We GPs often end up treating toothache simply because the patient can’t find an NHS dentist. Not being trained — or paid — as dentists, we understandably get peeved by this. So I’m unlikely to condemn a home remedy for dental abscesses. Besides, there is some science behind the use of echinacea. It contains flavonoids and glycoproteins, which are thought to stimulate the immune system by activating the white blood cells. And dental abscesses are the result of infection of the gum, so a sparky immune system should help.

Unfortunately, the available research is bedevilled by problems: there is no standard product or dose and most tests have been performed in the test-tube, not in a real-life situation. True, echinacea has been shown to simulate white cells in mice. But one study in children revealed that it had no effect other than to increase the risk of a rash. And its benefit in treating or preventing the common cold — for which it is often recommended — is, at best, modest. Nonetheless, when you’re in the grip of raging toothache, hard science tends to take a back seat. So I’d give it a go.

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