I have been plagued by many a toothache in my time. Although there is no
for dental work and proper dental hygiene, once you have a toothache, there
herbal methods for treating it without pharmaceuticals.
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Herbs for a toothache are best taken in tincture form, because the alcohol
disinfecting and astringent, which helps with the infection and to reduce
suggest taking a teaspoon of the tincture (undiluted) and holding it in your
swishing it through the problematic area for as long as possible. After
that, you can
swallow the tincture, or spit it out, depending on the tincture.
There are two strategies for dealing with the toothaches:
1. Removing the Infection Which Causes the Pain
2. Relieving the Pain
Removing the Infection and Inflammation Causing the Pain
This is the best strategy for a toothache. If you simply put out the fire
tooth, then the pain will go away. However, this will not cure your tooth
you do not seek dental care, the infection WILL eventually return. This
sets you up for
progressively advancing dental problems. Cavities need to be filled;
rotten, dead teeth
need to be removed.
If you do seek dental help and have an infection or abscess, the dentist
will not work on
you until the infection is gone. She will prescribe an antibiotic to fight
and when it subsides, will proceed with the dental work. Sometimes the
unavailable until Thursday, in which case you can get started on relieving
while you wait for an appointment. Some patients do not want to take
for a variety of reasons, and can use these herbs instead. The following
herbs can be
very helpful in addition to or instead of antibiotics.
A WORD OF CAUTION: An abscessed tooth, one where the swelling and
inflammation is progressing from your tooth to other parts of your face, is
threatening. It is not a time for self treatment.
An astringent wash can be very helpful as a first defense in the early
stages of a
toothache. Astringents are antiseptic and help shrink swollen tissue.
can be used concurrently with antibiotics and can be of some help in the
healthy gums. I use this type of mouthwash every once in a while, even when
and gums are healthy. Do not swallow an astringent mouthwash, as this can
The standard herbal mouthwash astringent is Myrrh Gum. I personally do not
herb, because of my bioregional beliefs. There are so many astringents
available that I
recommend using the herb you feel best about. A standard British mouthwash
Garden Sage, Salvia officinalis. My personal favorite is White Sage, Salvia apiana. As an added
the bitter principles in the sage jump-starts my digestive system, helping
me to want to
Astringents will not remove the pain directly, but they will help dampen
within. Willow tincture, Salix spp., may be the astringent of choice for some
toothaches, as it will
act as an astringent and a topical analgesic to relieve pain. Try a
teaspoon as a wash,
and then swallow the tincture for an added system-wide analgesic effect.
An herb with a strong antibacterial effect both topically and systemically
is of great
value for coping with the infections involved with a toothache. My herbs of
the herbs that contain berberine, such as Goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis,
Coptis spp., and Oregon Grape Root, Berberis spp. For ecological reasons, I
use Oregon Grape. Three droppers to a teaspoon of tincture taken three to
four times a
day, held in the mouth for as long as possible around the affected area and
swallowed for a system wide effect, is the best treatment for toothaches
that I know of.
I once would not mix berberine containing herbs with pharmaceutical
antibiotics, but recently have come to believe with current research that these herbs my actually increase the effectiveness of antibiotics.
This reminds me of the time I was camping alone with my wife on a remote
the coast of Patagonia. My tooth started to ache, and the White Willow, Salix alba, I tried
Within a day, my tooth had abscessed, and the area below the tooth on my
to swell. Certainly, I needed dental attention, however, Juan the Boatman
back for days yet. Luckily, I had my trusty Oregon Grape Root, Berberis nervosa, tincture on
help with this. Immediately, the Berberis nervosa began to take effect, and within
the first 24
hours the swelling had all but subsided, although the pain was still intense.
Unfortunately, at this point I had ran out of my tincture. I had given most
of it to
another traveler with an infection before I had reached the island!
Fear not, brave readers, for I did not die that day, and still live to tell
this tale. One of
the reasons that I was on the island was to research the strength of the
Berberis. I had harvested some native Berberis sp. roots earlier that week and
immersed them in some sort of Chilean alcohol. Although I didn't consider
finished tincture, it was all I had. Pouring some of the already golden
off the top of the soaking herb, I began to drink this elixir of virtue.
Ultimately I was
healed, and continued my botanizing under the Southern Cross.
Relieving the Pain
Pain relief is the band-aid treatment. To take analgesic herbs alone for a
toothache is to
invite disaster. If they work, you won't feel the fire, but the fire will
continue to burn
unnoticed in your jaw. This could lead to further bone degradation, and
abscesses. An abscessed tooth is no joke; many folks died from this before
the advent of modern dentistry.
Available herbs include:
Salicylate herbs - Barks of White Willow, Oak, Poplar, etc. Tinctures of
are also astringent, thus helping to relieve the inflammation. Sometimes
this is all you
need to quell the fire of your toothache if it is just starting and the
inflammation is minimal.
Cow Parsnip Seed Tincture - 5 drops or so of this tincture can be very
relieving the pain of some toothaches, if the problem is near surface.
Clove Oil - Pure clove oil can help with toothache pain, but unlike the
discussed, it can cause further irritation of the gums with consistent use.
I do not use
oil of clove because, in the end, it can make matters worse.
Drop Dosage Herbs: If the salicylates and Cow Parsnip Seed fail, there are
toxic drop dosage herbs that are helpful, starting with Bleeding Hearts,
formosa. These herbs can be deadly if not used properly. I do not recommend
self treatment unless you are an experienced herbalist. Most strong pain
regulated by law for good reasons; the strong pain killing herbs are just
On the stronger end of these types of herbs is Opium Tincture. Although
illegal in the
USA, this would definitely take away the pain.