# Abcessed tooth-suggestions for pain? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147 "2006-06-10T01:35:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/1 "2006-06-10T01:35:37Z")
First, a disclaimer: I AM CALLING THE DENTIST VERY FIRST THING TOMORROW MORNING! He lives just up the street, I can walk up there if they can squeeze me in. All right? Yes, I realize the seriousness of the situation. However, until I can get there, anything to dull the pain? I’ve far exceeded the maximum dosage of ibuprofen, and it hasn’t done shit. I’ve read about the heated clove oil treatment, but we don’t have clove oil. Icepacks, tried that. Anything reccomended so I can at least get a decent night’s sleep? Good GOD, I had forgotten how bad this hurts (had one when I was 21)! We do have ambusol, but it only dulls the ache a little, on the outside, but it doesn’t do anything for the throbbing. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/2 "2006-06-10T02:01:06Z")
Do you have whole or ground cloves in your kitchen? Make a strong tea (1 Tablespoon cloves to 8 oz freshly bioled water. COVER and let it steep for 5 minutes. Covering is important.) and dab it on the spot. Not quite as good as clove oil, but still numbing. Clove oil or tea should only be used for 3 days, and do not replace a dentist’s care. Longer than 3 days and it can irritate and worsen tooth and gum problems. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/3 "2006-06-10T02:25:20Z")
Stub your toe as hard as you can against a coffee table. Repeat as necessary until you’re out of fresh toes. After that, I got nothing. Tooth pain is the worst - I hope you get it fixed really soon. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/4 "2006-06-10T02:27:27Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > Stub your toe as hard as you can against a coffee table. > > Repeat as necessary until you’re out of fresh toes. After that, I got nothing. > > Tooth pain is the worst - I hope you get it fixed really soon. Oh, I’ve done THAT before! I was so pissed I kicked my vanity bench and ended up losing a toenail. Ugh. I don’t know if we have any cloves-I’ll look in the cupboard where all the spices are. Right now I’m using a combination of ice, ambusol, and ibuprofen-the latter of which isn’t doing jackshit. And I called my dentist to leave a message and joy! I got the answering service-it seems they aren’t in on weekends! So I left a message to ask him to please call me in the morning. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/5 "2006-06-10T02:32:49Z")
Many have laughed at this but I’ve take a shot of whiskey and held it in my cheek on the area in question. It hurts at first and then goes numb. It has lasted for hours once done a couple of times. When done, I spit the whiskey out. YMMD ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/6 "2006-06-10T02:34:51Z")
Cloves work Also I had a killer toothache once and just got shitfaced drunk that night which helped greatly till I could see the good dntist the next day. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/7 "2006-06-10T02:45:56Z")
I’m sorry to read that Ambesol didn’t help you. I don’t know if they’re substantially different but Oragel did help me the last time I had a toothache. For whatever it’s worth, I gave birth to a 9.5 lb baby without any drugs at all. I would rather do that 7 days in a row than have a toothache for 7 minutes. Toothaches are the absolute worst. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/8 "2006-06-10T02:47:15Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Also I had a killer toothache once and just got shitfaced drunk You probably already know this, but if you’re full of pain medication, please don’t start knocking back the booze. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/9 "2006-06-10T02:48:05Z")
Nothing worked to get rid of the excrutiating pain, except to drilling of a hole by the dentist. As soon as the infection of the tooth can vent you start to feel relief. Alcohol and pain killers (Not together folks) don’t do squat unless the pressure is released. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/10 "2006-06-10T02:51:11Z")
> [@Nic2004](#): > > Many have laughed at this but I’ve take a shot of whiskey and held it in my cheek on the area in question. It hurts at first and then goes numb. It has lasted for hours once done a couple of times. > When done, I spit the whiskey out. YMMD Hmmmm…would whine work? I don’t think there’s any whiskey open in the house? **kanicbird** , unfortunately I’m on meds which would prevent me from drinking. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/11 "2006-06-10T03:03:28Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Hmmmm…would **whine** work? I don’t think there’s any whiskey open in the house? > **kanicbird** , unfortunately I’m on meds which would prevent me from drinking. Is that a typo or just accurate? 😃 As to the **wine** , I don’t know but I doubt it. The alcohol must be pretty strong and held in place long enough to soak in in order to help. As to the release of pressure, often the pressure is caused by infection and the alcohol-soak has lessened the infection in gums for me in the past. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/12 "2006-06-10T03:13:55Z")
> [@Nic2004](#): > > Is that a typo or just accurate? 😃 > As to the **wine** , I don’t know but I doubt it. The alcohol must be pretty strong and held in place long enough to soak in in order to help. As to the release of pressure, often the pressure is caused by infection and the alcohol-soak has lessened the infection in gums for me in the past. D’oh! :smack: I tried some Carolan’s Irish Cream-I don’t know if I held it in long enough-I didn’t want to waste good booze. All the other whiskey we have is sealed, and as most of it isn’t mine, I don’t think it’d be a good idea to break open a seal just to swish some in my gums. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/13 "2006-06-10T03:41:54Z")
Honest to God, the time it happened to me I think only a hard club to the skull would have worked. I ended up taking two Vicoden at a time, which had the awful side effect of making me barf, but mercifully let me sleep a bit until the next day. The pain was literally blinding. Good luck and I hope it doesn’t come to that. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/14 "2006-06-10T04:57:21Z")
Our dentist has an after-hours emergency number. If you’re an established patient, they will usually prescribe something to get you through the night and then take you in the following morning. You may want to try that. Good luck. I had abcessed gums and that was no picnic. ---
**Author:** ![Stinkum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Stinkum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stinkum)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/15 "2006-06-10T05:12:17Z")
Sorry to hear of your pain. Been there, and didn’t want to go to the dentist because I was pretty sure they were going to force me to live when a nice quick decapitation would have been preferrable. If you can’t get to a dentist, try the 24 MedCheck or similar “semi-emergency” room and have them give you something to get through the night until you can get to your appointment. Even a scrip for 2 vicodin, anything . . . ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/16 "2006-06-10T06:05:48Z")
This thread makes me want to brush my teeth about ninety times. God I hate tooth pain. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/17 "2006-06-10T07:23:56Z")
I was told by my grandmother to rinse with full strength hydrogen peroxide. Hold it in as long as you can bear it. I was in your desperate for relief situation so I gave it a shot after trying the cloves and the anbesol and the rum and the ibuprofen and the ice and the heat/ice and prayers to any god of teeth healing… It worked wonderfully for me, but it took a few times. I did it every thirty minutes or so, and not only did it lessen the pain, it reduced the swelling. Beware the vile flavor, especially if some of the infection is brought to the surface. Have a nice mouthwash chaser ready. I hope you’ve found something to ease the pain by now. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/18 "2006-06-10T09:18:22Z")
I seem to remember hearing that a hot tea bag held against the painful tooth worked wonders. I’ve never tried it, though. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/19 "2006-06-10T14:02:46Z")
Heff yew tried readink somm of Raspootin’s letters to Alexei? Read zemm and zink of Merlin’s voice and ze pain vill pass. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147/20 "2006-06-10T14:27:05Z")
On my last absessed-tooth-after-dentist-hours, I kept heat on it, cause that’s the only thing that made it less painful. Then I accidentally hit that side of my jaw on the couch arm, bit down very hard, and popped the absess. After 5 minutes of amazing pain, it was gone. But I am not recommending that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abcessed-tooth-suggestions-for-pain/360147.md?page=2)