10 natural remedies for a tooth infection

The only way to truly get rid of any infection is with antibiotics; however, home remedies for tooth infection can help manage the symptoms and alleviate some of the pain. If you have a tooth infection, you need to see a dentist to assess whether you need a root canal and to get prescription antibiotics to ensure the infection goes away and doesn’t cause any more pain or damage to your teeth.

There are some natural remedies you can use both to help control the pain and to stop the infection from getting worse or spreading while you wait for it to clear. These remedies won’t work for everyone, but if you’re in pain from an infected tooth, they can bring you some relief.

1. Saltwater rinse

One of the easiest things you can do to minimize the pain and spread of a tooth infection is to rinse your mouth with a warm saltwater solution. A saltwater rinse will kill off some of the bacteria and irrigate your mouth. It can rinse some of the debris out of your mouth and if you have an abscess, it can help break up the pus surrounding the tooth. You can use regular table salt and warm tap water to make a basic saltwater rinse. Just add about half a teaspoon of salt to a small cup of warm water and stir it well. Swish the solution thoroughly around your mouth for a couple minutes and then spit it out. 

2. Baking soda

A tooth-abscess home treatment that you likely already have in your kitchen is baking soda: The same baking soda that you keep in the refrigerator to mitigate odor also has antibacterial properties. Rinsing your mouth with a solution of baking soda and warm water will help reduce the amount of plaque in your mouth and relieve pain. If you have an abscess on the side of your tooth or in your gums, you can make a paste of baking soda and water and apply that directly to your tooth or gum instead of using the rinse. If the infection in your tooth is in another part of the tooth, use the rinse. 

3. Essential oils 

Essential oils have been used for their medicinal properties for centuries. Essential oils are made from plants that are distilled with water or steam or cold pressed to extract the oil within the plant leaves and stems. Steam distillation is the most common modern method of extracting oil from plants, but in earlier centuries they often used cold pressing to make sure they got the best quality oil. 

Always keep essential oils in a cool place away from things like spices or food. Put a couple drops of the essential oil on a cotton ball or cotton swab and then use that to apply the oil to your tooth. 

Several gentle essential oils have been proven efficacious in treating a number of dental issues, including:

• Oregano oil

• Thyme oil

• Clove oil

• Tea Tree oil

• Lavender oil

These days, people use “natural oils” to do everything from flavoring baked goods to making perfumes and soaps; those oils are scent oils, not pure essential oils. Those oils have no therapeutic value and can be dangerous if ingested. When using essential oils, make sure you are using pure medicinal-grade oils. You can find them at any health food store and online; some food co-ops sell them, as well. Buy from trusted brands that have a reputation for high quality.

4. Herbal teas 

Herbal teas are another time-tested home remedy for many different ailments. You can make your own herbal teas by buying the leaves and stems of various herbs and simply steeping them in hot water to make a tea; however, it will probably be more effective to buy medicinal-grade teas that are already made. Therapeutic-grade teas will contain a higher quality of herb and a stronger concentration than anything you can buy, so they likely will be more effective. If your teeth are sensitive to heat because of the infection, brew the tea, let it steep for up to 15 minutes (depending on how string you want it to be), and let it cool to room temperature before you drink it. 

Fenugreek is a popular tea to help alleviate tooth infection symptoms, though not enough research has been done to prove that those properties are beneficial for tooth infection home treatment. Fenugreek tea is easy to find at most health food stores and even in some grocery stores with an alternative medicine or alternative health food section. 

The other recommended tea for a tooth infection is Goldenseal tea. Goldenseal is an herb related to turmeric and it has many of the same anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties that turmeric has. Goldenseal also has natural antibacterial and antibiotic properties for a tooth infection. Drink up to three cups a day to help treat a tooth infection. 

5. Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is something almost everyone has in their cabinet. It has many household and first-aid uses, but it’s best known for preventing infections in cuts and for being an effective mouthwash. This simple first aid staple is one of the best remedies for an infected tooth. To make a hydrogen peroxide mouth rinse, mix equal parts peroxide and warm water, then rinse your mouth with that. 

6. Garlic

A tooth abscess home remedy that is easy to find and inexpensive to buy is garlic. You may not like the idea of smelling like garlic, but its healing effects can make the smell worth it. There is a compound in fresh raw garlic called allicin that may have significant pain relief and antibacterial properties that can reduce or eliminate the infection in a tooth. If you suspect you have a tooth infection and you can’t get to a dentist right away, peeling a clove of garlic and gently biting down on it with your infected tooth can help. You will need to leave the piece of garlic against your tooth for a few minutes for it to be effective. 

7. Over-the-counter painkillers

You can take over-the-counter painkillers (e.g., acetaminophen, naproxen, and aspirin) to control the pain and any radiating pain caused by your tooth infection. Just make sure that you don’t take more than the recommended dose and that they won’t have a bad interaction with any other medications you’re taking. 

8. Coconut oil pulling 

Oil pulling is a rather controversial practice. Some people say it helps maintain good dental hygiene and recommend doing it daily; however, there is no evidence that oil pulling has any medicinal benefits for oral health. Coconut oil has some powerful antibacterial properties, so it’s possible that oil pulling using liquid coconut oil could help lessen the duration of the infection or make the symptoms more manageable. 

9. Cold compress

A cold compress can help if you have a swollen face from tooth infection. Home remedies can help tooth pain, but cold is the best thing to bring down swelling. Most commercially available ice packs don’t bend, so it can be difficult to get them to sit right on the curves of your face or neck. Instead of an ice pack, you can make your own by wrapping up some ice in a washcloth or towel. Or you can always grab a bag of frozen corn or peas, which are more adjustable and will stay cold for a long time. 

10. Aloe vera gel 

Aloe vera gel often is used to treat burns and cuts or skin irritations because it has natural antibacterial properties, but it also is an effective way to stop the pain of an infected tooth. It can help heal abscesses in the gums. When you buy aloe vera gel to use in your mouth, make sure you are buying food-grade aloe vera so it’s safe to ingest. You also can use aloe vera liquid, but the gel is easier to apply to your teeth and gums. Keep the bottle in the refrigerator for extra pain relief. Applying cold aloe vera gel to a painful infected tooth or infected gums can give you instant pain relief and the added benefit of fighting infection.

When to call a dentist

A tooth infection happens when bacteria get into the tooth through a cavity, a chip, or a crack. Infections in the teeth can spread to other teeth, your jaw, or your gums. If a tooth infection is left untreated, it can have serious health consequences, so it’s important to see a dentist to treat it promptly. 

Natural remedies can help you manage the symptoms of a tooth infection, but you still need to see a dentist about the infection. The dentist can take X-rays to determine if you need a root canal and see how bad the damage from the infection is. You also may need a course of antibiotics. You should call a dentist as soon as you suspect that you have an infected tooth. 

How a dentist will treat a tooth infection

Once a dentist has determined that you have an infection, the dentist can work to treat the infection, clear out any abscesses that have formed, and assess the damage. You will usually be given a prescription for antibiotics too. If there are abscesses in the tooth or in the gums near the tooth the dentist will go in and clean those pockets out to get rid of the bacteria. Often that can provide immediate relief from the pain of an infected tooth. The dentist will also check your teeth to see if you will need a root canal to save the tooth. 

What causes a tooth infection?

The primary cause of a tooth infection is dental caries, or tooth decay. Your mouth is full of bacteria all the time, but usually that bacteria doesn’t get inside your teeth where it can cause an infection. When decay causes cavities and cracks or holes in your teeth, bacteria can seep into your teeth and cause a tooth infection. An infection also can occur if you injure your tooth by cracking or chipping it. Keeping your teeth strong and healthy through regular brushing and flossing can help prevent decay and infections. 

Infection can happen in different parts of the tooth. Sometimes the infection occurs on the side of the tooth if there is an opening there, which can cause the infection to spread to the gums. Pockets of pus called abscesses can form around the infection that will need to be drained by the dentist for the infection to go away.

Symptoms of a tooth infection

The most obvious symptom of a tooth infection is pain: Intense, sharp, or shooting pain in a tooth is a good indication that there is an infection that needs to be dealt with. Other common symptoms of a tooth infection are:

• Severe, persistent, throbbing toothache that radiates to the jawbone, neck, or ear.

• Sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures.

• Sensitivity to the pressure of chewing or biting.

• Fever not associated with flu or another illness.

• Swelling in your face, cheek, or jaw.

• Tender, swollen lymph nodes under your jaw or in your neck.

• Sudden rush of foul-smelling and foul-tasting, salty fluid in your mouth and pain relief, if the abscess ruptures.

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing.

How dental insurance can help

Dental emergencies happen. Even if you are practicing good dental hygiene and you take care of your teeth, you can still end up with an infected tooth that needs to be dealt with right away. Dental insurance can help cover the costs of things such as X-rays, exams, and other treatments, as well as more expensive care like root canals.