Whiskey to Relieve Toothache

A toothache can be one of the most painful experiences of your life and it can occur due to several reasons. It is always best to get your tooth checked by a dentist, though there are several ways you can alleviate the pain while you wait for your appointment. Fortunately, there are many natural remedies through which you can control the pain at home. However, people often ask medical experts if they can use whiskey for toothache relief. Whiskey has been known to dull the mind and many of our senses, so people often wonder if it can help relieve a toothache.

According to the old wives’ tale, you can relieve tooth pain by taking a large sip of neat whiskey and swishing it about in your mouth for a few minutes, before spitting it out. Alternately, you could also hold the sip of neat whiskey in your mouth, near the affected tooth for as long as possible. The alcohol in the whiskey causes the area to go numb for a short while, thereby reducing the pain.

However, this remedy only provides short-term relief from the problem and isn’t even as effective as some of the other toothache remedies. Also bear in mind that whiskey does not contain any antibacterial properties and therefore, it will not get rid of the bacteria that are causing the pain.

Since whiskey is neither an antibiotic, nor an anesthetic, it is definitely not one of the best ways to relieve a toothache. Some of the most common remedies for a toothache include:

Clove Oil: Dip a piece of clean cotton in clove oil and place it on the affected tooth. This remedy gets rid of the infection and reduces the pain.
Garlic: Apply some garlic oil on to the affected area, or chew on a piece of garlic. The antibacterial and antifungal properties present in this spice make help get rid of the tooth infection as well as the pain.
Salt-water Gargle: For immediate relief from an achy tooth, add a teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water and gargle with it. While swishing the liquid in your mouth, make sure that you concentrate on the tooth that hurts. This gets rid of the food particles stuck in your teeth and reduces the pain. For best results, gargle with salt-water at least 5 times a day.
Lime: Being a good source of Vitamin C, lime helps your body fight off different types of infection. For immediate relief from a toothache, eat a piece of raw lime with its peel on.

While these remedies are quite safe, if used correctly, it is important to check with a doctor before trying any of them. Also bear in mind that these remedies only provide temporary relief from a toothache; they do not treat the underlying cause of the problem. In order to cure the toothache permanently, you will need to visit a licensed dentist.

References

TOOTHACHE., The Lancet, Volume 143, Issue 3688, 5 May 1894, Page 1150, ISSN 0140-6736, 10.1016/S0140-6736(01)68581-7

answered by G M

From my days as a pediatrician i found feeding whisky to small children was an efficient and effective way of reducing toothing pains and just about any other pain or feelings. The unfortunate side effect is mortality.

answered by B P M

Using whiskey to relieve a toothache is an old, old remedy and isvery useful in helping with babies teething. It numbs the gums so I imagine it would help numb the gums of an adult

answered by C

Whisky for toothache