The three most effective things you can do at home for a toothache are: take paracetamol or ibuprofen as advised, apply a cold compress to the outside of the cheek, and rinse with warm salt water. These reduce pain but do not treat the cause. See a dentist within 24–48 hours.
What genuinely helps
A toothache is almost always the result of infection or inflammation. Home measures temporarily reduce that inflammation, which is why they bring relief. These four are safe and effective:
- Painkillers: paracetamol or ibuprofen work best. Check the dose with a doctor or pharmacist if you have ulcers, kidney problems, or are pregnant.
- Cold compress: hold wrapped ice against the outside of the cheek for 15 minutes, then rest 15 minutes. It reduces both swelling and pain.
- Salt water rinse: half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, 3–4 times a day. It flushes out food debris and calms inflamed gums.
- Sleep with your head raised: pain worsens at night because lying flat increases blood pressure around the tooth. An extra pillow helps.
Eat soft, cool food and stop chewing on the painful side. Avoid anything very hot, very cold or sweet.
What to avoid — these cause harm
Several widely used remedies make things worse:
- Placing a painkiller tablet directly on the tooth: crushed aspirin held against the gum causes a chemical burn. Painkillers are swallowed, not applied.
- Hot compresses: if the face is swollen, heat helps the infection spread. Use cold instead.
- Large amounts of clove oil: a small amount numbs briefly, but heavy use burns the gum and tongue.
- Antibiotics without a prescription: self-medicating suppresses the infection without curing it, and makes the drug less effective for you in future.
- Garlic or lime paste on the gum: this burns the tissue and increases the pain.
When to see a dentist immediately
Don’t wait if any of these apply — be seen the same day:
- Swelling of the face, cheek or under the eye
- Fever
- Difficulty swallowing or opening your mouth
- Pain that painkillers no longer control
- A tooth broken or loosened in an accident
A spreading dental infection can become serious. It is not something to wait out.
The real cause, and the fix
Home measures dull the pain but leave the cause in place, so it returns — usually worse. The common causes:
- A cavity — treated early, a filling costs ৳800–2,000.
- Infected nerve — needs root canal treatment, ৳3,000–8,000.
- Gum inflammation and calculus — scaling, ৳1,000–2,000.
- Wisdom tooth — may need removal.
One rule covers it: the sooner a painful tooth is seen, the simpler and cheaper the treatment. An ৳800 filling left alone becomes a ৳5,000 root canal.
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FAQ
Related questions
Lying flat increases blood flow to the head, raising pressure inside an infected tooth. There are also fewer distractions at night, so the pain feels stronger. Sleeping with your head raised helps.
The eugenol in clove numbs the area briefly, so it does bring short-term relief. It does not treat the infection, and excessive use burns the gum and tongue. It is not a substitute for treatment.
Yes. Pain stopping suddenly can be a bad sign: it may mean the nerve inside the tooth has died completely. The infection remains and can later form an abscess in the gum.
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