Stimulating pressure points can help relieve tooth pain. Acupoints that may help include Shenmen above the ear, Jiache on the jaw muscle, and Quanliao, below the cheekbone.
However, pressure point stimulation may not heal the underlying cause of the toothache. People with persistent or severe pain or any accompanying symptoms such as fever should seek immediate medical treatment.
Read on to learn what acupuncture is, if it helps with toothache, and how to use this technique to relieve toothache.
Acupuncture is a complementary therapy that involves stimulating pressure points at specific points around the body. It comes from acupuncture, which is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
According to TCM, the body’s energy, or “qi,” flows through a network of channels or meridians that extend throughout the body. These meridians can become blocked, which inhibits the flow of qi, causing pain or disease.
Along the meridians, there are areas called “acupoints”. Acupuncture involves inserting very fine needles into these points to treat health conditions.
Acupuncture is the non-invasive alternative to acupuncture. Instead of needles, it involves applying pressure with the hands or fingers.
Yes, there is some evidence that acupuncture can help reduce tooth pain.
ONE Controlled trial 2023 of adolescents aged 12 to 16 found that acupuncture treatment reduced pain after a dental procedure to the same extent as ibuprofen.
Orthodontists placed spacers, which make space between the teeth for orthodontic appliances, in 75 people. The groups receiving ibuprofen or acupuncture reported similarly reduced levels of pain compared to no treatment.
ONE Study 2022 of 180 people also found that acupuncture around the ears helped reduce postoperative pain after tooth extraction compared to a placebo. The authors particularly focused on the Shenmen point, which is an oval-shaped dip in the upper ear.
ONE 2017 review previous research notes that, in 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed acupuncture and acupuncture as effective treatments for dental pain.
However, it is currently unclear how any of these approaches work to relieve pain. One theory is that it stimulates the nerves that send pain signals, interrupting or altering the perception of pain.
ONE resolution 2023 of three pilot studies also found that ear acupuncture for pain changed chemicals in the body that affect inflammation. The treatment reduced the levels of inflammatory substances and stimulated the release of anti-inflammatory substances.
Although the study did not include people experiencing dental pain, this could be how acupuncture also relieves dental pain. More research is needed to understand the mechanism behind this.
It is important to note that acupuncture does not treat the cause of the toothache. People with dental disease or infections still need treatment from a dentist.
Someone who wants to try acupuncture can visit a registered acupuncturist. Alternatively, they can practice on their own. To try it out:
- Find a comfortable position and try to relax by closing your eyes and breathing deeply.
- Use steady pressure to massage the acupuncture points on both sides of the body. Massage each acupoint in a circular or up-and-down motion.
- Repeat the massage as long as you feel comfortable or until the pain subsides.
- Ask for help if the massage is difficult to do on your own.
A person can apply pressure to several acupuncture points to relieve a toothache. Some examples include:
TF4: Shenmen
The Study 2022 specifically emphasizes the Shenmen or “Heavenly Gate” point on the ear as a beneficial acupoint for toothache. This point is in the middle of a depression in the upper part of the ear.
SI18: Quanliao, Small Intestine Meridian
Quanliao translates as “cheekbone cleft”. This acupoint sits below the cheekbone.
To find the Quanliao, a person must draw a line directly from the outer corner of the eye to the hollow of the cheekbone.
ST6: Jiache, stomach meridian
Jiache translates as “jaw”. This acupuncture point is located halfway between the corner of the mouth and the bottom of the earlobe.
To find the jiache, a person must clench their jaw and feel the muscles flexing in the cheeks. Applying pressure here
LI4: He gu, colon meridian
He gu translates as “uniting the valley”. This acupuncture point is located in the skin tissue between the thumb and forefinger. Applying pressure here
Traditionally, some acupuncturists regard He gu as a “forbidden point” that people should not stimulate during pregnancy, due to its association with miscarriage.
There is no evidence that acupuncture or acupressure causes abortion through forbidden points in early pregnancy, but there are evidences that acupuncture can induce contractions in late pregnancy leading to labor.
GB21: Jianjing, Gallbladder Meridian
Jianjing translates as “good shoulder”. This acupuncture point is located on the shoulder muscle, between the neck and shoulder blades. A person can find it by pinching the muscle using the thumb and middle finger, then applying pressure with the index finger while slowly releasing the pinch.
ONE 2019 study states that historically, healers used Jianjing to treat pain in the head, neck, or shoulder. However, some acupuncturists consider this a “forbidden point” during pregnancy.
It is unclear whether stimulation of this point has anything to do with pregnancy loss or complications due to a lack of research.
A toothache often occurs when the dental pulp inside the tooth becomes inflamed. This inflammation may be due to various reasons:
Other conditions and factors can cause tooth pain without affecting the dental pulp. These include:
Acupuncture can temporarily ease the pain of a toothache, but it won’t treat the cause. People should seek medical treatment as soon as possible to reduce the risk of further complications.
Some cases of toothache require a visit to the dentist, while others may require hospital treatment.
When to visit a dentist
A person should visit their dentist as soon as possible if they experience the following symptoms:
If a person has a mild toothache but no other symptoms, they should see a dentist as soon as possible.
When to go to the hospital
A toothache can sometimes occur as a result of a tooth infection. Sometimes, the infection can spread to other parts of the face or body. These infections are serious and require immediate medical treatment.
The following symptoms may indicate that a tooth infection has spread:
- swelling or tenderness in the floor of the mouth
- difficulty swallowing or breathing
- severe headache
- fever
- confusion
- difficulty seeing or double vision
- swelling around one eye
If a person has one of the above symptoms, they should go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
Acupuncture involves applying pressure to specific points on the body. Some evidence suggests that certain pressure points may help relieve tooth pain, such as the Quanliao, Jiache, and Shenmen points. A person can try to activate these acupuncture points on their own through massage or they can visit a registered acupuncturist.
Acupuncture may temporarily relieve a toothache, but it will not treat the underlying condition. To address the cause, a person should visit their dentist. If there are other worrying symptoms, they may need urgent treatment in a hospital.
