The most widely used pressure point for tooth pain is the fleshy web of skin between your thumb and index finger, known in acupressure as LI4 or “Hegu.” Pressing firmly on this spot for one to two minutes can help dull a toothache by triggering your body’s natural pain-relief chemicals. Several other points on the jaw and face also target dental pain more directly, and you can combine them for a stronger effect.
Acupressure won’t fix the underlying cause of a toothache, but it can take the edge off while you wait for a dental appointment. A randomized clinical trial comparing acupressure to ibuprofen for dental pain found no significant difference in pain relief between the two at most time points, with both performing better than no treatment at all.
The Hand Point: LI4 (Hegu)
This is the go-to point for tooth pain, headaches, and general facial pain. It sits on the back of your hand in the thick, muscular area where the bones of your thumb and index finger meet. To find it, squeeze your thumb against your index finger and look for the highest point of the bulge that forms. That’s where you press.
Use the thumb of your opposite hand to apply firm, steady pressure. You should feel a deep, achy sensation, not sharp pain. Hold for about one to two minutes, then switch hands. Some people find small circular motions more effective than static pressure. You can repeat this every 30 minutes or so as needed.
One important note: if you’re pregnant, avoid stimulating this point. LI4 has been shown to play a role in inducing uterine contractions and is actually used in clinical settings to help manage labor. Outside of pregnancy, it’s considered safe.
The Jaw Point: ST6 (Jiache)
This point targets the jaw muscle itself, making it especially useful for lower tooth pain or pain accompanied by jaw tension. To find it, clench your teeth and feel for the muscle that bulges in your cheek, roughly halfway between the corner of your mouth and the bottom of your earlobe. Once you locate that muscle, relax your jaw and apply steady pressure with your index finger or thumb.
Because ST6 sits directly over the masseter (the main chewing muscle), pressing here can also relieve tightness from clenching or grinding your teeth. If your toothache gets worse when you chew, this is a good point to try first. Hold gentle, firm pressure for about a minute on each side.
The Cheekbone Point: SI18 (Quanliao)
If your pain is in an upper tooth, this point is worth trying. It sits in the small hollow just below your cheekbone. To find it, draw an imaginary line straight down from the outer corner of your eye until you reach the bottom edge of the cheekbone. Press into that slight depression with your fingertip.
This point is less commonly mentioned than LI4 but targets the upper face and may help with pain radiating into the cheek or sinus area, which upper toothaches often do. Apply moderate pressure for 30 to 60 seconds on each side.
The Ear Point: Shenmen
Shenmen is a small point near the top of the ear, in the triangular hollow where the upper ear cartilage folds. It’s considered a general pain-relief and calming point in auricular (ear-based) acupressure. Pinch this area gently between your thumb and index finger, or press on it with a fingertip. This one is easy to stimulate discreetly if you’re at work or in public.
Why Pressure Points Affect Pain
Pressing on these points stimulates nerve fibers in the muscle and surrounding tissue. Those signals travel to the spinal cord and brain, where they trigger the release of endorphins, serotonin, and other natural painkillers. At the same time, the pressure changes how your nervous system processes pain signals, essentially turning down the volume on the pain message traveling from your tooth to your brain. In low concentrations, some of the compounds released also have mild anti-inflammatory effects.
This is why acupressure can perform comparably to over-the-counter painkillers for certain types of dental discomfort. In the clinical trial mentioned earlier, 75 orthodontic patients aged 12 to 16 were split into three groups: one receiving 400 mg of ibuprofen, one using acupressure, and one receiving no pain relief. At the 4-hour, 18-hour, and one-week marks, there was no significant difference in pain between the ibuprofen and acupressure groups, and both reported less pain than the group that got nothing.
How to Get the Best Results
You don’t need to choose just one point. Working through several in sequence can provide broader relief. A practical routine: start with LI4 on both hands (one to two minutes each), then move to ST6 on both sides of the jaw (one minute each), and finish with SI18 under the cheekbones if the pain is in the upper teeth. You can repeat this cycle several times a day.
The pressure should be firm enough to produce a dull, spreading ache at the point, sometimes described as a “good hurt.” If it feels sharp or makes you flinch, ease off slightly. Circular or kneading motions tend to work better than simply pushing and holding, though both approaches are used. Keep your breathing slow and even while you press, since tension in the rest of your body can amplify pain perception.
Acupressure works best as a bridge, something to reduce pain while you address the root cause. A toothache that lasts more than a day or two usually signals decay, a crack, or infection that won’t resolve on its own. If you develop a fever, facial swelling, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, those are signs an infection may be spreading into deeper tissues. That situation requires emergency care, not pressure points.