Home remedies for toothache — believe it or not

We write this letter to share with your readers an interesting case regarding the usage of home remedies for control of toothache after documenting a bizarre habit for alleviating toothache in a 23-year-old male patient. The patient, complaining of toothache in the mandibular left posterior region, revealed that he had been frequently using a petrol mouthwash for relieving toothache for the last 3 weeks and initially had also placed tobacco in the same region for the last 3 days to alleviate pain. The patient was immediately counselled and referred for an endodontic treatment. On enquiring about the use of petrol as a mouthwash his answer was equally as astounding for his friends had also used petrol as a mouthwash with efficacious results. The placement of tobacco in the toothache region for relieving pain is an age-old custom that is commonly used in rural parts of northern India. The culture of placing tobacco for alleviating pain is deep-rooted and is difficult to eradicate.