In a small trial of 73 adults published in the Journal of Dentistry in 2006, a homemade clove gel numbed the lining of the mouth before a needle prick about as well as a 20% benzocaine gel, and both did better than a placebo. That is a fair summary of what clove oil can offer for toothache: real but short-lived surface numbing. It quietens the pain for a while. It does nothing to the decay, crack or infection that is causing it.
Eugenol is the reason it numbs
Most of what clove oil does comes from eugenol, its main component. A 2021 review of clove essential oil in the journal Molecules (Haro-González and colleagues) reported that eugenol makes up at least half of the oil, with the rest mostly other aromatic compounds. Eugenol dampens nerve signals where it touches tissue and has some antibacterial activity, which is why dentists have long used it in certain temporary fillings and dressings.
The 2006 study, by Alqareer and colleagues at Kuwait University, tested the gels on the healthy lining of the mouth beside the upper canine before a needle stick rather than on an aching tooth, so it shows a numbing effect on the surface of the mouth, not relief from deep nerve pain. Good-quality trials of clove oil for actual toothache are scarce. Treat it as a stopgap and expect the pain to come back once it wears off.
Using it without hurting your gums
Concentrated clove oil is strong enough to irritate and burn the gum, tongue and cheek, so it should always be well diluted in a carrier oil such as olive oil before it goes near the mouth. Soak a cotton bud or small piece of cotton wool in the mixture, hold it against the sore tooth and the gum right beside it for a short time, then take it out. Spit rather than swallow, and avoid using it over and over through the day.
Some people react to eugenol itself. Allergy to it has been reported as a cause of burning or ulcer-like soreness in the mouth (Navarro Triviño and colleagues, Contact Dermatitis, 2019), so stop if the area becomes more painful, red or blistered. Keep clove oil away from young children, and check with a pharmacist or doctor first if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or take blood-thinning medicine. For general gum soreness, a warm salt water rinse is a gentler place to start.
Pain that keeps coming back needs a diagnosis
Toothache is a symptom of something: a cavity reaching the nerve, a cracked tooth, a failing filling, gum infection or an abscess. Clove oil can help you sleep or get through a weekend, but a toothache that does not settle, wakes you at night or throbs constantly should be seen by a dentist promptly. Our articles on toothache at night and pain that comes and goes explain the usual causes.
Some signs mean you should not wait. Facial or jaw swelling, fever, a foul taste from a draining gum, or trouble swallowing can point to a spreading infection. Contact a dentist the same day, and go to a hospital emergency department if swelling is affecting your breathing, swallowing or eye. Our guides to an abscessed tooth and dental emergencies cover what to do next.
Questions we are often asked
Can I put clove oil straight onto the tooth?
Not neat. Dilute it first and apply it only to the sore tooth and the gum next to it.
Is clove oil better than pain relief tablets?
They do different things. Clove oil numbs the surface it touches, while over-the-counter pain relievers taken as the label directs act through the body. A pharmacist can advise which is suitable for you. Neither treats the cause.
Can children use it?
It is not recommended for young children. Ask a dentist or pharmacist about suitable pain relief for a child with toothache.
If you have been reaching for clove oil more than once, it is time to find out why the tooth hurts. You can book a visit at our Melrose Park practice, and any new patient offers are listed on our current deals page.
This article is general information and not a substitute for personalised advice from your dentist. If you are experiencing significant pain, swelling, or fever, seek dental or medical care promptly.
