Temporary relief from the pain of a common toothache may be achieved by removing—if you can—food debris from the cavity and applying oil of clove. The Merck Manual notes that “The clove oil may be mixed with zinc oxide powder to form a thick paste; this will afford longer relief and prevent the accumulation of food debris in the cavity.
If you don’t have any clove oil—which you might be able to buy from an old-fashioned pharmacy—try using whole cloves. Steep them for a while in some hot water or honey to get the essential oil mobilized. and keep the clove in your mouth next to the aching tooth, rolling n around so that the oil contacts the tooth.
Other herbal oils said to be good for curing toothache are those obtained from sassafras and cayenne (hot red peppers). Apply with I swab.
Particularly useful for pain following an extraction is a wash of hot water and Epsom salts.
Recurrent toothaches, or an abscess under the tooth, are good indications for some definitive dental care. A woman recently asked me if I knew of any alternative to root canal therapy, and I had to answer that the only alternative I knew from personal experience was agony.