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Red (WI) on 05/19/2025: 
I had success using garlic for swelling, but none of the comments I saw touted garlic as an alternative to a root canal. So, I decided to cancel the root canal and become patient N=1. I went to the dentist today and he x-rayed me and the infection is just about gone (it's been a year on the garlic). He's not leaning on me to get a root canal and says "we'll watch it". Tellingly, after the nurse looked at the x-ray before the dentist got involved, she asked me if I was taking antibiotics. When I replied "garlic" the conversation was over.
So I conclude garlic is an alternative treatment to a root canal. I used garlic topically (between cheek and jowl) to reduce swelling. It worked unbelievably well, but I did have a chemical burn on my cheek. Now I use elephant garlic for topical. I've started eating a salad almost every night (I eat once per day) with fresh garlic and Super-Gut yogurt for dressing.
Rob (Kentucky) on 05/20/2025:
The ancient Assyrians (21st century BC to the 14th century BC) mentioned garlic as a food and medicine many times. They used garlic to treat dental problems, including rotten teeth, by applying it as an antibiotic and packing it in cavities.
Pliny the Elder (AD 23/24–79) wrote in his book The Natural History: Beaten up, and taken in vinegar and water, it is very useful as a gargle for quinsy. Three heads of garlic, beaten up in vinegar, give relief in toothache: and a similar result is obtained by rinsing the mouth with a decoction of garlic, and inserting pieces of it in the hollow teeth.
Dioscorides, who lived in the first century AD. He was a Greek, and chief physician to the Roman armies in Asia Minor. His Materia Medica gives the following account of garlic’s virtues and vices. He continued the practice of packing garlic into rotting cavities.
The use of garlic for dental health is supported by its antibacterial and antifungal properties. Garlic contains compounds like allicin, which can help combat oral bacteria and reduce plaque formation. Studies have also shown that aged garlic extract can be beneficial for treating periodontitis (gum disease).
Garlic, can be effective at preventing tooth decay. Garlic with lime was compared to chlorhexidine (antiseptic), sodium fluoride (remineralization), fluoride with essential oils (remineralization and antiseptic), and alum (antiseptic) for their abilities to destroy cavity-causing bacteria. After chlorhexidine, garlic with lime was found to be the most effective mouth rinse to destroy unwanted bacteria and protect the teeth from decay. Garlic is even effective on multidrug-resistant strains of Streptococcus mutans that contribute to cavities. In ninety-two isolates of this bacteria from carious teeth, 30% percent were resistant to four or more antibiotics. None of them were resistant to garlic. Using garlic as an ingredient in mouthwashes or toothpastes could help reduce the incidence of cavities.
Jan (Southern Utah) on 02/01/2025:
So far so good, the jaw, cheek and neck are back to normal. My tooth is still alive and improving, not as painful.
A quick pain relief before the garlic on tooth is a special tooth brushing. I put natural toothpaste on toothbrush then dip toothbrush in some Aztec calcium bentonite powder. Then a drop or two of clove oil on that and brush the tooth and gums around tooth. This helps quickly temporarily for relief but the garlic helps deeper and more long-term.
Also taking 1000 mg vit c with rosehips multiple times during the day. And holding hand over the area of cheek and jaw. I have read the hand helps with good healing energy... Staying hydrated is important, getting enough sleep is vital.
And natural nourishing salad helps, such as: 6 cups cooked white beans, half raw cabbage thinly sliced slaw with handful each of green onions, arugula, parsley all sliced, handful of a mix of raw sunflower pumpkin seeds and pine nuts, the grated zest and dressing of juiced lemon, spoon of mustard, some tamari sauce about 1/8 cup...mix well, big salad, eat for meals till gone. Helps with healing. Good nourishing mix.
Also snack of vanilla flavored plain coco june coconut yogurt with a little non sugar munk fruit extract sweetener. Known to help with cavities.
izzy (NZ) on 06/04/2023:
What a Godsend finding this info! Last couple of days, an infection in my gum suddenly developed(in between 2 molars) and a nasty swelling grew which throbbed and made me feel miserable. I knew that garlic can be helpful but I would never have thought it to be so effective. Late afternoon, and after reading through other's results, I took it in earnest and followed similar protocol. I used about 4 cloves in all, each one minced & taken separately in bit of water - hourly. Also sprayed with CS, also took liposomal vit C, which I happened to have. Went to bed and during the early hours of morning awoke to discover, to my amazement that the swelling had gone! I think it drained itself.I was expecting to have to continue treatment on next day I am so grateful!! I can hardly believe it!
Rob (Kentucky) on 05/28/2023:
ken (il) on 04/08/2023:
I cut up a clove into very thin slices so that it looks like minced garlic. This minced garlic needs to sit in the open air for about thirty minutes to allow the allicin to reach its full potency. I take a teaspoon and scoop up about 10 or so minced pieces and place them on the affected tooth and gently bite down and hold it there for five minutes or so. Excellent pain relief which lasts and according to many of the posts here, kills the infection causing the pain. As someone stated, this stuff penetrates right through the hard surface of the tooth and deep down into the pulp, gum and jaw areas.
Skyking (Chicago ) on 03/31/2023:
DDDinah (Livonia, Michigsn) on 03/16/2023:
I want to thank all the posters for their experiences. I tried several things before the freshly crushed garlic clove held next to the toothache area for as long as I could tolerate the burning (about 20-30”).
When I lay down to sleep, I had quite a headache along with the still throbbing toothache. But it's now been about 2 hours later and I want to thank Abba Father God because I feel like a new person. It's just a tiny bit sore now. I hope to wake up in the morning well once again. (PS I swallowed that lg crushed clove with peanut butter.).
.
daniel (cornwall) on 03/02/2022:
THIS WORKS, I still feel sick because of the garlic and salt but I have a smile on my face and feel I can make the next 3 hours till my dentist opens, massive improvement.
I used 4 cloves of garlic in a garlic crusher, 2 pinches of salt and then used the flat side of my knife over and over to create a smooth paste, I placed it directly on the tooth, around the tooth, the gum, everywhere I was effected, please do this next time you have toothache instead of rip off over the counter medicines.
LiteHouse21 (Ventura, Ca.) on 02/23/2022:
Over 3 days of this, the pain and swelling diminished and it all went away by the 4th day or so, and I fully recovered. However, I think that tooth may be cracked, so I've now had two re-occurances (separated by several weeks) and treated it the same way. Trying to locate beef feet which is supposed to help with actually healing teeth (what doctors don't ever tell you) meanwhile I also at beef bone broth daily as part of the regiment though I am not sure if that part helped - but it tasted good and was less chewing.
Chris (Ogdensburg, ny) on 12/08/2020:
Chris (Fl) on 09/06/2020:
Every hour 1st day 1 garlic clove. Maybe slight relief, but did not get worse, so I still had hope.
I added salt water rinse, bentonite clay slippery elm with white oak bark powder also activated charcoal and a little pinch of cayenne mixed together - did this 20 mins to an hour about 4 times this day.Note after the first bentonite clay mixture pack on the inside of my mouth and the outside where it was swollen, the swelling changed and got bigger, but the pain had stopped throbbing, still intense but slightly better so I still had faith to continue. Full disclosure I did fill the antibiotic prescription incase I needed it, but gratefully did not need it. I then did oil pulling with coconut oil and a couple drops of Doterra On-Guard essential oil - I did that 2 x the first day 20-30 mins.
I did something every hour along with the garlic clove, which I rushed and ate - an herbalist told me eating a clove of fresh raw garlic is equivalent to a dose of penicillin regarding the antibiotic properties. I also sprayed colloidal silver right on the tooth. Probably about 6 x total this day. I alternated the accompanying treatment with the garlic.
Other things I did was several drops of diluted in olive oil oregano essential oil. Yes it burns, but provides relief. I have molecular hydrogen tablets, I drank that in water 2 x this day. Also I began fasting the day before, because the I felt the pain that day. This whole time I "fasted", the only things I consumed other than water for these 4 days has been these supplements, in hopes to speed this process of healing along. I used a few drops of iodine directly on the tooth. I used about a 1/2 teaspoon of ACV and a pinch of cayenne directly on the tooth and swish and hold and spit. I found this relieved the pain significantly for about 20 mins, which was awesome. I also did not take pain killers at all because I wanted to keep my liver as healthy as I can. Honestly I did have the advil bottle out and picked it up a few times but then prayed and kept the faith. I also used tea tree oil, lavender oil and frankincense oil very frequently, maybe 20 mins at a time since it was much more calming than the oregano and I was starting to get a little raw feeling. I kept alternating all these every hour. (But did the garlic every hour).
That evening I saw Dr schulze tooth and gum formula and put a few drops of that on the tooth, it stung for about 30 seconds and then a lot of relief from pain for about 20 mins or more. Yay! I did that a few more times this day before bed. I couldn't sleep at all so kept doing the remedies all night. Also drand about 2 tablespoons of turmeric powder about 5 times throughout the day. Alternated with 20 minutes of ice, heat and then ice again in the eve before bed. The swelling was very bad, my lip was hard and everything hurt. At 3 am I got the thought that my garlic is not fresh enough! It was about 2 weeks oil in my fridge, and who knows how old from the store.
At 7 am I got new garlic and thank God it was pretty fresh. I used this now every 20 minutes to hit it hard the second day. from 7:30 am til 4 pm I literally took a clove of garlic every 20 minutes and did an accompanying treatment as I did the first day along with the garlic each time all day again.I added a dose of liposomal vitamin c liquid every 20 mins today. Also salt water rinses a few times and a couple of peroxide rinses. Oil pulling again once today. Three hours into the new garlic and I saw the swelling going down, the swelling changed too, was traveling down my neck and the pain was changing too, slightly less as the day went on, so still had faith. Finally at 4 pm the pain stopped!! Thank you, God!! I eased up on the remedies and only did two more treatments before bed, slept! Woke up on day three with a little pimply stuff on my lip. I don't care, it has to come out. I still have swelling but much better, and the pain in the tooth hasn't come back. The small pain in the cheek and the swelling and the gum rawness are nothing compared to that tooth pain. I brushed, and did the tooth and gum formula in the morning, garlic but I am only going to do 4 cloves total like a normal antibiotic dose would be today. I am continuing the Lipo Vit C very high doses today in divided doses.
I am so grateful that it is getting better and the pain has subsided! I hope I can help someone with this. It is a holiday weekend and nothing is open to even set an appointment until Tues but I am relieved of the pain so I can relax now. Bless you and I hope you heal quickly! The garlic should be pretty wetish when you crush it, if its drier and rubbery it is way to old to use medicinally in a serious time like this.
Mike (Kent, UK) on 04/02/2020: 
Robert (Arizona) on 01/04/2020: 
Warning
Marie (San Diego) on 12/20/2019:
Gina B. (SF) on 03/04/2019:
Bev (Florida) on 09/15/2018:
Jakedefake (Charlotte) on 04/17/2018:
Last week, I HAD an abscess tooth and a swollen cheek. I took a three-prong approach. First, I rinsed with salt water, followed by a hydrogen peroxide rinse. I followed up with the Garlic. I started by chewing garlic on the opposite side of the infection and swallowed it. I did this three times in about 24 hours. I also chewed raw with the infected tooth about five or six times over 48 hours. I left it in my mouth as long as I could as it burns. My abscess and my swelling were gone in 48 hours. Not to mention the toothache and blinding headache that came with it. This stuff works. Please try if you are in pain and suffering. Carl W. (Peterborough, England) on 02/11/2018:
Anita (Florida) on 01/26/2018:
Leanne (Iowa) on 01/13/2018:
Shelby (Nevada) on 12/22/2017:
I cut one clove, washed with warm water and placed it on the affected gum/tooth. Like the others stated, it burns like hell so I kept it on as long as I could stand (about 5 mins) then I ate what was left of it. Now, 3 hours later the pain is GONE and the inflammation has reduced significantly. Awesome and effective remedy that I am so grateful for!
Ivan (Ny) on 11/27/2017:
Lizz G (Spring Hill, Fl) on 08/09/2017:
I took about a 1/4 or 1/2 a garlic clove (crushed) and put it in a ripped piece of coffee filter (I was out of cotton balls to soak up garlic juices) and held it in the corner of my mouth for about 15-20 min. I also have been oil pulling with coconut oil for roughly 15 min. So far so good. The swelling and pain have reduced. I changed things up and actually chewed a piece of garlic. I thought I was going to die. The burn felt like a firecracker going off inside my mouth. I had tears and was stomping around. I got through it but found chewing it had a different effect. The pain was numbed more thoroughly and it penetrated the sore more effectively in my opinion. You have to have some grit to get through the pain, burning, stinging, and strong taste but it's worthwhile.
Amanda (Uk) on 07/17/2017:
Dani (San Diego) on 06/30/2017:
Megan (Spokane, Wa) on 06/28/2017:
For about two months I'd have severe pain near one of the broken teeth when I'd lay down, but it didn't bother me during the day. Then I noticed a lot of tenderness to the point that I had pain when even the softest of foods touched the area.
I debated going in to get yet another round of antibiotics. Then I decided to try a more natural route. I found this site with various ways to use garlic to cure an infection.
Last night I started biting down on a clove of garlic and holding it on the infected tooth as long as I could stand. I think I lasted about 10 minutes. I spit out the clove and saliva that'd built up (I didn't want to swallow) then I ate another fresh clove of garlic. I felt a lot better.
This morning the tenderness and pain was back but I was out of garlic. Went to the store and got garlic and garlic juice (bottled in the spice area). I again bit down on a clove of garlic for about 10 minutes before spitting, ate a clove and made a mouthwash from the 2oz garlic juice, 12 oz water, and 3 tsp salt. I swished with the mouthwash for about a minute then held it on the infected for a minute before spitting and rinsing with warm water. Feeling a lot better again. Going to keep up the routine a few times a day to try to rid the infection completely.
Jen (Hudson, Nh) on 06/18/2017:
I also took a very small teaspoon of the actual garlic clove that is minced and put it directly on the area and I'm letting it sit and chewing it up a little bit and in a minute I'm going to spit it out but I do not have the pain that I did this morning I am shocked by that I think it's absolutely fantastic
Hedaya (Pasadena, Ca) on 06/15/2017:
Ehm M. (Wuhan, China) on 06/07/2017:
Today I found Earth Clinic. I just completed my garlic chew. (I followed the directions on your site exactly). I chewed until the clove was pulped (<20 seconds) and then I spit it out. (I did not chew for minutes and minutes like other reviewers reporting side effects.) The pain left immediately. That was 25 minutes ago and still not returned. Also, the swelling beneath my jawbone and under my tongue reduced by, my estimate, 40 - 60%.
Wow. Will report back results and any needed re-treatments tomorrow.
