A staggering nine in 10 Canadians — that’s how many have had tooth decay at least once in their life.
One of the biggest reasons behind this is a lack of proper brushing and flossing habits. One study found that only 37.5% of Canadians have the habit of brushing twice and flossing once every day.
That said, it’s no wonder that tooth pain is among the most common complaints that many of us have. While this doesn’t always indicate tooth decay, it’s best to see a dentist as soon as this happens. In the meantime, there are some at-home toothache remedies that we can use to help relieve the pain.
Ready to learn all about the best toothache relief strategies to try at home? Then let’s get right into it!
Rinse With Salt Water
Toothache can actually come from irritated, swelling, or infected gums. Gum disease is, in fact, among the most common causes of tooth pain in Canada. It’s so prevalent that seven in 10 people in the Great White North will develop it at some point.
In this case, a gum and toothache treatment made of water and table salt may help. Saltwater that contains 0.9% to 1.8% of sodium chloride has shown to have gum-healing properties.
To make the saltwater rinse, dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of lukewarm water. Gargle the solution for at least 30 seconds, concentrating it in the sore area. Do this at least twice a day.
Hit the Two-Minute Brushing Mark
Regardless of the cause of a toothache, our goal should be to keep more plaque at bay. This way, we can prevent bacteria from wreaking even more havoc in our mouth. This can also help relieve the toothache to some extent.
However, brushing for less than two minutes won’t get rid of as much plaque as necessary. Whereas brushing for at least two minutes can remove 26% more plaque than what 45 seconds can.
Switch to a Tapered-Tip Brush With Soft Bristles
Hard bristles can further irritate sore teeth and swollen gums. This is why we should all consider upgrading to a tapered-tip, soft-bristled toothbrush. This way, we can help keep our teeth and gums free of pain-causing bacterial plaque.
In fact, these brushes are even better when it comes to cleaning off plaque! They’ve shown to reduce plaque by more than 70% in just a single toothbrushing session.
OTC Medication for Short-Term Pain Relief
Some cases of toothaches can be quite bad, as in headache- or migraine-bad. For those of us who experience this kind of pain, over-the-counter pain relievers may help. Advil, Aleve, or Tylenol are some of our options.
A friendly reminder though: take these meds only as a temporary relief for toothache. As with any medications, their long-term use can still lead to side-effects.
Try These Toothache Remedies Now
There we go, some of the top toothache remedies that we can try at home. In fact, it’s best that we don’t wait for sore teeth before we start brushing for at least two minutes. If we all develop this habit now, we’ll be able to prevent more tooth pain in the future.
In case of a more serious kind of tooth pain, it’s possible that we’re already dealing with a dental emergency. If so, then please know that we here at Estrabillo Dental Group can help. Please get in touch with us now so we can assist you further!
