Introduction
Home remedies for tooth infection are indeed incredibly effective. Considering the negative impact of tooth diseases and their potential to spread into other body organs, you must take over the responsibility earlier than regret later!
Generally, it’s always good advice to visit your dentist once when you observe any related symptoms to the problem. We won’t say visiting your doctor is optional, but considering taking natural antibiotics for tooth infection is a must.
Hear your body and be your doctor at your convenience. Before sharing any remedies, this health guide will take you through the definition of tooth infection, types, causes, and symptoms. It’s also important to know the risks or complications associated with the disease to understand how crucial it is to cure this disease.
So, in detail below, let’s read more about the tooth infection!
What is Tooth Infection?
A tooth infection is a bacterial infection leading to a pocket of pus in different areas near the tooth. Another popular term for this tooth infection is ‘tooth abscess’. It has three main types we’ll discuss below in detail.
An abscessed tooth can be identified, especially when you have a toothache. This infection occurs mainly due to poor dental hygiene, besides other factors or causes.
Our mouth is full of bacteria from saliva, foods, and plaque, and when this bacteria remains or enters into or below the gumline of the tooth, it can cause tooth infection.
Despite the concerned tooth, the tooth infection can sometimes impact the surrounding bone and adjacent tooth too.
This tooth infection causes average to severe pain that can sometimes scatter the neck or ears. As stated earlier, you may develop some serious concerns if you leave the tooth infection just untreated.
Types of Tooth Infection
There are mainly three types of tooth infections that lead to abscesses as follows:
1 – Periapical
This kind of infection forms at the tip of the root as bacteria can spread right from inside the tooth to the pulp via a cavity or fracture. It leads to bone infection, too, to form an abscess.
2 – Periodontal
This infection is generally a result of gum or periodontitis disease. It begins within the tissues and bones that support the tooth.
3 – Gingival
It is a gum infection, which usually doesn’t affect the tooth or its adjacent structures.
Periapical tooth infection is the most common type of these three tooth infections. Periapical infection forms when the bacteria infect the pulp present inside the teeth.
Thus, if this infection is not taken care of in the early stages, it can quickly spread to the bone and gums of the mouth to cause other related infections.
Tooth Infection vs Cavity?
Toothache is not fun and should be taken seriously. To learn about tooth infections, you must also see if cavities are the same or different from an infection!
Since we’ve already discussed the form of tooth infections, let’s look at cavities first. Note that cavities are even more common than abscessed teeth. It can be identified by a small visible hole in the tooth.
The main difference between tooth infection and cavity is that cavities can be one of the leading causes of abscesses. If the cavity goes untreated, the result may be an abscess, provided other conditions prevail too.
Therefore, it’s crucial to treat cavities with dental fillings.
How Do I know, I Have A Tooth Infection?
Let’s say you see any of the following symptoms. Then, treat it first with home remedies for tooth infection(explain below). If the tooth infection problem continues then take the dentist’s advice.
Remember that every disease gives its early signs; you just have to be alert and hear your body well!
Pain is always the significant sign or symptom of a tooth infection, which isn’t always limited to the affected tooth. It can extend well into other organs like the neck, jaw, or face since our teeth are connected to various nerves.
Nonetheless, the pain usually begins from the tooth itself, but the concern is that it may remain just there! Other signs that you have to check for are sensitivity of your teeth to cold, hot, or any pressure, check the tenderness of your teeth or concerning teeth, and look if there’s any swelling around the jaw, face, and mouth.
Well, swelling is generally an advanced symptom, which you could see when the disease is left untreated for a long time. The early sign is usually the pain, which you take as light as a feather. Other less reliable yet concerned symptoms could be bad breath, fever, and an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
What Causes a Tooth Infection?
According to the National Health Service, UK, tooth infection can be caused by various reasons such as untreated tooth decay or gum disease, any injury in gums, teeth, or mouth, poor dental hygiene, low immunity, having sessions or chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or improper growth of tooth from gums.
The common tooth infection i.e., periapical tooth infection, occurs when the bacteria intrude upon the dental pulp. Our innermost part of the tooth has blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues. Bacteria invade this pulp via a tooth or dental cavity crack and spread down to the roots.
So, why does this happen? It occurs mainly because you have poor dental care or habits, consumption of a high sugar diet, and have a dry mouth. Increasing sugar consumption in your diet can lead to dental cavities. In contrast, a dry mouth due to certain medications or aging can increase your chances of tooth decay and, thus, tooth infection.
We understand that it’s pretty complicated to ascertain the cause or symptoms of tooth infection, but not impossible! It won’t go without treatment; although the pain may improve, you still need to get it treated. It can also impact the maxillary sinus if the tooth is near it.
Undoubtedly, if you have low immunity, you will face many more complications. First, try natural antibiotics for tooth infection. If this is not working, go with home remedies for your tooth infection!
Home Remedies for Tooth Infection (Tried & Tasted)
These remedies are effective and claim to eliminate pain caused by your abscessed tooth. Thus, it means a temporary removal of symptoms, not a permanent solution. Yet, you should still consider this quick treatment as early as possible.
1 – Apply alcohol to the affected area
Yes, you read it right! There’s no need to consume alcohol but to apply it over the affected area. Vodka, whiskey, or scotch can help kill the germs if applied over the affected area and numb it near the tooth.
It helps relieve the pain, thanks to the anesthetic properties of alcohol. Take a cotton ball to apply it. However, don’t apply this option if you’re trying to heal a child’s tooth infection. There are many more to consider below!
2 – Sip herbal teas
There is a list of herbal teas to help you reduce tooth pain. So, you can go for ginger tea, peppermint tea, fenugreek tea, or chamomile tea to solve the issue. These teas have antibacterial properties and can easily be bought from stores nearby.
3 – Aloe Vera
All we know, aloe vera is the best antibiotic for tooth infection. Being an antibacterial, it is generally given to patients with severe gum diseases like periodontitis. It helps reduce and slow down the growth of bacteria in the mouth.
You can also use aloe vera regularly to maintain oral hygiene. Such practices involve including aloe vera in mouthwashes, brushing, flossing, and using aloe toothpaste. And you need to apply it topically over the concerned area of the tooth in case of tooth infection.
Note that aloe vera is also effective in treating mouth sores!
4 – Try ice cube therapy (At least 15 minutes)
It’s easy to make your cold compress at home. You need ice cubes, water, a plastic bag, a washcloth, and a towel to do a cold compress at home. Take ice cubes and put them in a plastic bag. Then, wrap a washcloth around this bag and ensure it’s being run from cold water.
You can also dip the washcloth into an ice bath if it doesn’t feel too cold for you to place it on the skin or any affected area. Despite healing injuries, a cold compress can also be used to soothe tooth infection pain.
Let’s say you have jawbone pain, which is very common in the case of tooth infection! So, you need to take the cold compress, press it against the affected area, and do this process every 15 minutes. Repeat this process for better results.
5 – Apply hydrogen peroxide
About 3% of hydrogen peroxide solution helps to reduce the pain and inflammation caused by toothache. In general, you need to rinse with hydrogen peroxide and ensure not to swallow the solution.
So, take 3% hydrogen peroxide, dilute it with equal parts of water, and rinse thoroughly afterward. Again, don’t swallow!
6 – Oil pulling
According to the National Library of Medicine, oil pulling is the best home remedy for tooth infection. For better results do oil pulling with an empty stomach and before brushing your teeth.
You can practice it a maximum of three times a day too! Check out the above link, where you get the breakdown of the entire biological mechanism of oil pulling and its benefits.
Swish virgin coconut oil around the mouth for about 20 minutes. Coconut oil is commonly used for oil pulling, you can also try sesame, olive, sunflower oil, etc.
7 – Go with natural or manuka honey
As natural antibiotics for tooth infection try natural or manuka honey! Honey is also most commonly applied to wounds and can be used to treat oral health. Honey protects your skin from bacteria and helps combat the infection’s spread.
8 – Ginger
You can either chew ginger or drink ginger tea. It is a culinary root to celebrate certain health-promoting qualities. Because ginger is the best antibiotic for tooth infection. The compounds present in ginger also help reduce the oral infections that lead to dental cavities or other gum diseases. That’s again one of the effective natural antibiotics for tooth infection!
Final Words
We hope that all information on tooth infections and home remedies for tooth infection is helpful to you. As stated earlier, these natural antibiotics for tooth infection work well if you determine the symptoms early and start working on them, but that doesn’t mean you skip getting professional advice.
FAQs
Q. What can I take instead of antibiotics for tooth infection?
Ans. Since antibiotics are unavailable without a prescription, you can choose natural antibiotics like Herbal tea, Fenugreek tea, Garlic, Sodium bicarbonate, natural honey, etc, if you have a tooth infection.
Q. What foods to avoid when you have an infected tooth?
Ans. Avoid citrus fruits, if you have a tooth infection. Also, you must avoid salty, spicy foods, meat, and raw vegetables.
Q. What to do if an abscess explodes in your mouth and you swallow it?
Ans. If you swallow the pus, it will not harm you anyway. The pus is expected to discharge at night and is unrelated to pus drainage.
Q. Can tooth infection affect your whole body?
Ans. Yes, a tooth infection can spread to the neck and face without treatment. And it can reach more distant organs if the infection becomes severe.
Q. Is caffeine good for toothache?
Ans. Yes, caffeine can be effective in curing acute dental toothache. However, it’s not a permanent solution again!
Q. How can I prevent tooth infection?
Ans. Maintain good oral hygiene daily to prevent tooth infection, first and foremost. Even regular following of home remedies for tooth infection works well!
Q. Can I brush my teeth with a tooth infection?
Ans. Yes, it’s necessary to brush your teeth and do dental floss regularly, even during tooth infection.
