Had a pretty nasty fall last weekend, landed face-first (yeah, graceful, I know 🙄), and ended up with some serious tooth pain. Honestly, the first couple days were brutal, couldn't even sleep properly. Tried the usual ibuprofen and ice packs, but it wasn't really cutting it.
Anyway, a friend suggested clove oil—sounded kinda old-school and weird, but at that point, I was desperate enough to try anything. Dabbed a tiny bit on a cotton swab and gently applied it around the tooth and gums. It stung a little at first, but within minutes, the pain eased up significantly. Seriously felt like magic or something.
Also started rinsing with warm salt water regularly, which seemed to help with swelling and discomfort too. After a few days of this combo, I'm finally feeling human again. Still gotta see the dentist soon (ugh), but at least I'm not miserable anymore.
Curious if anyone else has had success with home remedies or unexpected solutions after a tooth injury? Would love to hear what worked for you guys.
I've heard about clove oil too, but honestly, I'm always nervous about trying stuff like that—worried I'll make things worse somehow. Did you check with a dentist first, or just went for it? I've mostly stuck to saltwater rinses myself since they're cheap and safe, but maybe I should keep some clove oil around just in case... How long did the relief last each time you applied it?
Clove oil can be great, but honestly, it never lasted long enough for me—maybe an hour or two tops. I get your hesitation though; I was nervous at first too. Saltwater rinses are solid, but have you ever tried those numbing gels from the pharmacy? They're pretty affordable and worked wonders for me when I had a nasty toothache. Might be worth keeping around as a backup...
"Saltwater rinses are solid, but have you ever tried those numbing gels from the pharmacy?"
Yeah, those gels were a lifesaver for me too. Only downside is they tend to wear off kinda quick, so I ended up alternating them with ibuprofen—cheap and effective combo for getting through the night.
Yeah, those gels were a lifesaver for me too.
Clove oil is definitely underrated. I've used it myself, and while it didn't completely eliminate the pain, it did noticeably dull it. Saltwater rinses are a staple for me too—simple but effective. About those numbing gels, I found they helped initially, but like you said, they wear off pretty quickly. Plus, I wasn't a fan of the weird numbness spreading around my mouth.
Quick question though: did any of you experience increased sensitivity to temperature after your tooth injury? I've noticed hot drinks seem to trigger sharp pain more than cold ones, which seems counterintuitive. Wondering if that's typical or if it indicates something more serious going on. I'm scheduled to see the dentist soon anyway, but would appreciate hearing if anyone else had similar experiences and what your dentist ended up saying about it.
