Alcohol can have a numbing effect that soothes tooth pain. A severe toothache should not be treated by alcohol and requires medical and professional attention. The easiest way to stop a toothache is to prevent it, but consuming painkillers is a viable stopgap until getting an appointment with a dentist. Moderate alcohol consumption may have health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Toothache is one of the worst and most annoying feelings anyone can experience. The feeling of being helpless against a nagging pain and getting a sharp, excruciating sensation anytime the sensitive area is touched in the slightest can certainly affect our everyday mood.
Naturally, people with toothache look for a quick fix, and alcohol seems like a great temporary cure for oral pain. But does it really help? Can it stop the pain in the long term? And can drinking alcohol make the pain even worse?
In this article, we look at the potential benefits of drinking alcohol when having a toothache and explore how it stops the pain, what are the negative side effects, and how to treat toothache properly.
Does Drinking Alcohol Help Toothache?
As alcohol has a numbing effect, it can temporarily ease the pain. Alcohol dulls certain parts of the brain and numbs the nervous system, therefore, the sensation itself. Alcohol has many negative side effects and may cause further harm to your teeth and gums, and it must not be used as a painkiller.
It is well known that booze is an effective numbing agent. Historically, alcohol was used to distract and dull painful experiences, such as pulling teeth or breaking a bone. Similarly, alcohol can be used to ease toothache for some time.
However, to have the pain completely erased by drinking alcohol, one must drink an excessive and unhealthy amount which has many adverse effects on the body. Additionally, alcohol can damage your teeth and gums, causing more harm than good when treating a toothache.
Alcohol is not a suitable option to treat toothache. It is important to drink responsively and know the negative effects of heavy alcohol drinking:
- Alcoholism
- Depression
- Liver disease
- Stroke
- High blood pressure
How Does Alcohol Help Toothache?
Alcohol targets the brain and alters its functions. Alcohol does not target a certain source of pain but rather blocks and dulls pathways connecting the brain to the rest of the nervous system. This slows down communication between the brain and the rest of the body, so certain sensations, including toothache, are numbed.
Excessive drinking can lead to permanent and severe nerve damage, so it is not a viable option to use as a painkiller.
How To Stop a Toothache
You can stop a toothache by preventing it with proper oral care. If the pain is already present, use a moderate and advised amount of over-the-counter painkillers and seek an appointment with a medical professional. Alcohol should be the last option to treat toothache.
The best way to treat something is to prevent it. Proper oral care, like brushing your teeth at least twice a day, flossing, and using mouthwash, prevents cavities from forming. As cavities lead to the inflammation of gums, which causes tooth pain, this is the most reliable method of stopping toothache.
If the pain is already present, seek help from a dentist. Depending on the severity of the pain, you might need to seek an emergency appointment, but in normal cases, it might take several weeks for a dentist to see you. During this time, using the recommended amount of over-the-counter painkillers to treat the pain is the best course of action.
It’s important to do any of the above methods before treating toothache with alcohol. Drinking is an unreliable and unhealthy method of treating any form of pain. Other methods to soothe toothache include:
- Rinse with salt water
- Use pain-preventing oral gel
- Eat soft foods
- Avoid chewing on the affected area
- Avoid consuming too hot and too cold foods and drinks
What Are The Medical Benefits of Alcohol Consumption?
Drinking alcohol in moderation can have positive effects on the body. Apart from numbing pain, Alcohol can help prevent heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Although it is often believed that alcohol can kill germs and help prevent infection in the mouth, it is not a reliable or proven way to maintain proper oral hygiene.
As with most substances, responsible and moderate consumption is key with alcohol. Although excessive drinking can have negative effects on the heart, liver, nerves, and brain, it may have the exact opposite effect if consumed responsibly. Apart from temporarily soothing pain, alcohol can help in the following areas:
- Reducing the risk of developing a heart disease
- Reducing the risk of strokes
- Reducing the risk of developing diabetes.
As alcohol is known for its antibacterial qualities, people may think that drinking booze is a suitable way to prevent oral infections, including ones that lead to toothache. However, this is neither proven nor effective in reality. Alcoholic drinks that are normally consumed aren’t potent or pure enough to have proper anti-bacterial effects. Additionally, alcoholic beverages often contain substances that can further damage your teeth and gums, such as carbon dioxide.
Conclusion
Although alcohol is a proficient numbing agent and dulls toothache, it is not a reliable painkiller for oral pain and may cause further harm to your teeth and gums. Only an unhealthy amount of alcohol would dull the pain properly. Alcohol does not target the specific area of pain and dulls the pathways between the brain and the rest of the nervous system, which may lead to permanent nerve damage.
The most reliable way to prevent toothache is to brush your teeth, floss, and use mouthwash. If you have a severe toothache, seek an appointment with a dentist. You may consume the recommended amount of over-the-counter painkillers as well. Although drinking alcohol in moderation has health benefits, such as preventing heart disease and stroke, it is not an efficient way to treat bacterial infections and toothache.
I am a passionate beer connoisseur with a deep appreciation for the art and science of brewing. With years of experience tasting and evaluating various beers, I love to share my opinions and insights with others and I am always eager to engage in lively discussions about my favorite beverage.
