Do you have a nagging toothache? And the dentist can’t see you till when? Natural remedies can help ease the pain. And, if there’s major tooth or gum work in your future, start eating this fruit now for extra healing…

Squeeze away your toothache: Acupressure often works like magic to temporarily abate the pain of a toothache. If the pain is on the right side of your mouth, squeeze the index finger of your right hand on each side of the fingernail. As you’re squeezing your finger, rotate it clockwise a few times, giving that index finger a rapid little massage. Do this until the throbbing in your mouth subsides a bit. If the tooth pain is on the left side of your mouth, do the squeezing trick to your left index finger.

Calm the throbbing with nature’s painkiller—cloves: Gently apply a small amount of clove oil (found in health-food stores) to the aching area with a cotton swab or a bit of tissue. Or if you can bear to chew and don’t want to purchase a special batch of clove oil, take a whole clove and dip it in honey (which has natural antiseptic properties), then chew the clove slowly, rolling it around the aching tooth. This releases the essential oil and eases the pain.

Dental work in your future? Pick a pineapple: Who doesn’t love going to the dentist for some heavy-duty tooth-and-gum work? Three days before you go to the dentist, start eating pineapple. Have a serving of fresh pineapple or a cup of canned pineapple in its own juice, and drink a cup of 100% pineapple juice every day. The enzymes in pineapple should help reduce pain and discomfort. They can also help speed the healing process.

Continue the pineapple regimen for a day or two after the dental work is completed.

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