Anyone who has experienced the agonizing pain of a toothache knows that they are willing to try anything that will help reduce the throbbing pain. Managing throbbing tooth pain that is not only felt in the infected area but can be felt in the gums, cheeks, ears, lips, and even behind the eyes and head can lead you to the more unusual remedies.

You know you’re desperate to try anything when you feel this sharp pain that seems to last forever. Intensifying, quieting down and then roaring back along the mouth and outer areas. Feelings of despair and panic overwhelm as the pain intensifies and there is no relief in sight. He can’t eat, can’t sleep, and finally, totally distraught, he calls his dentist, who suggests penicillin, a cold compress, and lukewarm rinses because nothing can be done until the infection is gone.

For most, this is discouraging advice, as the recommended remedies have in most cases been tried and have not worked. Having suffered recently, I researched and tried many of the recommended pain remedies, including:

• Gargle with warm salt water with a pinch of pepper
• suck on ice cubes,
• Ice packs on the cheeks
• Ibuprofen to reduce swelling
• 1 ounce vanilla extract (gargle and spit) or a few whiskey gargles
• Acupuncture pinch between thumb and forefinger
• Penicillin prescribed to clear the infection
• Yogurt to introduce more good bacteria
• Hold mouthfuls of warm water for a couple of minutes at a time before swallowing

The above list works for minor toothaches, but for really bad toothaches, they just didn’t work. I found that when the pain was completely intolerable, a good cry and the brain’s endorphins kicked in, but even this unfortunately didn’t last long before the next bout of agony set in.

Then came the miracle cure: garlic. A fresh garlic clove cut on its side placed on the sore tooth and a clove on any other painful area of ​​the mouth held in the mouth for at least 20 seconds (longer if possible) and then spit out created a new burning sensation. It stings a bit and throbs when removed, but about a minute later and voila, the toothache is gone! Not only does it go away immediately, but it doesn’t come back either.

I wanted to know more about why this worked, so I did some research on garlic. What I learned was that garlic has been used as medicine by many cultures for thousands of years. They even used it during the first war when medication was not available. They would cut the garlic lengthwise, place it on the open wound, which would help take away the pain and speed up the healing process.

The active ingredient, Allicin, grows only on fresh raw garlic. It is an antimicrobial drug that can fight a wide range of infections, relieving pain and suffering. So the next time you experience a massive toothache, remember: a fresh clove of garlic, sliced ​​lengthwise, inserted into the tooth for more than 20 seconds will end your sleepless night.