Can Garlic Help with Toothache?

We all know toothaches can be an extremely excruciating experience, especially when you wake up in the night with severe pain and do not know what to do. At that time, you can only resort to some proven home remedies, one of which is garlic.

Toothaches can occur due to a variety of reasons such as cavities, tooth decay, gum infection, aggressive flossing, grinding teeth, etc. In most cases, you would need to schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible but till the time you can get to the clinic, there are a few effective home remedies to get fast relief from the pain.

Garlic is known for its healing powers and is adjudged a superfood due to its immense health benefits. Amongst its various uses, this chive has been used as a traditional remedy for teeth issues and pain. Let us discover more about the relationship between Allium Sativum (the scientific name for this herb) and toothache and also get to know some other home remedies for an aching tooth.

The Many Uses Of Allium Sativum

You might think of garlic as a herb which is used mostly in Italian cooking but it has been touted for its various medicinal properties for centuries. Garlic contains a compound called allicin that has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties and is capable of killing some of the bacteria which often cause toothache. 

• Garlic can help reduce high blood pressure, prevent heart disease, and reduce high cholesterol, cancer, and atherosclerosis.
• This herb can also heal wounds, skin infections, ulcers, athlete’s foot, flu, strep, certain viruses, respiratory ailments, ear aches, bladder issues, kidney problems, colds, colic, and blood thinning.

What Kind of Garlic Is Suitable For Toothaches

For tooth pain, you might consider using garlic powder instead of fresh garlic, but garlic powder lacks allicin, the essential compound in raw garlic. Hence using garlic powder will not give you relief from pain.

• As raw garlic preserves the active compound, it is deemed best for medicinal purposes.
• The whole garlic doesn’t contain allicin but only when the chive is chewed, crushed, sliced, or chopped can you get the compound for some time. 

How to Use Garlic For Toothache

You can use this herb in various ways to get relief from toothaches such as peeling and sticking a raw garlic clove right where your tooth is hurting. Here are some of the different ways to use this chive as a remedy for tooth pain:

1. Chew a clove of the chive

• Put this raw herb under the sore tooth and chew slightly. Chewing the chive produces allicin that aids in removing pain-causing bacteria.
• Keep the herb under your hurting tooth for a while (around ten minutes.)

2. Make a paste

• Crush the herb and make a paste with a small amount of salt. Salt also contains antibacterial properties which help in reducing swelling and minimizing pain.
• You can use your finger or cotton swab to apply the fresh paste around the hurting tooth. Leave the paste on your tooth for ten minutes.

Precautions And Side Effects of Using Garlic For Toothache

While chewing the herb, make sure you are not pushing it deep down the affected tooth so that it gets stuck there. If you have a cavity, this could cause a lot of other complications.

Though not very common, some people might be allergic to garlic. Please make sure you don’t have any allergies to this chive before you use it for your toothache. Raw garlic has some potential side effects which you must be aware of:

• It can cause bloating
• Bad breath is another reason you might want to avoid this herb.
• It can cause bad body odor.
• You can have an upset stomach due to the herb.
• There could be a chance of heartburn.
• It might feel like your mouth is burning.
• The herb could also cause cis reflux.

Other Home Remedies For Toothache

Apart from garlic, some of the other home remedies for tooth pain are:

• Onion – Onions have antiseptic properties that can kill germs inside our mouths. By putting peeled and chopped onion under the affected tooth, you could get relief from tooth infections and toothache.
• Salt and pepper – You could use two tablespoons of salt and an equal amount of pepper along with water to make a paste and apply it to the affected area for a few minutes. This mixture contains anti-inflammatory properties which can give you temporary relief from toothache.
• Peppermint – We all must have experienced that peppermint numbs your gums which can give you relief from toothache. You could use dried peppermint leaves to make tea. Make sure that the tea is cold enough before swishing it around your mouth and spitting it out. Swallowing the mixture will not have any negative effects as it is all-natural.

A toothache should not be treated lightly or ignored. If you have persistent tooth pain, it is imperative to see your dentist as soon as you can schedule an appointment. But home remedies such as garlic can surely provide intermittent relief as you wait to get your tooth treated by a professional.