How to get rid of caries at home: traditional and folk remedies

September 17, 2018
Treatment methods
Aigul Bashirova

Every person has encountered dental caries. Dental disease can manifest itself due to genetic predisposition or infection in the oral cavity. Caries can be accompanied by unbearable pain. But it is not always possible to make an appointment with a specialist right away. Therefore, a sick person can use folk remedies to treat caries.

Caries

Caries is the destruction of dental tissue by bacteria. It provokes destruction of the integrity of teeth. There are several stages of the disease:

White spot. In the initial stage of the disease, a white spot appears on the surface of the tooth, which does not cause concern to a person and may not change for a long time.
Enamel damage. At the second stage of the disease, the enamel is destroyed. Which, in turn, causes discomfort when eating hot or cold foods and drinks.
Lesion in the dentin area. If bacteria have reached the dentin, then any contact with cold, sweet, hot and spicy causes severe pain.
Pulp damage. When the pulp is damaged, severe pain begins, regardless of whether there was contact with any irritating products or not. If the disease is neglected, flux may appear.

Is it possible to do without a doctor?

First of all, it is worth finding out whether it is possible to get by with the help of an experienced dentist when treating dental caries? To answer this question, it is worth considering the main stages of caries development:

At the first stage, a small carious spot appears. This is the initial stage of tooth enamel destruction, which is accompanied by the appearance of a chalky stain on the surface of the tooth enamel. At the same time, the enamel structure remains smooth and no painful sensations are observed. Cure caries at this stage is quite simple. For treatment, you can use the remineralization method or home methods;
Read also: What diseases can be cured with onions
Caries in the white spot stage is the initial stage of caries, it looks like white chalky spots on the surface of the enamel, the main cause of which is food debris and the development of microbial plaque. It is called “White caries”.
At the second stage, the appearance of superficial caries is observed. At this stage, the untreated chalk stain will become a little rough. Pain occurs when consuming hot or cold liquid/food, and discomfort may also appear when the tooth is exposed to sweet or sour food. At this stage, in addition to remineralization, the surface of the teeth is polished;
At the third stage, medium caries appears. During this stage, complete destruction of the enamel on the local surface of the tooth is observed. In addition, damage and destruction of the hard layer of the tooth – dentin – occurs. The deformation of tooth shapes becomes pronounced. At the same time, the pain becomes more intense and prolonged. At this stage, the entire affected part is removed, the surface is treated with special preparations and the tooth is filled;
At the last stage, the appearance of deep caries is observed. In this case, destruction can reach a place that is located near the nerve or pulp. During this process, severe, sometimes even acute pain is observed, which does not respond to any painkillers. If at this stage the affected area is not cleaned or treated with special medications, then the result may be a complete opening of the nerve and its inflammation. All this can lead to the appearance of pulpitis, during which complete removal of the nerve is required. At the most advanced stage of caries, complete removal of the affected tooth is required.

From a complete description of all four stages of caries development, it is clear that it is possible to independently cure a carious lesion only at the initial stage. But in advanced cases, it is better to seek help from a dentist, because usually at these stages professional treatment with the use of special medications is required.

Causes of caries

Dental disease usually develops due to poor nutrition. Every person has a lot of bacteria living in their mouth. These bacteria produce a special acid that can eat away tooth enamel. The number of bacteria depends on the conditions in which they live. If there are no substances with which they feed, then their numbers decrease. But when they receive enough food, they begin to multiply.

Causes of caries:

Infrequent or poor brushing of teeth, improper oral care.
Diseases that weaken the body. These diseases include: diathesis, dermatitis, diabetes, scurvy, rickets, osteochondrosis.
Decreased immunity.

Dentists remove carious lesions. But treating caries at home with folk remedies will help relieve the pain and stop the further development of the disease.

Treatment of caries in the dental office

If a person has serious superficial or medium caries, then mandatory specialist help is needed, which usually includes the following procedures:

Professional removal of plaque from tooth enamel. For this purpose, tools with special attachments, abrasive toothpastes, and special hard brushes are used.
Installation of fillings with selection of an option with an identical shade of tooth enamel. It depends on the attractiveness of the smile. This is especially true if there is caries in the front teeth.
Use of anesthesia. In most cases, only painkillers help patients endure drilling of tissues that are severely affected by caries. This point is very important, so you should entrust it only to a professional.
The process of polishing and additional grinding of teeth.

An important stage of the dentist’s work is the removal of tissues that are affected by the work of microorganisms. Modern drills are used for these purposes.

Nutrition

The most powerful enemy of the oral cavity is sugar. Therefore, in order to stop the development of the disease, it is necessary to remove foods that contain it from your diet. You also need to give up refined types of oils, powdered and skim milk. These products attach to dental plates and become a good breeding ground for bacteria. For dental health, you need to include the following foods in your diet:

whole milk;
butter with a fat content of more than 80%;
unrefined oil;
animal fat;
meat (game, beef, lamb);
meat broths;
fish, cod liver, sea shellfish;
fresh vegetables and fruits;
sauerkraut;
honey, natural syrup.

When the human body receives a sufficient amount of proteins, fats, and vitamins, its protective abilities increase. Thanks to this, a person can cope with various diseases. Two months after changing the diet, the pain stops and the growth of bacteria in the oral cavity stops.

Treatment of caries at home

Caries is a disease that occurs due to bacteria. Therefore, to combat it it is necessary to use antiseptic agents.

Calamus can be used to treat deep caries. To stop the disease, you need to chew calamus root every day. But finding a fresh plant can be very difficult. Therefore, you can purchase a dried version of calamus at the pharmacy. With its help you can make decoctions and infusions and use them as a rinse.

Mint is known for its antiseptic properties. For treatment, you need to chew fresh mint leaves every day. The positive side of using mint is its availability. You can even grow mint in a pot on the windowsill.

Sage

In order to prepare a medicinal remedy, you need to pour one large spoon of chopped herbs into a glass of boiling water. Next, you need to cover the resulting product with a lid and let it stand for two hours. This way the infusion becomes more concentrated.

You will need to rinse your mouth with sage tincture 4-5 times a day. In order to get the best effect, you can soak a cotton swab in the tincture and apply it to the affected area. Keep the cotton pad in your mouth for about twenty minutes. The procedure can be repeated until the pain subsides.

Using the tincture helps relieve pain and stops the increase in the number of putrefactive bacteria. But this treatment method will not be able to save the decayed area of the tooth. Sage tincture will only help stop the spread of the disease. And the treatment of dental caries in the future will need to be entrusted to a specialist.

Remedies and decoctions

For elimination and first aid when caries is detected, it is not necessary to use pharmaceutical drugs. For such purposes, familiar products and decoctions are also suitable. Let's look at the main ones.

Compresses

In most cases, the following compresses are used to relieve carious symptoms:

garlic juice - helps get rid of pain and kill bacteria. A pair of large cloves are crushed using a blender or knife to obtain juice. Squeeze the juice, soak a cotton pad and apply to the sore tooth;
camphor – relieves pain and is able to restore damaged tissue. It is recommended to carry out additional rubbing into the gum surrounding the tooth;
fir oil. The procedure is carried out similarly using camphor oil. The application is made for a few minutes on the upper part of the tooth, and then on the front and inside;
Propolis – is able to close cracks formed in teeth and inhibit the formation of caries. Propolis is applied to the disturbing tooth. To prevent contact with saliva, use a cotton pad.

Saline solution

A solution of the most common salt is one of the most accessible means used for the prevention and treatment of caries. Use will be effective at the initial stage of development of the disease.

To prepare the mixture, take a glass of warm boiled water and 40 g of salt (preferably sea). Rinsing should be done throughout the day, after meals. Rinse time – 3 minutes.

Prunes

The fact that prunes help with carious lesions was discovered by Mexican scientists during laboratory experiments. Dried plum destroys bacteria in the oral cavity and protects teeth from tartar formation.

Currently, work is being done to extract useful components from dried fruit. In the meantime, try to eat more prunes in their natural form.

Propolis

The active effect of propolis is to eliminate bacteria that cause caries. In addition, the complex of minerals and resins contained in this product can prevent infection of other teeth and the re-development of the disease, as well as close microscopic cracks in tooth enamel.

The method of using propolis is quite simple. After regular cleaning, your mouth should be rinsed with a solution that contains 2 tablespoons of 20% propolis tincture diluted in a glass of warm water.

It will be useful to chew pieces of propolis several times a day for several minutes, which will not only freshen your breath, but also prevent the development and appearance of new carious areas.

Gargling with decoctions

By combining several specific herbs into one tincture, their effects can be enhanced and prolonged. Usually the infusion is prepared as follows: the collection is infused in a glass of boiling water for 2 hours, then filtered.

Rinsing should be done regularly, preferably after each meal.

Flowers of calendula, chamomile and St. John's wort. To prepare a decoction, take 1 tablespoon of each plant.
Leaves of lemon balm, strawberry and nettle. The decoction is prepared according to the previously described scheme.
Raspberry and mint leaves (1 tablespoon each) are poured with 150 ml of wine vinegar. The product is infused for 5 days. After this, a teaspoon of tincture is dissolved in a glass of clean water and rinsed 2 times a day.

Propolis

Propolis has a strong antibacterial effect. Therefore, this product is used to treat many different diseases. Propolis is also a folk remedy for treating dental caries. This is due to the fact that caries is a disease that appears due to bacteria that destroy enamel. Propolis can destroy them. It is most convenient to treat carious lesions of chewing teeth due to the fact that it will be necessary to fix the bee product on the affected area (and this is not always convenient to do on the front teeth).

Treatment with propolis occurs as follows: you need to roll this substance into a pea and apply it to the painful area. Propolis will need to be fixed with a gauze swab. The bee product should be kept on the teeth for twenty minutes. The procedure can be repeated three times a day. Dental caries can be treated using this method within two weeks.

Patients with intolerance to bee products should under no circumstances use propolis. Since allergies manifest themselves in different ways and anaphylactic shock may follow.

Preventive measures to prevent the development of caries

It is much easier to prevent the development and occurrence of a disease than to treat its manifestations. This issue is especially acute for the oral cavity, because teeth cannot be restored. Preventive measures for such a pathological process as caries are a complex combination of methods. But it’s easy to get used to such rituals, so by repeating them several times, you can acquire a useful habit.

A set of preventive measures:

Regular oral hygiene is the main method of prevention. It is necessary to brush your teeth after each meal, or wash off any leftover food by rinsing your mouth.
Regular brushing and flossing will improve results.
Chewing gum. Chewing gum must be based on sweeteners, without added sugar (this is the main enemy of tooth enamel and a friend of bacteria).
Excessive consumption of sticky and sugary foods leads to holes in the teeth and the development of tooth decay. Sugar, when mixed with saliva, forms an acid, which destroys the enamel. Harmful bacteria settle in the damaged tooth space and multiply. Therefore, you should limit your consumption of sweets and rinse your mouth after eating.
Regular examination by a specialist. Any specialist can detect caries in the early stages and prevent its development, so visiting the dentist should be a frequent event.

Laundry soap

Treatment of caries with folk remedies includes the use of laundry soap. The positive side of using soap is that it slows down the progression of the disease and protects other teeth. It contains gammaglobulin, which kills bacteria, fungi and trichomonas. When using soap, it is important not to swallow the resulting foam, as it may cause stomach upset. To treat caries, make the following solution:

a bar of laundry soap must be filled with half a glass of boiling water;
cover with a lid and leave the resulting mixture until completely dissolved.

You need to dip your brush into the solution of laundry soap and brush your teeth. The procedure should be repeated twice a day. After brushing your teeth, be sure to rinse your mouth so that no soap residue gets into your stomach. In order to get the effect of using the solution, you must repeat the procedure for three weeks. Then you should take a break for the same period and start treatment again.

Pharmacy and traditional methods

It is possible to cure caries at home using folk remedies in the initial stages of the disease.

Sage

The plant is rich in beneficial substances that have a detrimental effect on pathogenic bacteria, restore local immunity, and promote a speedy recovery of the patient. For a glass of boiling water, take two tablespoons of dry raw materials, let it brew for two hours.

Rinse your mouth with the prepared product three times a day . At night, apply a cotton swab soaked in a healthy solution to the affected tooth. Repeat the treatment procedures until the desired result is obtained.

Calamus root

The product has a pronounced antiseptic effect , copes well with pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity, and has a positive effect on the gums. Pour half a glass of finely chopped raw materials, pour in a 50% alcohol solution, and leave the product for seven days.

Strain the finished medicinal product and mix with water in equal proportions. Rinse your mouth with calamus tincture in the morning and evening after hygiene procedures. The recommended course is two weeks. If necessary, repeat the treatment procedures, first take a break of one week.

It is important to prevent the appearance of tartar on teeth. And if it comes to this, you can deal with hard plaque at home.

Herbal infusions

One useful component copes well with the task; a combination of several increases the positive effect. It is allowed to mix the following components to prepare homemade decoctions against caries:

chamomile, calendula, St. John's wort. Take all components in equal proportions, pour 500 ml of hot water. Rinse your mouth every day until you get the desired result;
mint and raspberry leaves. Pour two tablespoons of each component into 300 ml of apple cider vinegar and leave for five days. Add the resulting medicinal product one teaspoon per glass of boiled water, rinse your mouth. It is allowed to moisten a cotton pad in a clean product and apply it to the sore tooth for 10 minutes;
nettle, strawberry, lemon balm. Take 100 g of each component, pour a liter of boiling water, strain after two hours, apply a lotion to the aching tooth twice a day. To enhance the effect, rinse your mouth with the resulting decoction after each meal.

Onion peel

Treatment of caries with a folk remedy in the form of onion peels was used back in the eighteenth century. To prepare the decoction, you need to chop the onion peel so that you get three dessert spoons. Next, you need to pour a glass of hot water, bring to a boil and continue heating the resulting broth for three minutes. The product must be filtered and left to infuse for eight hours. After this period, you will need to treat the oral cavity with infusion six times a day. It is imperative to do this after eating. The positive side of using onion peels is to inhibit the development of caries, disinfect the oral cavity, and heal small wounds. The course of treatment can be no more than sixty days.

Fir oil

Traditional methods for treating caries include the use of fir oil. The oil is also used for toothache. In both cases the same method is used. To treat the lesion, apply the oil to a cotton pad. The resulting swab should be applied to the back of the tooth surface, and then gradually moved to the side and front of the tooth. The cotton pad should be held on each side for approximately three minutes. This treatment method can be used up to five times a day. The oil must be used for seven days. The use of fir oil will be most effective when combined with other means.

Garlic

To treat caries, you need to chop two cloves of garlic. The resulting paste should be placed on the sore spot. To prevent the product from spreading throughout the mouth, you need to fix the garlic with a gauze pad. Garlic porridge can be used five times a day for two weeks. It is an effective remedy as it eliminates many different types of bacteria, while reducing the rate of decay processes. Treatment of caries with a folk remedy in the form of garlic should not be performed on patients suffering from stomach ulcers. Since garlic, if it enters the organs of the digestive system, can lead to an exacerbation of the disease and a deterioration in the general condition.

Camphor alcohol

To treat teeth, you need to moisten a cotton swab with camphor alcohol and apply it to the sore spot. The tampon must be held in place for five minutes. If the patient cannot stand it, treatment should be suspended. Camphor alcohol not only treats the affected tooth, but also prevents the spread of the disease to neighboring ones. To do this, you need to wipe your teeth and gums with alcohol. This procedure must be repeated twice a day for seven days. Pregnant women and children should not use camphor alcohol, as it can lead to allergies.

Treatment with vegetables and fruits

One of the most effective ways to treat caries at home is with vegetables and fruits. The following folk recipes exist:

Beet. You need to apply beets to the sore tooth and hold it for 20-30 minutes. You can also use grated vegetables for this.
Banana. Banana peel is used for medicinal purposes. It needs to be grated and slightly dried, and then applied to the tooth.

To get an additional effect, you can add olive oil and iodized salt to beets or bananas. The resulting mixture should be slowly rubbed into the gums. The procedure must be repeated 2-3 times a day.

Cervical caries

Cervical caries is located at the border of the tooth and gum. It usually appears due to poor oral care. The disease is caused by bacteria that live in dental plaque and tartar. These microorganisms produce acid that destroys the enamel on the teeth. Usually this type of disease appears in people over thirty years of age. The difficulty of treating cervical caries lies in the fact that the disease quickly spreads to the root. And in this case, the tooth can no longer be saved.

At the initial stage of the disease, it is necessary to remove plaque and stone from the dental plate. Then the oral cavity is enriched with products that contain calcium. Cervical caries can only be eliminated by a specialist; folk remedies will not help to overcome it.

However, an infusion of lemon balm, oregano, blueberries and sage can alleviate the condition of cervical caries. To prepare, you need to take a tablespoon of all the herbs and pour two glasses of boiling water. Leave to infuse for one hour. During the day you need to rinse your mouth with this infusion.

What is caries?

Many dental diseases begin with the appearance of dental caries in the oral cavity (a pathological process that appears after the eruption of the dentition, accompanied by tissue destruction and subsequent cavity formation).

Translated, “caries” means decay ; pathogenic bacteria first attack the enamel and gradually destroy the deep tissues of the tooth.

A timely stopped process keeps the unit of the dentition intact and safe, and prevents the appearance of trouble on neighboring elements. Dentists identify several unfavorable factors that significantly affect the occurrence of caries and the proliferation of pathogenic microflora in the oral cavity:

Improper or irregular oral care. Lack of daily dental sanitation leads to the accumulation of food debris, saliva, bacteria on the surface of the teeth, and the formation of specific plaque. Over time, deposits turn into tartar (an accumulation of pathogenic microflora), which cannot be removed with a regular brush, resulting in caries and problems with the gum tissue.
Weakened immunity. Weak defenses of the body cannot cope with pathogenic bacteria, microorganisms begin to actively reproduce, which leads to tooth destruction.
The course of chronic dental diseases , ailments of internal organs and systems (diabetes mellitus, osteochondrosis, tuberculosis, hepatitis, gingivitis and others).
Genetic predisposition. Scientists have found that climatic features, a specific diet, and other features significantly influence the occurrence of caries. For example, residents of the African continent are not susceptible to dental disease, but people living in Asia often experience caries.

In most cases, damage to dental tissue occurs due to negligence in the sanitation of the oral cavity, inadequate dental care, and lack of preventive visits to the dentist’s office.

Nutrition plays an important role ; eating sweet, too fatty and salty foods negatively affects the immune system and contributes to the formation of plaque on the surface of the dentition.

Treatment of caries in children

Caries cannot be cured using traditional medicine. But you can stop the progression of the disease and relieve the pain. This will help:

Use of decoctions. For a child, you can make a decoction of chamomile and sage. You need to take one spoonful of herbs and pour boiling water over it. Bring the resulting mixture to a boil, strain and cool. You need to rinse your mouth after every meal.
Chewable propolis. You can give your child propolis to chew to reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth.
Proper nutrition. It is necessary to remove sweets and salty foods from the diet. Eat vegetables, fruits, and dairy products.

Treatment of milk caries at home has its own nuances. Since children under three years old cannot do what can be offered to a six year old child. Before using any method, you need to find out about the possible reaction in your baby. Herbs and propolis can lead to allergies.

How to remove caries at home using folk remedies?

In addition to the medicinal approach, there are a lot of popular recommendations on how to get rid of caries at home. Here are a few recipes that traditional medicine offers:

Rinse your mouth with sage infusion.

One tablespoon is poured with boiling water, the broth is left for about an hour, and then a cotton swab is moistened in the resulting infusion and applied to the affected tooth. After this, you need to rinse your teeth and mouth with sage. Dentists note that sage is indeed a natural antiseptic and can prevent the growth of bacteria. But this remedy does not help cure dental caries at home; it can only temporarily slow down the process or serve as a preventive measure for caries.

Apply fir oil to the tooth.

Another popular recommendation is to apply a cotton swab with fir oil to the sore tooth. You will not be able to remove caries with this remedy on your own, but it can temporarily provide a good analgesic effect. You should make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible, because pain in the teeth may indicate complicated caries or pulpitis.

Garlic.

There are many folk tips for home treatment of caries using garlic. It is recommended to apply it to the tooth, lean it against the cheek on the side of the diseased tooth, and soak the enamel with juice. And although garlic’s ability to destroy microbes is beyond doubt, it is powerless in the fight against tooth decay. At best, it will partially relieve pain, but it certainly will not help cure deep caries.

Onion peel.

To treat caries at home, it is suggested to prepare a decoction of onion peels, leave it for several hours and use it as a mouth rinse. The infusion has an antiseptic effect and slightly dulls the pain. There are dozens of other folk recipes that suggest rinsing your mouth, applying something to tooth enamel, or rubbing it into your gums.

Self-medication is dangerous and unprofitable

It is important to treat any folk remedies critically and remember that their use not only does not guarantee recovery, but can sometimes be dangerous. For example, tinctures for rinsing with alcohol cause damage to the mucous membrane, ulcers and tissue erosion.

You must understand that the development of caries in most cases can be stopped only by removing damaged tooth tissue and filling the cavity. No herbal infusion can cope with this task.

Trying to cure caries at home, a person triggers the pathological process to such an extent that serious complications can arise, and caries spreads to the soft tissues of the tooth. And then, in any case, it will not be possible to avoid visiting the dentist, only the treatment process will be longer, more painful and will require significant financial costs.

Experts' opinion

Experts have a negative attitude towards treating caries with folk remedies at home. They base their opinion on the fact that improper treatment can lead to complications:

the appearance of periodontal disease, which can cause teeth to fall out;
inflammation of the gums;
formation of pus, cysts;
enlarged lymph nodes;
swelling;
tooth sensitivity.

Attempts to cope with the disease on your own can lead to tooth extraction. Thus, further dental treatment by a specialist may cost more than the fight against ordinary caries.

Is it possible to remove caries at home?

This question may arise in the following cases:

a person is afraid of dentists and is willing to risk his dental health rather than go to the doctor;
there is no opportunity to visit a doctor for objective reasons (for example, on a long trip or when there is no good clinic nearby);
a small child resists dental treatment in the dentist's office;
no money for dental treatment.

In most cases, it is impossible to get rid of caries at home.

But there are medicinal methods that help strengthen the enamel and stop the pathological process at an early stage, when caries looks like a white speck on the enamel. To do this, use gels that restore enamel and means for its remineralization.

You can use these anti-caries remedies at home, but a dentist must prescribe them and monitor the process.