How to Cure a Tooth Abscess with 11 Home Remedies

If left untreated, in addition to the discomfort and pain it can cause, a tooth abscess can even lead to tooth loss.

Reviewed and approved by the doctor Nelton Abdon Ramos Rojas.

Written by Solimar Cedeño

Last update: 21 June, 2023

Pain and difficulty eating or speaking are two of the most common symptoms of a tooth abscess. Keep your teeth healthy and cure your dental abscess with the list of natural remedies we’ll share here.

Sometimes we don’t give our oral health the attention it deserves. We don’t notice that the number of bacteria that our mouth harbors can cause us discomfort and infections.

What is a tooth abscess?

A tooth abscess is a gum infection that starts right next to the tooth root. It forms pus and is usually very painful.

It’s usually a complication of gingivitis and periodontitis. In extreme cases, the latter can affect the bone and cause the loss of the affected tooth. This is why you should consult your trusted dentist if you suspect you have a tooth abscess since they’re the only ones who’ll be able to prescribe proper treatment.

How to cure a tooth abscess with home remedies

The natural remedies listed below are only adjuvant treatments to that indicated by the specialist. In fact, talk to your doctor about their effectiveness.

1. Warm water compress

In order for the abscess to open and drain, one option is to apply warm water compresses to it. These are made with a washcloth soaked in warm water with a little salt (take care that it’s not too hot). Both the compress and your hands must be clean.

2. Black tea

This remedy will help you eliminate the infection and drain the pus from the phlegmon. According to this study from the Bengal School of Technology (India), black tea is a powerful anti-inflammatory that helps relieve the area.

Ingredients

• 1 black tea bag
• 1 cup of water (250 ml)

What to do

1. Boil the water in a pot.
2. Add the black tea bag.
3. Let steep inside the water until it cools a bit.
4. Then, remove the tea bag and place it over the abscess for 10 minutes.
5. Repeat the process three times a day.

3. Salt and baking soda

Like the previous remedy, this will also help to drain the abscess and reduce inflammation, since salt is a good antiseptic, as confirmed by this study carried out by the Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of salt (15 g)
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda (9 g)

What to do

1. Mix the salt with the baking soda in a bowl.
2. Apply the mixture to the affected area with the help of a swab.
3. You can also add a few drops of water to the mixture to make it pastier.
4. Leave on overnight and brush your teeth as usual.

4. Tea tree oil

Ingredients

• 1 glass of water (200 ml)
• 1 tablespoon of tea tree oil (15 ml)

What to do

• Dissolve the tablespoon of tea tree oil in a glass of water and apply this mixture on the affected area with a cotton ball.
• You can also gargle with the resulting mixture.
• To cure the abscess quickly, repeat three times a day.

5. Hydrogen peroxide rinse

This remedy will help eliminate the infection.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide (15 ml)
• 1 glass of water (200 ml)

What to do

1. Add a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide to a glass of water.
2. Mix well and gargle the preparation.
3. Avoid ingesting hydrogen peroxide, as it’s toxic.

6. Cloves

This will help you reduce pain and redness, since it’s anti-inflammatory. This is proven in a study by the National University of the Altiplano (Peru).

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of clove powder (5 g)
• 1 teaspoon of water (5 ml)

What to do

1. In a bowl, mix the clove powder with the water to form a paste.
2. Apply on the abscess and leave on for 15 minutes.
3. Repeat three times a day.

7. Apple cider vinegar

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (30 ml)
• 1 cup of water (250 ml)

What to do

1. Add the water to a pot and put on the heat until it’s warm.
2. Add the two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and gargle with the mixture for about five minutes.
3. Rinse your mouth like you normally do and repeat the process twice a day.

8. Turmeric and salt

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of turmeric (30 g)
• 1 teaspoon of salt (5 g)
• 1 teaspoon of clove oil (5 ml)

What to do

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until you form a paste.
2. Cure your tooth abscess by applying the mixture to it and the surrounding area.
3. Leave on for 30 minutes, and then rinse your mouth.
4. You can repeat the process three times a day.

9. Oregano oil

What to do

1. Apply a few drops of oregano oil to the affected area and leave it on for 20 minutes.
2. Then, rinse your mouth with water.
3. Repeat twice a day.

10. Peppermint oil

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of peppermint oil (45 ml)
• 1 cup of water (250 ml)

Preparation

1. Dilute the five teaspoons of peppermint oil in the water.
2. Then, gargle with the preparation for several minutes and rinse your mouth with water.
3. Don’t eat or drink anything for one hour following the application. Repeat every day.

11. Sesame seeds

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons of sesame seeds (75 g)
• 1 cup of water (250 ml)

Preparation

1. Add the water and sesame seeds to a pot and let it boil.
2. Once it reaches boiling point, remove from heat and separate the seeds from the water in two cups.
3. Crush the seeds to make a paste and apply it to your tooth abscess.
4. Leave on for 15 minutes and rinse your mouth with the water that you separated from the seeds beforehand.
5. Repeat the process daily to reduce the swelling and pain.

Should you go to the dentist for phlegmon?

You can relieve the phlegmon or dental abscess with one of these 11 natural alternatives and forget about the pain. If you have a tooth abscess, it’s important that you go see your dentist as soon as possible so they can assess the damage.

Only your dentist can be the one who indicates the appropriate treatment to follow, or who can authorizes the use of any of these natural alternatives to combat phlegmon.