As a young mother, I was reasonably ignorant when raising my firstborn. My biggest regret is that I didn't help her take better care of her teeth. Like many people, I didn't realise the importance of baby teeth, resulting in long-term dental problems. Recently, my daughter got married and some of my tears were for the beautiful, glistening smile she presented to the cameras. Ever since I realised the dental damage I had caused, I had been saving for my daughter to have cosmetic dentistry. The results are remarkable. During the course of this journey, I have learnt a lot about caring for children's teeth and corrective procedures that can be undertaken when issues arise. I am sure many of you would be interested in the latest knowledge and techniques that are available to prevent and repair dental complications. I'm Margret Devlin - thanks for visiting.
If you have an abscess on a tooth, you may be driven to distraction by the pain. Painkillers may take the edge off the throbbing but may not fix it completely. If you can't get to a dentist immediately, you may need to look for other ways to manage your pain until your appointment. Luckily, you may find an effective remedy in your kitchen cupboards – tea.
Drinking a cuppa may not do much to control your abscess pain, but the savvy use of a tea bag or tea leaves may give you a quick homemade fix. Teas have various properties that may help you reduce swelling and numb some of the pain you feel. How can you use tea to reduce your pain and which teas should you use?
How to Apply Tea to an Abscess
There are two main ways you can use tea to control the pain of an abscessed tooth. If your pain is really severe, the best solution may be to soak a tea bag in water and then place the bag on the tooth that hurts. Biting down on the bag will force the tea on the tooth, possibly giving you some relief from your pain. You can also try tucking the bag between the tooth and your gum if biting down on the bag hurts too much.
Alternatively, you can make a cup of tea and then use it as a mouthwash. Take a drink of the tea and then swish it around the affected area. Again, this may give you some relief.
How to Choose the Right Temperature
Abscess pain can get worse if you expose your tooth to hot or cold substances. Typically, you'll find that cold stuff makes your tooth hurt more at the start of the abscess; later on, you may find that cold relieves your pain a little but hot stuff then makes it worse.
The stage of your abscess dictates the temperature of your tea. If your tooth hurts more from cold, use a warm tea bag or mouthwash; if you're more sensitive to heat, use a cold bag or mouthwash.
Tip: If your pain is really bad and cold seems to relieve it, you may get an extra pain relieving boost by putting a wet tea bag or cold cup of tea in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes before you apply it to your tooth.
How to Choose the Right Tea
Regular black teas are a good option for tooth pain. The tannic acid in these teas has astringent properties which may help reduce your swelling and your pain a little. Herbal teas also have some advantages that may help. For example, the mint in a peppermint tea may relieve pain by numbing your tooth a little. Eucalyptus tea may have a similar effect. If you're looking for an antibacterial effect, then chamomile tea may be worth a try.
While tea may help reduce your pain and soothe your tooth a little, it won't necessarily give you permanent relief and it won't fix your abscess. It's important to see your dentist as soon as you can to have the abscess fixed before your pain gets any worse. For more information, contact Bruce Stevens Dental or a similar location.
Share2 June 2016
