit to the dentist yields a clean bill of dental health, your tooth pain could actually be a facial migraine. These are atypical types of migraine, and difficult to diagnose. The good news is, they’re easily treatable with medication. That’s why it’s so important to visit the dentist at the first sign of tooth pain! That way they can either fix the problem, or rule out dental trouble altogether. If any of this sounds familiar, call Dr. Chauvin’s office for an appointment! We’ll figure it out together.

What should you do if your child has a toothache

/in /by

We all know that toothaches are incredibly unpleasant, ranging from mild discomfort to incredibly painful. Some people will wait until the pain is absolutely unbearable before getting to a dentist, taking over-the-counter medications and trying to ignore it in the meantime.

Other people will get to a dentist at the first sign of any dental distress. Bottom line, adults are going to handle it however they see fit (although you really should be seeing a dentist straightaway). But what do we do when it’s our child with the toothache?

Causes and symptoms of a toothache

The first step to being able to treat a toothache at home is knowing exactly what symptoms your child is experiencing. Typically, toothaches can include the following:

  • Pain that is dull, sharp, throbbing, constant, or any combination of these
  • Swelling of the gums around the affected tooth
  • Headache
  • Fever
  • Foul-tasting drainage from infected tooth

These symptoms are often the result of:

  • Erupting teeth
  • Tooth decay
  • Fractured tooth
  • Food stuck between the teeth or in the gum line
  • Excessive chewing or tooth grinding
  • Damaged filling
  • Infected gums

At home toothache treatment

Once you know what the symptoms are, there are a number of ways you can ease your child’s discomfort until you are able to get him/her to a dentist:

  • You can mix a teaspoon of salt with a cup of warm water, and have them swish it around their mouth, then spit it out (if they’re old enough).
  • An oral anti-inflammatory will help with the pain as well.
    • If you can, use a liquid, as a chewable pill may be difficult when a toothache is involved.
  • A cold compress on the cheek by the sore area will help reduce pressure and swelling.
    • Ice cubes have hard edges and may further aggravate the area, so use a malleable, cold gel-style compress. Make sure to protect your child’s skin with a towel as well – you don’t want their skin getting too cold.
  • Clove oil is another option, as it acts as a topical analgesic.
    • If you do use clove oil, be very careful, as essential oils are strong when undiluted. Alternatively, you can pick up an over-the-counter, child-safe, toothache medication that contains clove oil.

Get them to the dentist

While these things may help your child feel some measure of relief, you’ll want to get them to a dentist rather quickly. Does your child have a tooth that is bothering them? Come see Dr. Chauvin!