Some of the best toothache medicines are not necessarily found on drugstore shelves.

Head elevation can also help ease toothache pain at night.

There are two main types that help ease pain in slightly different ways.

A young Black man clutches the side of his face due to tooth pain.

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By doing so, NSAIDs can reduceinflammationalong with 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.

Note that Tylenol can causeliver injuryif taken in excess.

Always follow the manufacturer’s dosing instructions.

Topical Anesthetics

Topical anestheticsare numbing agents applied directly to tissues.

Some are available over the counter using different numbing agents.

On the cellular level, pain is activated by the passage ofsodiuminto nerve cells (neurons).

Benzocaine helps block this actionalong with pain signalswhen applied to the skin ormucous membranesof the mouth.

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.

Soak a cotton ball and hold it against the aching tooth for several minutes.

Numbing should be felt within five to 10 minutes.

Ice system can be done several times a day for between 10 and 20 minutes.

While effective, these can cause shooting pains if you have extreme tooth sensitivity.

It can also aid with healing if an underlying infection is involved.

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 might gently floss around the sore tooth to remove food particles that may be stuck.

Hydrogen peroxide is a mild antiseptic with a bitter taste that exerts mildbleaching properties.

After rinsing, spit out the solution.

Topical anesthetics containing benzocaine or clove oil can also help.

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