Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOTC PainkillersTopical AnestheticsHome RemediesWhen to See a Dentist
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
OTC Painkillers
Topical Anesthetics
Home Remedies
When to See a Dentist
Some of the best toothache medicines are not necessarily found on drugstore shelves. Although over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers and topical anesthetics can be very effective at easingtoothachepain, there are things around the house that may be just as effective, including ice application and saltwater rinses. Head elevation can also help ease toothache pain at night.
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Over-the-Counter Pain Medicines
One of the first things people typically do when faced with a toothache is reach for OTC oral painkillers. There are two main types that help ease pain in slightly different ways.
NSAIDs
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommendsnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)as the first-line treatment option for uncomplicated tooth pain.
OTC NSAIDs commonly used for this include:
NSAIDs should only be taken as directed on the product label. Note that overuse of NSAIDs promotes bleeding and can lead tostomach ulcers.
Tylenol
Tylenol (acetaminophen)reduces pain and fever but doesn’t have the anti-inflammatory benefits of NSAIDs.If the pain is severe, Tylenol can be taken with an NSAID in alternating doses. (On the other hand, an NSAID should never be taken with another NSAID as it increases the risk of ulcers).
Note that Tylenol can causeliver injuryif taken in excess. For most healthy adults, the maximum dose is no more than 4,000 milligrams (mg) per day from all sources. Always follow the manufacturer’s dosing instructions.
Topical anestheticsare numbing agents applied directly to tissues. Some are available over the counter using different numbing agents.
Benzocaine
Sold over the counter in cream, gel, or liquid formulations,benzocaineis the active ingredient in many topical anesthetics used to treat dental pain ororal sores.
OTC products containing benzocaine (in concentrations of 10% to 20%) include:
Clove Oil
Clove oilis a natural remedy sold over the counter that can also help ease toothache pain. Theessential oilcontains a compound calledeugenolwhich is known to exert both anesthetic and antibacterial properties.
Clove oil should not be applied undiluted as it can cause toxicity even in low doses. Instead, mix 3 to 5 drops of clove oil with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. Soak a cotton ball and hold it against the aching tooth for several minutes. Numbing should be felt within five to 10 minutes.
OTC clove oil toothache remedies include:
There are a number of age-old remedies used to treat toothaches that may be used on their own or in combination with OTC remedies.
Ice Application
Ice application, also known ascryotherapy, is a tried and true method of topical pain relief. Placing a cold compress, ice pack, or frozen bag of peas against your cheek causes the rapid constriction (narrowing) of blood vessels that helps easeinflammationand pain.
Ice application can be done several times a day for between 10 and 20 minutes. Place a cloth barrier between the ice pack and your face, and keep moving the pack to prevent frostbite,
You can also try sipping a cup of ice water, sucking a popsicle, or rolling a cube of ice in your mouth. While effective, these can cause shooting pains if you have extreme tooth sensitivity.
Saltwater Rinse
To make a saltwater rinse, mix 1/2 teaspoon of table salt with 8 ounces of lukewarm water. Swish it around for 10 to 20 seconds and spit it out. You can gently floss around the sore tooth to remove food particles that may be stuck.
Hydrogen Peroxide Rinse
As an alternative to salt water, try rinsing your mouth with equal partshydrogen peroxideand water. Hydrogen peroxide is a mild antiseptic with a bitter taste that exerts mildbleaching properties.
Most brands sold over the counter contain 3% hydrogen peroxide; these can be applied directly to the skin to treat minor cuts and scrapes.For use in an oral rinse, hydrogen peroxide needs dilution.
After rinsing, spit out the solution. Avoid swallowing as hydrogen peroxide, even diluted, can cause stomach pain along with bloating, cramping, chest pain, and nausea.
Commercial mouth rinses containing hydrogen peroxide include:
Head Elevation
Toothache pain is often worse at night because the flat position of your head increases blood flow to your head and mouth. The consequence of this is intense, throbbing pain that can radiate to your jaw and face—sometimes severely enough to wake you up.
If you have a tendency togrind your teethat night (which can also trigger nighttime tooth pain), try an OTC mouth guard such as DenTek Mouth Guard, SleepGuard Mouth Guard, or SleepRight ProX Mouth Guard.
A toothache is something that should never be ignored if it is persistent or severe. Ignoring or living with the pain increases your risk of dental complications, such as tooth abscess and/or tooth or bone loss.
It’s time to see a dentist when:
Summary
Toothache pain can often be eased with OTC painkillers like Tylenol, aspirin, Advil, or Aleve. Topical anesthetics containing benzocaine or clove oil can also help. Effective home remedies include ice application, a saltwater or hydrogen peroxide mouth rinse, and head elevation at night.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Dental Association.Oral analgesics for acute dental pain.Scheiman J.NSAID-induced gastrointestinal injury: a focused update for clinicians.J Clin Gastroenterol.2016;50(1):5-10. doi:10.1097/MCG.0000000000000432MedlinePlus.Acetaminophen.University of Connecticut Health.How to alternate acetaminophen and Ibuprofen.Harvard Health.Acetaminophen safety - be cautious but not afraid.De Freiras GC, Pozzobon RT, Blaya DS, Moreira CH. Efficacy of benzocaine 20% topical anesthetic compared to placebo prior to administration of local anesthesia in the oral cavity, a randomized controlled trial.Anesth Prog. 2015;62(2):46–50. doi:10.2344/0003-3006-62.2.46National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eugenol (clove oil).Taberner-Vallverdú M, Nazir M, Sánchez-Garcés MÁ, Gay-Escoda C.Efficacy of different methods used for dry socket management: a systematic review.Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2015;20(5):e633-9. doi:10.4317/medoral.20589Fernandes IA, Armond ACV, Falci GBM.The effectiveness of the cold therapy (cryotherapy) in the management of inflammatory parameters after removal of mandibular third molars: a meta-analysis.Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2019 Mar 13;23(2):221–228. doi:10.1055/s-0039-1677755Johns Hopkins Medicine.Patient guide to ice techniques.Huynh NCN, Everts V, Leethanakul C, Pavasant P, Ampornaramveth RS.Rinsing with saline promotes human gingival fibroblast wound healing in vitro.PLoS One. 2016;11(7):e0159843. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0159843American Dental Association.Whitening.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hydrogen peroxide.Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at USC.5 ways to treat bruxism.National Health Service (UK).Toothache.Additional ReadingNational Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Ibuprofen.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Dental Association.Oral analgesics for acute dental pain.Scheiman J.NSAID-induced gastrointestinal injury: a focused update for clinicians.J Clin Gastroenterol.2016;50(1):5-10. doi:10.1097/MCG.0000000000000432MedlinePlus.Acetaminophen.University of Connecticut Health.How to alternate acetaminophen and Ibuprofen.Harvard Health.Acetaminophen safety - be cautious but not afraid.De Freiras GC, Pozzobon RT, Blaya DS, Moreira CH. Efficacy of benzocaine 20% topical anesthetic compared to placebo prior to administration of local anesthesia in the oral cavity, a randomized controlled trial.Anesth Prog. 2015;62(2):46–50. doi:10.2344/0003-3006-62.2.46National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eugenol (clove oil).Taberner-Vallverdú M, Nazir M, Sánchez-Garcés MÁ, Gay-Escoda C.Efficacy of different methods used for dry socket management: a systematic review.Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2015;20(5):e633-9. doi:10.4317/medoral.20589Fernandes IA, Armond ACV, Falci GBM.The effectiveness of the cold therapy (cryotherapy) in the management of inflammatory parameters after removal of mandibular third molars: a meta-analysis.Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2019 Mar 13;23(2):221–228. doi:10.1055/s-0039-1677755Johns Hopkins Medicine.Patient guide to ice techniques.Huynh NCN, Everts V, Leethanakul C, Pavasant P, Ampornaramveth RS.Rinsing with saline promotes human gingival fibroblast wound healing in vitro.PLoS One. 2016;11(7):e0159843. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0159843American Dental Association.Whitening.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hydrogen peroxide.Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at USC.5 ways to treat bruxism.National Health Service (UK).Toothache.
American Dental Association.Oral analgesics for acute dental pain.
Scheiman J.NSAID-induced gastrointestinal injury: a focused update for clinicians.J Clin Gastroenterol.2016;50(1):5-10. doi:10.1097/MCG.0000000000000432
MedlinePlus.Acetaminophen.
University of Connecticut Health.How to alternate acetaminophen and Ibuprofen.
Harvard Health.Acetaminophen safety - be cautious but not afraid.
De Freiras GC, Pozzobon RT, Blaya DS, Moreira CH. Efficacy of benzocaine 20% topical anesthetic compared to placebo prior to administration of local anesthesia in the oral cavity, a randomized controlled trial.Anesth Prog. 2015;62(2):46–50. doi:10.2344/0003-3006-62.2.46
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eugenol (clove oil).
Taberner-Vallverdú M, Nazir M, Sánchez-Garcés MÁ, Gay-Escoda C.Efficacy of different methods used for dry socket management: a systematic review.Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2015;20(5):e633-9. doi:10.4317/medoral.20589
Fernandes IA, Armond ACV, Falci GBM.The effectiveness of the cold therapy (cryotherapy) in the management of inflammatory parameters after removal of mandibular third molars: a meta-analysis.Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2019 Mar 13;23(2):221–228. doi:10.1055/s-0039-1677755
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Patient guide to ice techniques.
Huynh NCN, Everts V, Leethanakul C, Pavasant P, Ampornaramveth RS.Rinsing with saline promotes human gingival fibroblast wound healing in vitro.PLoS One. 2016;11(7):e0159843. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0159843
American Dental Association.Whitening.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hydrogen peroxide.
Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at USC.5 ways to treat bruxism.
National Health Service (UK).Toothache.
National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Ibuprofen.
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