Home remedies for toothache

The best ‘home remedy’ is to take good care of your teeth! So, always rinse your mouth regularly, especially after meals; brush and floss to remove morsels sticking between the teeth; and generally follow good oral hygiene. However, if you do get saddled with a toothache, opt for toothache pain home remedy instead of over-the-counter medication, since they’re safe and effective. Let’s see what they are:

a. Ice massage the hand:

Gently rubbing an ice cube in the area between the forefinger and the thumb for several minutes is an effective toothache remedy, as it eases toothache. It acts by overwhelming the pain impulses that usually travel along the nerve pathways. It has a 60 to 90% success rate. Ice placed directly on a throbbing tooth also helps ease the pain.

b. Garlic:

Placing a clove of garlic with little rock salt on the affected tooth helps relieve or even cure the pain.

c. Onion:

Toothache pain is often allayed by placing a small piece of onion on the bad tooth or gum, since onion has antibacterial properties that kill the germs in the mouth.

d. Lime:

This rich source of vitamin C prevents tooth decay and also provides toothache pain relief.

e. Wheat grass:

The juice of wheat grass is an excellent mouthwash for tooth decay and a natural toothache remedy. It also draws out the toxins from the gums and checks bacterial growth.

f. Asafoetida:

This bitter, foul-smelling resinous material obtained from the roots of several plants of the parsley family, helps in instant toothache relief.

g. Bay berry:

This is an effective toothache natural cure. Applying a paste made from bay berry bark mixed with vinegar helps relieve the toothache.

h. Oil of clove:

Clove oil, put directly onto the affected tooth or dabbed with a cotton ball on the decayed tooth, relieves toothache.

i. Pepper:

A pinch of pepper powder mixed with common salt is an excellent cure. It’s especially effective against the increased sensitiveness of the teeth.

j. Oil of oregano:

This is an effective remedy for toothache, because it displays antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens that cause tooth decay.

k. Salt:

A salt water mouthwash gets rid of tooth infection and helps cure toothache. Thorough rinsing of the mouth with salt water is important.

l. Liquor:

Good news for those who love their drinks! By squeezing a wad of cotton wool soaked in brandy against the affected tooth helps numb the pain. You can also make the gum numb by taking a swig of whiskey and holding it over the painful tooth.

Toothache can strike without warning and once it does, it just can’t be ignored. So, if you’re prepared to tackle this menace with homemade toothache remedy, you can be sure of a quick and effective relief. However, discuss these remedies with your physician beforehand before using them.

What are Fleas?

There are nearly 2,000 species and subspecies of flea that live around the world. Dogs and cats are the most common household pets threatened by the flea, which choose warm, humid environments to live and feed on the blood of their victims. The flea is a small pest that measures one to three millimeters in length. They are nimble and quick to move, as they possess the ability to quickly jump 10,000 times in a row. All of this is made possible with the help of three pairs of legs that can catapult them into the air up to two feet.

Signs of Fleas

Becoming familiar with the following signs of a flea infestation can help you gain a quicker upper hand on fleas in your home [1]:

• Droppings (also called “flea dirt”) on the coat of your pet
• Seeing flea eggs on pet or their sleeping quarters
• Allergic dermatitis
• Excessive scratching, licking or biting at skin
• Loss of hair
• Scabs and hot spots
• Pale gums
• Tapeworms

Fleas are a danger to puppies because they are able to consume 15 times their own body weight in blood, which can cause a young pet to become anemic over time. Puppies with parasitic anemia show signs, such as pale gums, cold body temperature and listlessness.

Some dogs possess a higher sensitivity to flea saliva. Just one bite can cause an allergic reaction known as flea allergy dermatitis. A pet may constantly itch and feel uncomfortable. Other signs include reddened skin, scabs, generalized hair loss, and hot spots. When left untreated, a flea allergy can lead to skin infections.

Flea Home Remedies

To drastically reduce the presence of fleas from your home, carpets, furniture, and pet bedding, all you need is a bit of perseverance and patience. With home remedies for fleas, you can enjoy safe alternatives to controlling these common pests in your household, as well as create a more comfortable environment for your pets. Home remedies for fleas to consider include:

a) Pieces of a Flea Collar:

To repel fleas from bedding, cut a flea collar into four separate pieces and place under your pet’s bed or under furniture cushions. Also, to kill fleas hopping around your vacuum cleaner bag, cut small pieces of flea collar and vacuum up.

b) Floor Washing:

Washing your floors with a lemon solution will keep fleas away. Combine the juice of four lemons (including the rinds) with two liters (or 1/2 gallon) of water [2].

c) Salt Water:

It is said that you can keep fleas from invading the inside spaces of your pet’s home by washing down the interior walls and floors of a doghouse every few weeks with a salt water solution.

d) Avon’s Skin So Soft:

A study conducted by the University of Florida saw a 40% drop in flea counts after sponging down dogs with the Avon bath oil called Skin-So-Soft. Add 1-½ ounces of bath oil to one gallon of water. It is said that the woodland fragrance of the product is a turn-off for the pests.

e) White Vinegar:

The next time you give your dog a bath, add white vinegar to the mix to prevent flea infestations.

f) Apple Cider Vinegar:

Bring temporary relief to your pet by combining two parts apple cider vinegar and one part water in a spray bottle. Use this remedy in the outdoors because while this remedy does not kill fleas, it causes the pests to jump away and off of your pet. Drench your pet’s coat with the solution and comb through. Usually, this remedy lasts for about three to four days.

g) The Light Test:

If you believe fleas have invaded your home, assess the damage by adding a few drops of dish detergent to a plate filled with water. Situate the plate on the floor close to a lamp. Attracted to the light, fleas will jump into the plate and drown.

h) Cedar Chips:

Choose pet bedding filled with cedar chips, which you can also deposit along the outdoor spaces your dog frequents to keep away fleas.

i) Diatomaceous Earth:

Often used as a filtration aid in swimming pool systems, diatomaceous earth (fossilized remains of sea creatures) has a reputation for controlling pests. Sprinkle UNREFINED diatomaceous earth over your yard to keep fleas at a distance from your pets. In the home, you can sprinkle under furniture, as well as in wall cracks and crevices.

j) Gardening Fix:

Plant the herb called tansy around your pet’s most frequented places in the exterior of your home and backyard to repel fleas.

k) Rosemary:

Grind rosemary leaves into a fine dusty powder and sprinkle on the places your dog sleeps and plays as a way to repel fleas. You may also create a rosemary flea dip by steeping two cups of fresh rosemary in boiling water for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid and remove the leaves. Transfer the liquid to a bucket and add one gallon of warm water. Allow the water to reach a lukewarm temperature. Soak your dog in the remedy by pouring over their coat. Let your pooch dry naturally – preferably in the warmth of the sun. Rosemary also possesses anti-inflammatory properties that also stimulate the growth of hair lost from frequent scratching and biting of fleas.

l) Essential Oil Bath:

When your pet suffers the bite of many fleas, it’s time for an essential oil bath – a more natural alterative to chemical-based flea dips. Choose tea tree, rosemary, or lavender essential oils for the best results.

m) Aromatherapy:

Rub your pet’s collar with essential oils to repel fleas. Suggested scents include eucalyptus, cedarwood, tea tree, citronella, lavender or geranium. Spread oils across the webbing, rope collar or a bandana to keep fleas at a distance.

n) Lemon Spray:

Create an effective repellent for fleas by cutting a lemon into quarters and submerging it in boiling water. Steep the lemon overnight. In the morning, transfer the liquid to a spray bottle. Spritz your pet with the solution, especially in high-flea zones, such as around the head, behind the ears, and at the base of the tail. If your pet doesn’t react too well to a spray bottle, you can soak a soft cloth in the solution and rub onto targeted areas.

o) No Insecticides:

If you use an insecticide outside, you could enhance the population of ants and spiders that naturally control the number of flea eggs and mature adult fleas on your property [3].

p) Flea Comb:

An essential tool for any dog owner is a flea comb. Dip the comb into soapy water to check for and remove fleas.

q) Aloe Vera Juice:

To treat an infestation of fleas, try combining aloe vera juice with cayenne pepper. Transfer to a spray bottle and spritz on your dog’s coat. Some people have seen results in killing fleas by mixing one cup of aloe vera juice with one drop of any essential oil.

r) Stash Earl Grey Tea:

A handful of pet owners have praised the flea repellent powers of Stash Earl Grey tea. After tearing open a couple of bags, they saw a reduction in flea activity after scattering tea on carpeting and vacuuming up after a few days.

s) Dawn Dishwashing Liquid [4]:

Adding a few drops of the blue-colored Dawn dishwashing liquid to your dog’s bathing routine can help eliminate fleas. Shampoo your pet well, and rinse thoroughly to avoid skin irritations.

t) Outdoor Care [5]:

Taking measures in the outdoors can help prevent and control flea populations that could affect your pets. Some of the things you may consider include sealing vents to keep flea-ridden rodents out of your home, trim lawns and weeds to create less-ideal living conditions for flea larvae, remove piles of sand and gravel around the home, and keep pets inside fenced space to decrease contact with infested animals.

u) Dry Skin Check:

Not all incessant scratching from a pet is attributed to fleas. Sometimes, your companion is suffering from dry skin and the irritation is making him or her scratch. Look for dry flakes of skin, which differ in appearance from ‘flea dirt’ and eggs.

Resources

[1] Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things by Reader’s Digest; pg. 199
[2] http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/dog-care-fleas.aspx
[3] http://www.yardener.com/PreventingFleasNextYear.html
[4] http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/health/handyhints.htm
[5] http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2081.html