16 Home Remedies For Abscess Tooth Treatment Effectively

Ever experienced slight inflammation on the gums and in and around the teeth? Have you encountered similar painful situations? Chances are that you are suffering from abscess tooth.

The medical term for this significant inflammation is quite often a hard nut to crack but the condition can impact your quality of life, primarily because of the kind of pain it inflicts.

In this article, we are going to be talking about the different ways to drain an abscess at home along with providing with necessary pain relief from the condition. So, if you have been tightly holding on to your inflamed gums and tooth, fret no more; we got you!

What is an Abscessed Tooth?

In the simplest of terms, an abscess tooth is a condition which is characterized by the accumulation of pus around the teeth and the gums as a result of any form of bacterial infection. The condition is often characterized by the inflammation as well as the mild to severe pain that accompanies it. The pain often times starts from the tooth and travels down to the ears and the neck region.

While the problem might not seem like something very serious initially if left untreated and without any kind of abscess treatment at home, there are possibilities of it converting it into something quite serious and life threatening.

Primarily, they appear as small bumps or pockets around the various parts of the tooth or even on the gums. They are tender and are filled with pus and might seem whitish in colour in comparison to the rest of the gum in your oral cavity.

There are three types of abscess tooth conditions which include:

Periapical Abscess

This is the form of an abscessed tooth that occurs at the tip region of the tooth.

Periodontal Abscess

This specific form of abscess mainly infests the gum region next to the root of the tooth. There are also possibilities of the same spreading out to the surrounding tissues and even the bone.

Gingival Abscess

Just as the name suggests, the gingival abscess is primarily characterized by the inflammation and pus on the gums of the oral cavity.

We reached out to Sam Weisz D.D.S, one of the most renowned dental associates in Libertyville, IL asking about which type of Abscess Tooth condition needs the utmost care, to which he reverted with-

Typically in my practice, a periapical abscess is cause for the most concern. A periapical abscess is an infection that typically starts from a cavity that gets large enough to spread into the nerve of the tooth.

The infection travels via the blood supply and nerve tissue in the tooth down through the tooth root. This type of abscess can be especially dangerous because the infection spreads through the bone surrounding the infected tooth. The infection grows, trapped in the bone, where white blood cells and your bodies immune response mix with a growing population of bacteria. This can cause erosion of the bone in an area and eventual swelling.

Periapical abscesses are famous for the extreme pain they cause. The larger worry is when this swelling and infection leads to other medical emergencies. These include the blocking of airway and infections that spread to other areas of the body including the brain.

To prevent these types of infections it is important to see you dentist twice a year to make sure your mouth can stay clean from the many types of bacteria that live in our systems and cause cavities and gum disease which lead to abscess formation and tooth loss. The dentist will be able to watch for and catch small cavities in the teeth at the early stages.

Catching dental problems early is the best way to defend against a cavity that reaches the nerve of the tooth and can ultimately cause the type of periapical abscess that because of a major medical concern.

Home Remedies For Abscess Tooth

Much like every other health condition we encounter, even the treatment for abscess tooth can be done from the comfort of one’s home. The several home remedies for abscess tooth, if done in the correct way can actually provide with amazing benefits.

Check out these Remedies for Abscess Teeth

1. Apple Cider Vinegar for Abscess Tooth

The primary reason behind abscess tooth is the bacterial infestation that causes infection and thus the accumulation of pus and unwanted fluid in and around the tooth and gums. The application of apple cider vinegar (ACV) is an amazing remedy to drain an abscess at home, primarily because of its effective antimicrobial properties (R) which kills the bacterial growth and prevents in the infection from spreading further.

Not just that, ACV also has beneficial anti-inflammatory (R) properties which help with the swelling and inflamed gums which inflicts pain.

What To Do?

1. Mix 1 tablespoon of ACV to a glass of water
2. Use this solution to swish around your mouth, ensuring that you do so for 5-10 minutes straight
3. Rinse your mouth after you are done with the process and ensure to not swallow any of the liquid

How Often?

• 3-4 times daily

2. Baking Soda for Abscess Tooth

Baking soda is considered as one of those easy and affordable remedies to successfully ensure from pain relief from the abscess tooth. The primary reason why this remedy is useful is because of its effective antibacterial properties (R) which kills the bacterial growth and drains all the unwanted and accumulated fluid in the gums and near the tooth.

What To Do?

1. Mix ½ tablespoon of baking soda to half a glass of warm water
2. Add a pinch of salt to the solution and mix till everything has dissolved
3. Swish this liquid throughout your entire mouth till you run out of all the liquid

How Often?

• 2-3 times daily till the abscess is completely drained

3. Activated Charcoal for Abscess Tooth

Activated charcoal for the treatment of abscess tooth might not seem like something very mainstream and common but trust me; it is one of the most effective methods that actually provide with the amazing kind of results that one wants to witness. While placing mixtures or pastes or even the tablets can inflict a lot of pain, the best way for the application of it is by using a poultice.

The activated charcoal easily acts on the abscess and extracts the bacteria growing (R) inside and thus helps in getting rid of the infection, gradually.

What To Do?

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of activated charcoal with some water
2. Spread this paste onto a cloth and apply that over the affected area over the tooth and secure it with some bandages
3. Leave it on overnight
4. The next morning, get rid of the poultice and repeat the same process again the next time

How Often?

Every night till the abscess is completely drained

4. Salt Water Gargle for Abscess Tooth

Yet another one of the home remedies for abscess tooth is the salt water gargle. Much like all the gargling and rinsing techniques, even this one has beneficial impacts in getting rid of the accumulated pus in a record time. Using salt water (R) for the abscess treatment at home has a multifaceted impact – it gets rid of the inflammation, pain as well as the infection (R).

It is the salt which has mild antimicrobial properties (R) and helps in arresting the further spreading of the infection which often inflicts negative impacts for the condition. Make sure that you don’t end up swallowing the liquid and actually end up spitting the solution out after you are done rinsing your mouth.

What To Do?

1. Mix ½ tablespoon of salt to half a glass of warm water
2. Mix till the salt completely dissolves in the water
3. Swish this liquid in your mouth, making sure to get to every nook and cranny
4. Rinse your mouth with normal water 2-3 times to get all the salt out

How Often?

• 1-2 times daily

5. Garlic for Abscess Tooth

The remedy with garlic for the treatment of abscess tooth is yet another effective remedy. The active compound in the garlic, Allicin, has effective antimicrobial properties (R) which effectively helps in stopping the further growth and proliferation of the bacterial growth that is causing the infection and in turn, the accumulation of the pus.

Not just that, the application of garlic is also an effective pain relief for abscess tooth. So, not only does it help stop the infection, but it also inflicts analgesic properties (R) to get rid of the pain infiltrating the area.

What To Do?

1. Crush two cloves of garlic to make a smooth paste
2. Apply this over the affected area around the tooth or gums
3. Leave it for 20-30 minutes
4. Gently rub the paste on the area as well for effective results

How Often?

• 2-3 times daily

6. Hydrogen Peroxide for Abscess Tooth

Often times, many tend to get intimidated with the mention of hydrogen peroxide for the treatment of dental problems but it is actually believed that this helps in getting rid of the abscessed tooth and effectively treats the condition without any kind of negative impacts.

The application of hydrogen peroxide effectively aids in getting rid of any form of infection (R) and also gets rid of the bacterial growth (R) that spreads and proliferates the infection even further. Apart from that, it is also very effective in treating the problems associated with bleeding gums and plaque which often times contribute to the condition of abscess tooth even further.

What To Do?

1. Mix equal quantities of 3% hydrogen peroxide with water
2. Swish this solution around your mouth
3. Make sure to not swallow any of it because the same can inflict negative impacts
4. Rinse your mouth with normal water after you are done with the hydrogen peroxide solution

How Often?

• 1-2 times daily till the abscess is healed completely

7. Oil Pulling for Abscess Tooth

Oil pulling is not much of a profound treatment that is witnessed around but the usage and application of it has been around for quite some time now and primarily because of the effective results that it brings about.

Even though there are limited resources and studies conducted in this aspect, it is still believed that the oil pulling technique actually does help in getting rid of the layers of toxin as well as the unwanted bacterial growth in the oral cavity (R) which is what ends up causing the infection that result in abscessed tooth.

What To Do?

1. Heat up a tablespoon of coconut oil (R) (or any edible oil for that matter)
2. Put the same in your mouth and swish the same around your mouth for 15-20 minutes straight
3. Take rest from swishing it around for a minute or two in between
4. Make sure to not consume the oil and rather spit it out into the sink or the garbage can, whatever is feasible

How Often?

• 1-2 times daily

8. Clove Oil for Abscess Tooth

Yet another one of the amazing home remedies for abscess tooth is the application of clove oil. The usage of clove oil in the treatment for various dental procedures is definitely nothing new. It possesses effective antibacterial as well as anti-inflammatory (R) properties which help in reducing the infection as well as the inflammation that’s caused because of the accumulation of pus in the infected area.

Not just that, the clove oil also helps in getting rid of the pain (R) that is caused in and around the abscessed tooth.

What To Do?

1. Pour a few drops of the clove oil on a cotton swab and apply it directly on the affected area of the mouth
2. Alternatively, you can also make a clove oil rinse by mixing a few drops of clove oil in a glass of water and swishing and rinsing the mouth with it

How Often?

• 2-3 times daily

9. Hot or Cold Compress for Abscess Tooth

Apart from the above mentioned home remedies, yet another effective one in the lot is the usage of hot or even cold compress for pain relief for abscess tooth. If you effectively want to get rid of just the pain and inflammation (R) caused by the abscess, the best way to do so is by using a cold compress.

But, if you are looking for an effective way to drain an abscess at home, the hot compress works better in that aspect. The warmth from the hot compress effectively helps in getting rid of the accumulation of the pus and improves the blood circulation, all the while putting a stop to the infection caused by the bacterial growth. The cold compress, on the other hand, is very effective in getting rid of the pain (R) and inflammation.

What To Do?

1. Fill a compress with hot or cold water as per the requirement
2. Apply the compress on the affected area and leave it on

How Often?

• Multiple times throughout the day

10. Turmeric for Abscess Tooth

The usage of turmeric as an antiseptic has been in works since way back in history. It is one of the most common home remedies for abscess tooth that works wonders in healing it completely from within. The antibacterial (R) and antiseptic properties (R) of Curcumin (the active compound in Turmeric) are what helps in getting rid of the infection and the pain and inflammation that’s caused because of the condition.

Apart from the antibacterial properties, it also possesses anti-inflammatory (R) properties which further aid in getting rid of the swelling caused by the accumulation of the pus in the gums.

What To Do?

1. Mix 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder with some water to make a pliable and smooth paste
2. Apply this on the affected and inflamed area of the abscess tooth
3. Leave it on for 15 minutes
4. Rinse it off with water after that

How Often?

• 2-3 times daily till the abscess is completely drained

11. Potato for Abscess Tooth

Potatoes enlist as yet another effective remedy in the treatment for abscess tooth. It consists of compounds which have positive impacts in getting rid of the bacterial infection. Although there are not many studies to support the claim, it is actually believed that the results are actually very effective and not something out of the blue.

What To Do?

1. Peel a potato and slice the potato into slices
2. Cut a small slice and place the same in between the infected area of the abscessed tooth and the cheek
3. Leave it on overnight; making sure that you don’t swallow it during the night
4. In the morning, just rinse the mouth with some salt water and you are good to do

How Often?

• Repeat this every night till the abscessed tooth is drained completely

12. Peppermint for Abscess Tooth

Peppermint is known for its amazing antibacterial (R) as well as anti-inflammatory (R) properties which help in getting rid of not just the pain and inflammation but the building and proliferating infection as well. It prohibits the growth of the bacteria in the infected portion and aids in draining out the abscessed tooth, thus protecting it from further damage.

The menthol in the peppermint also has cooling properties which provide pain relief for abscess tooth and helps in coping with the healing process

What To Do?

1. Crush the peppermint leaves to extract the juice. Apply this on the affected area and leave it on for 15 minutes or so. Rinse your mouth with some water after that.
2. Alternatively, you can also apply some peppermint oil on the infected area directly and leave it on for the same amount of time as the previous one and rinse you mouth thoroughly after that.

How Often?

• 1-2 times daily

13. Tea bag for Abscess Tooth

Teabags are also very beneficial in the abscess treatment at home. The presence of tannins and tannic acid in the black tea is very beneficial in fighting off any kind of bacterial infection (R) and also helps in getting rid of the pain and inflammation infiltrating the region.

Not just that, the warm compress of the teabag also helps in draining out the abscess tooth and cures it from within. It also has anti-inflammatory (R) properties which fight off the swelling and helps subside the pain subsequently.

What To Do?

1. Boil some water and steep a black tea bag in the liquid
2. Let it steep for 10 minutes
3. Remove the teabag and let it cool down a bit
4. Apply the tea bag on the abscess tooth and leave it on for 15-20 minutes

How Often?

• 2-3 times daily

14. Oregano Oil for Abscess Tooth

Oregano is much more than a condiment over your pizza or an important herb in the various international cuisines. The application of oregano oil is not just beneficial in getting rid of the signs and symptoms associated with abscess tooth; it is also very effective in protecting the overall oral health of an individual.

It is loaded with antibacterial (R) as well as antioxidant (R) properties which cumulatively help in getting rid of all the remnant pain and inflammation causes because of the condition of the abscessed tooth.

What To Do?

1. Pour a few drops of the oregano oil onto a cotton swab
2. Apply the same on the affected area and hold it there for 2-3 minutes
3. Leave the remnant oil on for 10 minutes or so
4. Rinse your mouth with some water following that

How Often?

• 2-3 times daily

15. Papaya for Abscess Tooth

Papaya is yet another amazing and effective mode to drain an abscess at home. It is not just loaded with beneficial nutrients; the papaya is loaded with beneficial antioxidant (R) as well as antibacterial (R) properties which protect the oral cavity and also gets rid of the growing bacterial infection that is the primary reason behind the condition.

What To Do?

1. Make a smooth paste with some ripe papaya
2. Apply the paste on the infected area of the abscessed tooth and leave it on
3. Leave it on for 15 minutes
4. Wash it off and rinse your mouth with some water or an antiseptic mouthwash for good measures

How Often?

• 2-3 times daily

16. Sesame Seeds for Abscess Tooth

Sesame seeds account for yet one of the most effective home remedies for an abscessed tooth. The combination of the analgesic (R), as well as the antibacterial (R) properties, helps in providing with pain relief for abscess tooth as well as ensuring to get rid of the proliferation of the bacterial growth causing the infection in the gums and various parts of the tooth.

Apart from that, sesame seeds also possess effective anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant (R) properties which help in getting rid of the inflammation and swelling causing the pain and uneasiness.

What To Do?

1. Add 3-4 tablespoons of sesame seeds to a pot
2. Add half a cup of water to it and bring it to a boil
3. Boil vigorously for 3-4 minutes
4. Let the solution cool for a few minutes
5. Dip a cotton pad to the solution and apply it on the infected area of the abscess tooth
6. Hold it in place for 3-4 hours and then remove it from there

How Often?

• 1-2 times daily

What Causes Abscess Tooth?

As mentioned before, there are primarily three different types of abscess tooth, and the causes for each of them vary more or less which is how we are going to be discussing them in this specific section for easier and better understanding.

It is the bacterial infection which is the primary reason behind the formation of the pocket of pus which is what appears as the inflamed and painful area of the abscess tooth.

Apart from that, some of the other causes of this condition include:

Periapical Abscess – this is caused when any form of bacteria end up entering the pulp located within the teeth. It is the soft and the inner part of our tooth. As it is made up of connective tissue, blood, neurons, it becomes very easy for the bacteria to infest and proliferate effectively.

Periodontal Abscess – this is caused by untreated gum diseases which inflict infections and end up causing the pus accumulation. Not just that, even injuries could be a contributing factor to this specific type of abscess tooth.

Gingival Abscess – this form of abscesses is caused when there is any kind of foreign particle stuck in between the cavities and ridges of the teeth. It could be anything like popcorn or even the toothbrush bristles.

Symptoms Of Abscess Tooth

The abscessed tooth is primarily characterized by the lump or inflammation as well as the pain that radiates through the teeth and gums. Apart from that, there are a number of other secondary symptoms that one can look out for which include:

• Radiating pain to the ears and neck
• Facial redness and swelling
• Pain that gets worse when you are sleeping
• Tooth sensitivity
• Bad breath
• Foul taste in the mouth
• Inflamed lymph nodes
• Fever
• Discolouration on the teeth

When To See A Doctor For Abscess Tooth?

Now, to draw attention to the severe cases or when one needs to opt for medical attention concerning their condition. It is important to look out for signs and symptoms and if the same doesn’t wither down even after the administration of the home remedies for abscess tooth, it is important that one consults the doctor for further diagnosis concerning the problem.

How Long Does An Abscess Tooth Take To Heal?

In common and general norms, an abscessed tooth should effectively heal and cure completely within a few days to a week or so. If the condition is on the severe side, it might take up to two weeks to completely heal.

Even if it’s draining on its own and without any medication or treatment, it is beneficial that one consults their dentist to ensure that the infection hasn’t spread to other parts of the oral cavity.

Abscess tooth can be a pain and inflict uneasiness because of the inflammation. It might not be a matter of concern right off the bat but leaving it untreated can actually inflict severe consequences. Try and opt for the home remedies for an abscessed tooth that actually do inflict beneficial results in healing the condition from within and getting rid of it for good.