Three Natural Ways To Ease The Pain Of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Dentist Blog

If your wisdom teeth are impacted in your jaw and causing you pain, the best solution is usually to have them removed. But what do you do while you're awaiting your appointment with your dental surgeon? How can you keep the pain under control in the meantime? Here are a few natural strategies that may help.

Clove Oil

Clove oil is known for its natural pain-relieving properties. You can find pure clove oil at most health food stores. Place a little on a cotton swab, and rub it over the parts of your gums or mouth that are sore. The taste will be strong, but the area should feel almost numb and mostly pain-free within a few minutes. If you cannot find clove oil, you can produce a similar effect by mixing some ground cloves (from the spice aisle at the grocery store) with water and dabbing the paste on the sore area. Just know that the taste will be more potent and long-lasting with this method.

Eucalyptus Compresses

Eucalyptus not only alleviates pain, but it also helps relax you. Its relaxing properties will help alleviate your stress, which will cause you to unclench your jaw, which in turn will make your wisdom tooth pain less prominent. The thing to remember about eucalyptus is that it should only be applied externally.  A good way to do this is to mix a few drops of eucalyptus oil into a bowl of warm water. Dip a washcloth into warm water, and then hold the washcloth against the outside of your sore cheek. When it gets cold, dip it back into the warm water.

Tea Bags

Tea is a natural astringent, which means that it draws moisture out of tissues. A lot of the pain you're experiencing from your impacted wisdom teeth is likely associated with swelling in the tissues around the impacted teeth. So if you can bring that swelling down, your pain level will decrease. Boil some water, and pour it over a black or green teabag. (Don't use an herbal tea. Most don't actually contain real tea leaves.) Let the tea steep for about 2 minutes, and then remove the tea bag. Let it cool until you can touch it comfortably. Then, place the tea bag between your back teeth and bite down. Keep the bag closed between your teeth for 5 – 10 minutes.

Remember, these treatments are not substitutes for proper dental care. Rather, they're intended to be used while you're awaiting an appointment for wisdom teeth removal with your dentist. If you're still struggling to stay comfortable, speak to your dentist about other pain management strategies you can use in the meantime.

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