How to Take Clove Oil

Dental Uses

Rub it on your tooth if you have a toothache. This is the oldest use for clove oil because of its analgesic effect. Pour a bit of pure, undiluted clove oil onto a cotton swab and hold it against the tooth that hurts. This can help numb the tooth. Don’t use the oil on any surrounding teeth or gums, and keep it on the tooth that hurts. Clove oil is good for reducing infections and inflammation. It is effective for reducing pain. You can use it for tooth infections. It’s okay if you swallow this tiny amount of clove oil. It just might cause a slight warming sensation in your stomach. While this is a traditional remedy for tooth pain, the FDA doesn’t currently think this an effective treatment, so be prepared to try something else.

Rinse your mouth with clove oil mouthwash to prevent cavities. Studies show that clove oil can help kill the bacteria that cause gum disease and bad breath. Some commercial mouthwashes use it as an ingredient, so it’s perfect to rinse your mouth with. Swish the mouthwash around for about 1 minute, or as long as the product tells you to, and spit it all out after. You could also rinse your mouth with diluted clove oil. Add 1 drop of clove oil to a glass of water and swish that around your mouth. Make sure you spit it all out when you’re done. This is also a home remedy for a toothache. Don’t use undiluted clove oil to rinse your mouth. This can irritate your gums.

Brush with a clove oil toothpaste to reduce plaque. Clove oil could also help break down plaque on your teeth. Get a commercial toothpaste with clove oil and use that to brush your teeth and keep your mouth clean. Like with mouthwash, don’t brush your teeth with undiluted oil. This could irritate your mouth.

Topical Uses

Fight itchy skin with clove oil. The analgesic effect of clove oil can help fight irritated skin. If you have dry, itchy, or inflamed skin, try applying a clove oil gel onto the spot to see if that helps you. Don’t use undiluted clove oil on your skin. This can irritate it more. If you want to use pure clove oil, dilute it to a 3-5% concentration with a carrier oil first.

Apply clove oil cream to help anal fissures clear. Anal fissures are painful tears in the anus, and clove oil cream is traditionally used to numb that pain. Try applying a commercial 1% clove cream for 6 weeks to see if this helps make you more comfortable. If anal fissures are a consistent problem for you, then it’s best to see your doctor for treatment. Never use pure clove oil for this. Only a commercial gel will work.

Numb your skin with clove oil gel before a shot. Since clove oil works as an analgesic, it might help make you more comfortable during shots or other medical procedures. Try rubbing a clove oil gel on your skin 5 minutes before getting a shot to reduce the pain. Let your doctor know before you do this. They might not want the oil to mix with the shot and tell you not to use it.

Safety Information

Ask your doctor if clove oil is safe for you before using it. Clove oil could have side effects or interactions with medications. As long as your doctor approves, then you can use it.

Avoid swallowing clove oil to avoid side effects. While small doses of clove oil are safe in food, high doses taken by mouth could be dangerous. Doctors don't recommend swallowing clove oil in any higher amounts than you'd find normally in food. The levels of clove oil in food is usually below 0.06%. This is safe to swallow, but avoid higher doses.

Dilute the oil before using it on your skin. All essential oils can irritate your skin if they’re undiluted, so don’t use pure clove oil on your skin. Add 3 drops of clove oil to 1 tsp (5 cc) of neutral carrier oil like olive oil for a 3% concentration. This should be weak enough to avoid any irritation. You can make the solution a bit stronger by adding 5 drops instead of 3 for a 5% dilution, but don’t make it stronger than that. You could also use water as a carrier, but be sure to shake the solution well every time you use it so it’s mixed.

Wait until children are at least 2 before giving them clove oil. Clove oil isn’t intended for children younger than 2 for any use. Wait until your children are at least 2 before using it on them. This goes for topical and oral treatments. Don’t use clove oil at all in children younger than 2.

Don’t take clove oil if you take blood thinners or diabetes medication. Clove oil can interact with these medications and either enhance their effects or prevent them from working properly. It's best to skip clove oil in either case.

Avoid clove oil if you have a bleeding disorder. Clove oil can act as a blood thinner, so it’s not safe to take if you have a clotting disorder. Skip it to avoid any bleeding problems. Also avoid clove oil if you take any supplements that can thin blood, like garlic or turmeric.