The best way to relieve a toothache, is to go to the dentist, but sometimes getting to the dentist can’t happen as quickly as we would like. Here are some things you can do to provide some temporarily relieve the pain until you can be seen by a professional.

Your first step should be to brush and floss your teeth. You want to remove as much bacteria from the area as possible. The bacteria around your aching tooth may be causing it to ache even more.

After you’ve brushed and flossed, gargle with some saltwater. This usually provides temporary relief. Completely dissolve 6-8 tablespoons of water into a full cup of water and then rinse continuously.

Purchase a numbing treatment from your local pharmacy. These are available over the counter and work very well to numb the pain.

Other things you can try are applying tea tree oil to the affected tooth by putting a few drops on it. Tea tree oil has antibacterial properties. If you have a cavity, you can chop up some onion or garlic very finely and pack it into your tooth for an hour. Both onion and garlic work as antibacterial agents as well.

If you’ve had a toothache before, you know that it is no laughing matter. You will need to get it resolved right away to avoid potentially serious problems. Hopefully, you can use some of these remedies to hold you over until you can get in to see your dentist.