Home remedies to get relief from toothache during pregnancy are clove, pomegranate, aloe vera, tea tree oil, garlic, baking soda, neem leaves, turmeric, oil pulling, milk, rinse your mouth with warm salt water , peppermint tea bags, guava leaves, maintain oral hygiene and apply a cold pack to the side of your face.

Toothache may sound like a small inconvenience but it can bother a lot when it alleviates in proportion and tampers with our daily functioning. Pregnancy is a time in a woman’s life when her body goes through numerous physical changes. Common symptoms of pregnancy are morning sickness, tiredness, nausea, metal taste in mouth, sudden cravings and swollen feet.

What Causes Toothache During Pregnancy?

The secretion of the hormone progesterone increases during pregnancy. This can make your gums softer and increase blood flow in your gums. Since gums are super sensitive during pregnancy, a little rough brushing or flossing could make your gums bleed and cause toothache.

Is Tooth Pain Common During Pregnancy?

Yes, since increased progesterone makes your gums softer, the chances of them hurting are increased during pregnancy. You should be extra gentle with your dental hygiene routine during pregnancy to avoid disruptions in eating and drinking.

Can a Tooth Infection Affect My Pregnancy?

Bad news, yes it can. Research published by the The Journal of Dentistry in 2013 found a connection between gum infection in pregnant women and premature birth of babies with low birth weight. Premature birth can lead to a host of health risks like cerebral palsy, bad eyesight, damaged hearing and breathing problems.

Scientific evidence suggests that up to 18 out of every 100 premature births may be caused due to some kind of dental disease, especially if it is a chronic infection in your gums.

However do not worry. Dental infections are completely treatable and with good dental care the expectant mother will avert the risk of premature birth.

15 Home Remedies for Toothache During Pregnancy

Clove

Clove or clove oil is commonly used to treat tooth and gum problems. It is naturally rich in antiseptic properties and can destroy bacterial infections. To treat your toothache, chew on a clove or rub clove oil to the affected area in your gum. You can also soak a cotton ball deeply in clove oil and hold it over infected tooth.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate is rich in natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. Use fresh pomegranate juice to wash your mouth every day to keep your teeth healthy and happy. It can also treat gum swelling with daily application.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a famous medicinal plant for its rich antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial properties. The cool aloe vera gel reduces inflammation and swelling and bleeding of the gums. Aloe vera is available in multiple forms like juice, mouthwash, gel and even toothpaste you can choose your preferred aloe vera product to treat your toothache.

Tea Tree Oil

Apart from being used to treat acne and pimples and hair fall, the rich nutrient content of tea tree oil is a good agent to reduce inflammation and tooth pain during pregnancy. It is best to use branded tea tree oil. Due to its anti-microbial properties, four drops of tea tree oil should be mixed with enough water to rinse your mouth three times to treat and prevent further tooth infections.

Garlic

Garlic contains acillin, nature’s antibiotic and painkiller. During pregnancy you are strongly advised to stay away from painkillers hence peeled garlic is a good alternative. Chew garlic peel and apply its juice to the affected area.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a good neutralizing agent which maintains the pH balance of your mouth. You can apply some baking soda on a wet brush and brush the affected area or mix your toothpaste with baking soda powder. Baking soda reduces acid level and kills the bacteria causing infection naturally.

Neem Leaves

Irritated aching gums can be treated by neem leaves. Neem leaves have powerful anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and therapeutic properties make it a popular choice for homemade ways of curing toothache during pregnancy. Make a paste of the neem leaves and apply it to the affected area.

Turmeric

Turmeric contains curcumin which is strong in anti-bacterial properties and fights against infection. The cooling herbal property of turmeric reduces inflammation. Use turmeric powder mixed with toothpaste or grind fresh turmeric and apply the paste on the affected area to relieve toothache during pregnancy naturally.

Oil Pulling

Gargle daily, for about 15-20 minutes, using any oil rich in antioxidants and antimicrobial properties like sesame or coconut oil. This prevents infections like gingivitis and periodontitis.

Milk

Milk is rich in the content of Calcium and Vitamin K which increases gum strength, soothes inflammation and reduces discomfort due to toothache and swelling of gums. Drink one warm cup of milk a day to improve your oral health during pregnancy.

Rinse your Mouth with Warm Salt Water

Warm salt water is rich in natural minerals which have an alkalizing effect and improve the strength of your teeth and curb bacterial growth. Gargling and rinsing your mouth daily with warm water can reduce toothache naturally during pregnancy.

Apply a Cold Pack to the Side of your Face

This is not a permanent solution, but if your toothache is nearly unbearable then it is best to apply a cold pack to the side of your face to reduce the toothache temporarily by numbing the area. Painkillers are a strict no-no during pregnancy, so ice pack is a good alternative to reduce the pain without side effects.

Peppermint Tea Bags

Their cooling and anti-inflammatory effect reduces toothache. Apply a frozen or cold peppermint tea bag to affected area and hold for 15 minutes.

Guava Leaves

The anti-microbial properties reduce infection and swelling of the gums. Apply a cool paste of guava leaves to affected area for easy relief of toothache.

Maintain Oral Hygiene

This is more of a precautionary measure than a remedy, but sustainable relief can only be obtained by daily brushing, flossing and regular appointments with a dentist.

With these readily available natural remedies, curing toothache during pregnancy is easy. If irritation persists, it is best to visit your nearest doctor.

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5080681/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4558274/