When you have a severe toothache, you are probably willing to try anything and everything to relieve the pain. These efforts may even include any home remedies suggested by friends, family, or a quick internet search. However, there are a couple of home remedies that you should never try because they will only serve to make matters worse.

1. Don’t Apply a Crushed Aspirin on the Tooth

One old remedy that you may have heard about from a grandparent involves mixing a crushed aspirin with water and applying the paste to the tooth. The premise behind this remedy is that it delivers the pain-relieving effects of the aspirin directly to the tooth.

While the older generation claims that this remedy does work, you should not try it yourself. Even if it does relieve your toothache, aspirin is caustic to the body’s delicate tissues, which is why most aspirin is enteric-coated to protect the stomach’s lining.

Applying a crushed aspirin will irritate the gums and cause erosion of the tissues. This irritation and erosion will only make your pain worse and lead to further problems, such as gum disease.

2. Don’t Attempt to Create a Temporary Filling with Dental Wax

If you suspect that your pain is caused by a decayed or cracked tooth, you may have been told to use dental wax as a temporary filling. And, while the wax can relieve the pain by creating a barrier to keep food and air from coming into contact with the tooth’s nerves and pulp, plugging up the hole may have serious consequences.

Depending on the cause of your pain, you may have some discharge from the tooth. However, if you cover the hole or crack in the tooth, the pus and fluid cannot escape.

Instead, the discharge will build up and possibly cause an abscess, or pocket of infection. Eventually, your jaw and face may start to swell and become excruciatingly painful.

When you have a toothache, the pain is a sign that something is seriously wrong with the tooth. Instead of relying on home remedies that may only make the problem worse, make an appointment with us at Mesa Dental so that we can examine the tooth and treat the cause of your pain to give you the relief you so desperately need.