When you have tooth pain, you want immediate relief. For some people, clove oil may help. Ask your dentist if it’s right for you.
Toothaches are uniquely irritating. They’re painful, and getting to a dentist for immediate attention may be inconvenient. You can use over-the-counter pain medications, but natural treatments are also available to treat pain.
One of these preferred remedies is cloves. For centuries, cloves have been used as a pain relief technique. Historically, treatments called for inserting the clove into an infected tooth or cavity. They contain an active ingredient that numbs the skin they touch, which may provide temporary relief from the toothache.
Today, instead of grinding cloves, we use clove oil. Clove oil is the extracted, concentrated product from the plant. Read on for instructions on using clove oil.
When to call the dentist or doctor
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), call your dentist immediately if you:
- Have severe pain: If your mouth pain is severe, getting worse, or won’t stop.
- Have a fever: You have a fever that you think is related to a possible infection in a tooth or an area of your gums.
- Had a trauma to your teeth: A cracked tooth or dental restoration, or facial bone trauma
- Are bleeding in your mouth: Uncontrolled bleeding from your gums or tooth
- Have signs of infection: A severe infection, such as an abscess or boil, that could be life-threatening
- Have swelling in your mouth: Swollen gums or jaw, or soft tissue swelling that compromises your airway
Learn about more warning signs that you may need to see your dentist.
If you’re going to try to use clove oil as a pain reliever for dental pain, you’ll need a few things, including:
- a bottle of clove oil or powder
- cotton swab or cotton ball
- carrier oil (such as coconut oil, almond oil, or olive oil)
- a small dish
You can also use clove powder meant for baking, but clove oil is more effective.
You can follow these steps to try clove oil to help relieve a toothache:
- Collect the supplies and ingredients you need.
- Squeeze a few drops of clove oil with 1 teaspoon of olive oil into your dish.
- Soak your swab or cotton ball with the clove oil.
- Gently swipe the swab or ball around the area that is bothering you. Or place the cotton ball over the area.
- Allow the oil to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before it starts working.
- Reapply every 2 to 3 hours for relief.
Other ways to use clove oil
Other methods for using clove oil to help relieve dental pain include:
Oil pulling: To perform oil pulling, you can swirl clove oil mixed with coconut oil in your mouth. Focus on swishing the oil in the affected area to avoid numbing your whole mouth.
Clove paste: You can also make a paste or gel by grinding fresh whole cloves and mixing them with oil. This is less effective than using concentrated oil.
Look for clove oil in the medicinal section of your supermarket or the home remedies section of your pharmacy.
Always dilute essential oils with a carrier oil. Carrier oils are neutral oils, such as vegetable or nut oils, that help dilute stronger essential oils to make them easier to use and more palatable.
Stop use if the clove oil is too strong, upsets your stomach, or burns.
Clove oil contains the active ingredient eugenol, a natural anesthetic. Eugenol helps numb and reduce pain to
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Clove oil is naturally unpleasant to taste. Avoid swallowing any of it. Ingesting clove oil can lead to several side effects, including:
- breathing difficulties
- burning in your nose and throat
- upset stomach
- diarrhea
While clove oil is widely seen as an acceptable alternative treatment for toothaches, mainstream medical doctors do not widely support it. Talk with your dentist if you have any questions about using clove oil for toothache relief.
Infants and children
Never give clove oil to a child to eat or drink. Clove oil is meant to be daubed on an area, not swallowed.
Keep clove oil and other essential oils out of reach of children. If a child swallows clove oil by mistake, it can make them very ill.
Consult with your pediatrician or healthcare professional before using clove oil to treat your child.
Be sure to mix the clove oil with natural carrier oil, if you want to use this treatment as a topic for your child or infant. These oils dilute the strength of the oil. Never use full-strength clove oil on the skin.
The treatments for a toothache largely depend on what’s causing it. Here are other home remedies that may help relieve toothaches.
| Remedy | Why it may work | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| peppermint oil | contains 35-45 percent menthol, which may help reduce pain | Use in the same way as clove oil. Be sure to dilute. |
| sea salt rinse | reduce inflammation and pain | Dissolve a spoonful of sea salt in a cup of warm water and swish around affected area. |
| clean your mouth | trapped food particles between teeth may cause pain | floss, brush, rinse with antiseptic mouthwash |
| OTC pain relievers | may reduce pain and sensitivity caused by toothache | follow the directions on the bottle; try acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or aspirin |
| oral antiseptic | can ease irritation and provide temporary pain relief | look for options that contain benzocaine, which can gently numb your gums |
If you’re experiencing a toothache right now, keep these steps in mind for managing your pain:
- Look for dental damage: Can you see any damage to your teeth? If so, you may need emergency medical attention. If a tooth is cracked or broken, no amount of pain relief may help.
- Weigh your options: Which is more ideal for you? If you prefer something more natural, try one of the home remedies above. Otherwise, take one or two of your preferred over-the-counter pain relievers.
- Try clove oil: Try clove oil for a day or two as a soak or paste. Continue this until the pain goes away or you’re able to visit your dentist. Consider OTC pain medication if the relief isn’t strong enough.