I wish there was a magic cheap fix, but for me, the only thing that really helped was getting the tooth looked at.
Yeah, I kept hoping there’d be some miracle hack too, but honestly nothing beat actually getting it checked out. I tried clove oil once—supposed to numb things up—but all I got was a burning tongue and a weird aftertaste. Insurance barely chipped in for me either, which was super frustrating. It’s wild how something that common isn’t fully covered... Makes you wonder who’s making these rules.
Is it weird that I actually found saltwater rinses more helpful than clove oil? Not a total fix, but it eased the throbbing for a bit. But yeah, insurance barely covers anything—do they just assume we’ll never need dental work?
Saltwater rinses actually did more for me too—clove oil just made my mouth feel weird and didn’t last long. I’ve wondered if it’s just the rinsing that helps, or if the salt really does something extra. Anyone else ever try cold compresses? That’s the only thing that let me sleep some nights. Insurance is a joke though… mine covered almost nothing when I finally caved and got mine pulled. Did you end up having to get yours out, or are you still just managing the pain?
I’ve wondered if it’s just the rinsing that helps, or if the salt really does something extra.
Funny you mention that—I have the same debate with my kid every time I make them rinse. Is it the salt or just the swishing? My daughter swears it stings less with warm water. Cold compresses were a lifesaver for us too, but honestly, nothing lasted very long. We tried to manage at home as long as possible, but ended up having to get hers out after months of “creative” pain management. Insurance barely chipped in, which was a whole other headache...
I’ve always wondered about the salt thing too—like, is it actually doing anything or is it just the warm water making it feel better? I’ve read that salt’s supposed to help pull out bacteria and keep things clean, but honestly, when I had my wisdom teeth coming in, I just wanted anything that would take the edge off. Warm salt water rinses did make it feel a bit less gross, but I’m not sure if that was the salt or just the soothing temp.
My insurance barely covered mine either, which was a nightmare. Felt like I was paying for a spa day and not getting any of the fun. Did your daughter try any numbing gels? I remember using some over-the-counter stuff, but it only lasted maybe 20 minutes tops. Cold compresses helped with swelling, but the pain itself just kept coming back.
I always get stuck between trying every home remedy and just giving up and calling the dentist. For me, the breaking point was when I couldn’t even chew on one side without wincing. Did you guys have any tricks that actually worked for more than a few hours? Or did you just end up counting down the days until extraction?
Also, curious if anyone here had luck with clove oil or those “natural” pain relief things you see online. I tried clove oil once and it tasted awful, but maybe I did it wrong.