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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.).
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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.
