Abigail Adams had a toothache that actual was so infected it was felt in her jawline.
She tried lots of “youtube” remedies. She’ll review what did and didn’t work.
(None of these solutions are so you can avoid going to a dentist. These are remedies for the pain UNTIL you can see the dentist.) ((iOTWreport recommends you seek medical attention as soon as possible when you have an infection.))
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I thought I’d send this your way as a sorta PSA/human interest piece. It might actually do someone some good, too.
For the past couple days I’ve had this tender spot along my jawline and just thought it was from a bad sleep position or because the nights have turned cooler and I’m getting a painful neck from a draft at night.
It turned out to be a huge tooth infection from a back molar. I’m a grinder and a clencher and one of my back molars finally cracked under all that pressure, allowing bacteria to get in there. Apparently it doesn’t take much to set off a huge infection.
And I don’t know why — maybe because it’s the middle of the night and there are fewer distractions — but toothache pain is at it’s worst in the small hours. What to do? What to do?
First I’ll tell you what I did and then I’ll tell you what worked.
1. Salt & Pepper Poultice. Does that sound like it even makes any sense to you? It’s supposed to work on the theory that salt and pepper are each anti-bacterials, analgesics, and blah blah blah. When the pepper gets loose in your mouth, it’s about as painful as the offending tooth and maybe that’s the secret. Didn’t work.
2. Gargling with very hot salt water. Supposed to also act as an antibacterial and soother of pain. Didn’t work for me on the pain, but the inside of my mouth was all puckery from the salt water.
3. Mint oil. Same as for pepper, but nicer smelling. Didn’t work, but did tamp the pain down a little for a very little while.
4. Bread. The idea is to ball up a piece of soft bread (no crust) and pack it on and around the tooth. I think this only works where cavities are involved — and that makes sense. Doesn’t work for hairline cracks and does nothing to reduce pain when there’s already an infection. Didn’t work for me in this case but the woman on YT was so damn convincing I tried it anyway.
5. Brushing with soda and rinsing with h. peroxide. Another anti-bacterial approach to getting after the infection. Takes too long. Gargling with the peroxide was kinda fun, though. (was told by YT’er to rinse with water afterward)
6. Raw onions and garlic. Hey! It’s 3 a.m., my tooth hurts like I can’t even imagine and I’m supposed to use a sharp knife? What are they, nuts?! Had to abandon the idea before ….
After reading and rereading several more home remedies and watching several more YT vids, I happened upon an actual dentist who had this to say:
a. When you lie down, elevate your head, neck and shoulders on several pillows or a v-shaped cushion to keep your head above your heart. That way the blood pressure isn’t as great on your head/jaw/mouth. b. “3-3-3” Take three Advil, three times a day, for three days (or until you can get in to see a dentist). c. Put an ice pack on your cheek/jaw where the pain is.
I called a consulting nurse to make sure I could take three Advil after having taken nine aspirin in the preceding twelve hours, took the three Advil, propped myself up, (put on my headphones to listen to a Jordan Peterson lecture) and placed the ice pack on my jaw.
I could tell you the exact time the pain stopped. It took about fifteen minutes but that Advil knocked the pain down so much I finally drifted off to sleep.
I was lucky to get into an emergency dentist this morning. I can’t even imagine having that much pain over several days. My ordeal will be worth it if it helps even one other toothache sufferer.
~ Abigail Adams
There’s always the Door Knob.
Thanks, AA, for the tip; very good to know this.
Not to belabor the already obvious, a tooth infection is a serious matter that calls for quick treatment. I am not a doctor (although I played one as a youngster, heh-heh) or dentist, but IIRC the blood supply to mouth/teeth is at least partially shared with your brain. If the infection gets into your bloodstream you have a major and possibly fatal problem on your hands. Septicemia is bad, bad news if not treated right away.
From experience… the ONLY thing that touches a bad tooth in my mouth, aside from a Dentist, is Liquid Orajel. DO NOT use a store brand or other brand of ANY kind. ONLY LIQUID and ONLY the original will do!! Take a little thin coffee stirrer straw (provided that you live in an area where plastic straws are not a felony) and dip it into the bottle. Place a moistened finger over the end of the stirrer to seal and withdraw it. Suspend the end of the stirrer over the offending tooth and release the liquid allowing it to flow over said tooth. The act of applying the liquid WITHOUT touching the tooth with cotton or one’s finger is VITAL. Positioning one’s head in such a way that the liquid remains in the area of the tooth is suggested. Lastly, spit, NEVER swallow (I can’t believe that I ever let those words pass my keyboard). Repeat as needed. The relief will be swift and BLISSFULL!
I had a serious wisdom tooth infection a couple years ago, requiring emergency extraction and the doc prescribed norco for the post surgery pain. I got no relief and it made me sick to my stomach so I took Advil, it worked much better. No idea how anyone benefits from those opies….they suck.
gin soaked cotton balls was the only thing that worked for me one new years eve in 1981. next morning climbed out of the sleeping bag to a parade and an empty bottle of gin. had to get another bottle to get through the parade.O-o
ever have that pain on the side of your head that’s painful to touch? … usually because of bacteria below the gumline of your molars
… dig that crap out!
“toothache pain is at it’s worst in the small hours…”
Two-thirty is usually the worst time.
bad teeth are the only problem that will go away if you ignore it.
Some say placing a clove on the gum might help, too, but I’ve also heard it may cause irritation.
Glad to hear you got help.
Not everyone can take it, but Motrin works wonders for me with pain. A Godsend of ibuprofen. I also rinse my tooth in salt water to combat the infection – not good for pain, salt just reduces the bacteria build up.
I had two root infections in two back upper right molars at the same time two years ago. Advil and ice were the only thing that worked until they didn’t work. I had to spend three days on Fentanyl before I went in for repair. Thank God for Fentanyl is all I can say. That was the most pain I’ve experienced in a long time. Felt like I had an axe embedded in the side of my face at its worst point. I couldn’t do anything but rock back and forth and moan like I was Rain Man flying on some other airline than Quantas.
After dropping the Fentanyl, I was like “Hey maaaan… Faaaar out!…”
Just sayen, Drambuie and Apple Cider Vinegar just might be the fountain of youth. Well, maybe not Drambuie.
Yeah, I always fall asleep listening to Jordan Peterson too.
i once saw a guy take an infected tooth out with an ice skate.
oh, wait, that was a movie.
Good tips AA. elevation, advil and ice.
“Is it safe?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzw1_2b-I7A&feature=youtu.be&t=70
Clove Essential Oil also helps with toothache pain. Apply a drop with an eye dropper to the painful area.
I can not attest to anything about the relief of tooth pain but I believe I have a remedy for the relief of hic-ups.
It would be great to have a side bar for such things.
Have all your toofe’s pulled to avoid all tooff aches in the future. That’s the best remedy. No more cavities, no more gum disease, no more bone loss, no more dentists, dental hygienists, and no more tooff aches.
Advice is free.
Mexicans use jalapeno pepper. The “hot” in peppers is acid. Pickled peppers may be better than raw. I have used it many times and for minor annoying pain it works, but you have to repeat constantly. Take a slice of pepper and stick it right where the pain is. You can also chew on it to get the acids moving around your gums. It will kill the infection and relieve the pain better than any pills.
I’ve been shot and I’ve been stabbed and sliced…………nothing hurts worse than a tooth ache.
I cannot tolerate chronic intense pain. Certain kinds make me nauseous and I get panicky. You should have been here the night I tried home remedies for what turned out to be gall stones. I finally gave up on the YT vids and by the time Geoff C. rolled into the ER I was demanding morphine in mass quantities. When I told the doc that I’d been drinking baking soda with cider vinegar, but that it all just came right back up, he stopped typing, trained all his attention on me and deadpanned, “Oh really, I can’t imagine why?”
The Mule captured the sensation perfectly: “Felt like I had an axe embedded in the side of my face at its worst point. I couldn’t do anything but rock back and forth and moan like I was Rain Man flying on some other airline than Quantas.”
The dentist explained how an infection of a tooth inflames the surrounding tissue and that’s why that little sore spot on my jaw blew up in a matter of hours after a certain point. The skin around the jawline is kind of like the skin on a cat, so the built up gunk can collect rather far from the damaged or bad tooth.
Bongopoofter — You’re right about Norco. Bad stuff. Doesn’t work.
OK, I’m a dentist so here’s some advice. First, the pain meds. Ibuprofen comes in 200mg pills over the counter. You can take up to 800mg at a time, not to exceed 3200mg in 24 hours. The maximum pain relief is at 600mg, so the extra 200mg is for anti inflammatory action. That may not always be necessary so you may not want to take the extra pill. Combine this with 1000mg of Acetaminophen, which is Tylenol or a generic of it. Tylenol is 325mg, extra strength is 500mg. So you can take 3 regular, or 2 extra strength pills. Yep, you read that right – take all the pills at once. There are a couple of dental pain studies that show this combo works better than the narcotics. Repeat this regimen every 6 hours. I had 2 major surgeries and this is what I used.
Nighttime pain can be worse because you have no distractions. If you’re laying down the blood pressure is a little higher than if your head is elevated. The slight increase can make the pain worse.
Anbesol and clove oil are the same thing. In theory, generics should work the same as a brand name, but the generic may be diluted, and consequently not work as well.
Also, to those who had to wait a few days for treatment: your dentist/dental team needs to step up their game. If you call my office you’ll get out of pain that day. Either me, my endodontist, or my oral surgeon will help you. It’s my opinion that nobody should have to endure that level of discomfort..
@Cynic — You are my new best friend forever. I have bookmarked this page and copy/pasted your dosages on a separate note, too. Not kidding.
@Mark S. McGrew: If nothing else, the jalapeno will take your mind off the toothache.
You know you’re wacked when you learn to cuddle up to the pain.
How about kidney stones? Now THERE’s some PAIN!
Tony: too much of the jalapeño , and you’ll need the pain meds for the other end of your digestive system!
No, BB, sometimes that’s all there is. In a sort of zen way, you become the pain. It’s when I’m on the verge of getting relief that I allow myself to completely fall apart.
@toby miles:
Yup. Tooth hurty at two-thirty.
Feb., 2015, Cynic probably saved me from myself. BFH had a post that somehow led me to confess my infected root canal, unbelievable pain and not caring if I overdosed on aspirin. Here is a copy of his post to me. I totally appreciate it and him. Our daughter is grateful to him also, since a few months ago she phoned me with a similar situation. I emailed her a copy of Cynic’s post.
“• Plain Jane: that’s too much aspirin, plus aspirin inhibits blood clotting. That’ll cause a problem if they have to take the tooth out.
A better regimen is three ibuprofen 200mg (600mg dose) then three hours later take two extra-strength Tylenol 500mg (1,000mg dose). Three hours later your ibuprofen again, etc., etc.
I’m a dentist (hence my selection of avatar) and this drug regimen virtually eliminates the need for prescription meds in my practice.
Cynic
02/22/2015 at 12:15 am
Also, wait six hours until your last dose of aspirin before you take the ibuprofen. You can start the regimen with the Tylenol instead.
Plain Jane
02/22/2015 at 12:18 am
Thank you Cynic. I truly appreciate that. I knew it was too much, but the throbbing was incredible and the swelling was also. Three hours since the last to B&Body and the pain and swelling is returning. Need to sleep, I will do the Tylenol.
Thank you again. God Bless.
I’m keeping your posts.
Read more at https://iotwreport.com/?p=275472#GlsGl9J22Cr4DqGX.99 “
Gall stones beat kidney stones.
With the gall stones you get all the pain, and you get nausea.
Thanks Cynic. My comment was on the right path.
AA. I had an old codger tell me once the cool thing about pain is you don’t remember it. I remember hurting, but can never remember the actual pain.
PS, now I’m the old codger.
Fur, I’ve never had kidney stones (and if I do I’ll refer to Cynic’s pain prescription), but many have told me that gall stones are worse than natural child birth. I believe it. Did you have yours out too?
BB — Interesting. I never thought about it, but he’s right. Except there was that one time when, in the space of about fifteen minutes, I put a gigantic wood splinter straight through the thickets part of the tip of my middle finger and then turned around and cut to the bone of my thumb with a new utility knife blade. Same hand. Some days you should just recognize that you’re not on your game, ya know?
(If you’re an old codger, what does that make me?! An old codgette? lol)
Better to be an old codger than an old todger.
Ah, a couple busted up shoulders, several dislocated knees, a blown bicep tendon, a ripped out thumb nail, that was interesting, but the absolute worst was a certain young lady when I was 1&.
Ooh good to know, thanks! Hope you’re doing much better, Abigail!
OT- does anyone know what to do for Tinnitus?
Mine is aggravated from sinus congestion and jaw misalignment.
It’s been unbearable lately.
Woman are tougher than men. Must be that child birth thing. Currently at my gym we have a lady in her late 70’s that had a pretty bad stroke. She’s there every day doing the best she can. And you know what, she’s making a come back. There’s a second woman there that while on a Motorcycle Trip her and her husband were mowed over by a drunk illegal. Not good. He was carroher from Machine to machine. She’s starting to try and walk on her own. That’s a tough one. Every member of the gym helps both out when they can. A couple tuff woman. Inspirational.
BB — Yeah, I don’t know about (all) women being tough. May be. But I’ve fainted dead away at least a half dozen times just looking at the sight of a. my own blood, b. the sight of a loose baby tooth, c. a cat with a shaved head and stitches. I can’t even watch America’s Funniest Home Videos. It’s that bad. It’s a mystery when this all started because I was as rough and tumble a kid as ever was and could take the sight of just about anything. I think it was those horrific pictures from drivers’ ed.
Cynic,
You must have been posting while I was looking through my files for your post to me from 2015. I didn’t see your post until just now.
I really want to thank you again. God bless you and yours.
MJA — Elevation, Advil and ice. That’s the only remedy I know for anything right now.
I’ve only had tinnitus once and for a short time and it was truly awful. If I find a silver bullet I’ll send it your way. Prayers in the meantime, friend.
Thanks, Abigail. Much appreesh.
One tablespoon of cyanide: the pain will be gone, and you wont need a dentist.
Give this advice to every socialist you ever meet.
I have bad teeth but never really had a bad problem with my teeth… I finally learned the hard way to take care of them. My head is still full of black fillings from the 70s which younger dentists now admire because they’re older than they are. Don’t listen to the Brit dentists, FLOSS if you don’t!!!
Had a kidney stone and it is the worst pain I’ve ever felt, accompanied by puking, tunneling out, the works. And mine was on the tiny side. Don’t know about gallstones but I’ve had women say kidney stones are worse than having a kid. It’s probably a toss-up depending on the person.
This is from the back pages (first aid) of my 1936 White house cookbook. “2-3 drops of ammonia”. I’ve used a qtip dipped in ammonia, and just hold it on the bad tooth. I think it may kill the nerve, but if the tooth is shot…
It is painless, the pain from the bad tooth just fades away, no pain from the ammonia. Works in minutes and you only need one treatment of it.
Keep in mind this is emergency treatment.
After years of dental issues I dropped a load of $$$, have a million dollar smile and no dental issues. If you wanna see my smile, it’s in a cup on the bathroom counter. Seriously though, dental issues can have a tremendous effect on your overall health. 2 abscesses can KILL you…
Clove Essential Oil – IT WORKS! Immediate relief.
Clove oil contains a chemical called eugenol, which acts as an anesthetic and antibacterial agent. Clove oil is anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal.
swish with Listerine. Listerine kills EVERYTHING! It is my go-to for roof of the mouth pizza burn, cold sores, cuts (when I had braces).
I had bad teeth all my life. They were always cracking and breaking. Still a young man, I finally had the rest out back in 1980 and got dentures. When the subject of tooth cavities came up one day at the office, I told this woman that whenever I get a cavity, I just drop off my teeth at the dentist and he does the fillings. She said: “Really? That’s so cool!”
I just left it at that.
Leo MacGillivray- LMAO.
I hear ya. I haven’t lost any, but I have hairline cracks some of mine.
I have always numbed pain with tea and rum and if you drink enough you’ll forget what you were talking about.
I’m sympathetic with all of these stories, but I’m taking the pot with my raise of Trigeminal Nerve Pain, thank you very much.
Tinnitus – cover/occlude the non-affected ear, then turn up some music (or just scream, that’s worked too) for a few seconds. The loud sound masks out the ringing.
Sore gum relief with a few drops of Dragons Blood. Always keep a small bottle on hand.
Hey Cynic…….Do you know Acetaminophen destroys the Liver and is easy to overdose and die on? Or are you ignorant. https://www.medpagetoday.com/painmanagement/painmanagement/29861
I’ve known this for 30 years. Why don’t you??
If I ever decide that I want to run an investment scam, dentists will be my target.
I saw this post earlier, and it’s taken me until now to excavate a comment I left elsewhere some time ago.
Perhaps you’ll chime in about the efficacy, Cynic. For the sake of other people, you know. It worked for me.
#1 if you go in search of Oil of Clove, make sure it’s the real deal. Never knew they sold synthetic stuff until I went hunting (it also helps preserve oil paint for artists).
#2, Ibuprofen is processed by the kidneys, acetaminophen by the liver (always thought it was the other way ’round). Doubling up is standard protocol, even for children (appropriately calibrated for weight) in acute distress. Collect the whole set, I say. Thumbs-up on the 800mg dose. Does wonders.
#3 (and here goes) An old friend/Viet Nam field nurse/eventual Dean of Nursing at a college in Philly shared with me a technique for abscesses they used way back. It’s saved me a lot of interaction with a dentist until I could scrape funds together to deal, or get out of the hinterlands to find one. A couple of times, it took care of the problem completely because I caught it early, though getting in for an exam and prescription for antibiotics is definitely preferred. That’s an understatement; endocarditis is very bad ju-ju. So is a nationalized health care plan that had a separate rider for dental care.
For best results (really the only way to make it effective), get one of these: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Monoject-Curved-Tip-Irrigation-Syringe-12-mL/639780660 , and don’t throw it away. You still have teeth in your head, right?
At home, mix a solution of 10 parts water, room temperature or slightly warm, with 1 part regular liquid bleach. Use the monoject to squirt it all around & up into the abscessed area as thoroughly as possible, at least twice a day. Do NOT swallow. If you need to be told that, what are you doing here? Will it taste good? It certainly will not. Will it work/be beneficial? In all but advanced cases, it will ameliorate the worst of the symptoms and knock the infection back on its heels. At least enough to make living tolerable until you can be seen.
My friend (May G-d rest her soul) really knew her stuff. Which is to say yes, don’t screw around with an abscess, but this doesn’t leave you completely at the mercy of dental office hours, ER visit time and cost and/or nothing but OTC pain treatment. Does it sound a little hillbilly? Maybe, but screw it. Set your ass in the middle of BFE, with no dentists around taking new patients and you can’t get to the nearest ER because of work. You’ll try it, because at that point, you’ll try anything. Fortunately, it did the trick.
AA, I’ve never had gallstones. I would prefer natural childbirth to kidney stones though. You know labor will end at some point, Kidney stones, not so much. Absolute agony.