You can make clove oil at home by infusing whole cloves in a carrier oil like olive or coconut oil for one to two weeks. The active compound in cloves, eugenol, works as a natural numbing agent by blocking pain receptors and inhibiting nerve signals in the tissue around a sore tooth. While homemade clove oil can take the edge off dental pain temporarily, it won’t treat the underlying cause, and it’s worth knowing how to prepare and use it safely.
What You Need
The ingredient list is short: whole cloves, a carrier oil, and a small glass jar with a tight lid. Dark glass (amber or cobalt) is ideal because it protects the oil from light, which causes it to break down faster. For the carrier oil, olive oil is the most common choice, but coconut oil or sweet almond oil also work well. Avoid using clove powder if you can. Whole cloves release their oils more cleanly during infusion, and you won’t end up with gritty sediment in the finished product.
How to Make Clove Oil at Home
Start by lightly crushing about 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of whole cloves. You can use a mortar and pestle, the flat side of a knife, or even press them with the bottom of a heavy mug. You’re not grinding them to powder. You just want to crack them open so the eugenol releases more easily into the oil.
Place the crushed cloves into your glass jar and pour in enough carrier oil to fully cover them, filling the jar nearly to the top. Seal the lid tightly, give it a gentle shake, and set it in a cool, dark place like a cupboard or pantry.
Let the jar sit for 10 days to 2 weeks, shaking it once a day to help the infusion along. After that time, strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean container, pressing the cloves to extract as much liquid as possible. What you’re left with is your finished clove oil.
If you need it sooner, the oil is technically usable after a couple of days, but it won’t be nearly as potent. A full two-week infusion gives you the strongest result.
A Faster Stovetop Method
If you’re dealing with a toothache right now and can’t wait two weeks, a gentle heat method speeds things up significantly. Place your crushed cloves and carrier oil in a small saucepan over the lowest heat setting. Warm the mixture for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The oil should never simmer or smoke. You’re just using warmth to coax the eugenol out faster. Let it cool completely, then strain it into a clean jar. This version won’t be quite as concentrated as a long cold infusion, but it’s ready the same day.
How to Apply It to a Toothache
Dip a clean cotton ball, cotton swab, or small piece of tissue into the oil. You only need a small amount. Press it gently against the gum tissue around the painful tooth and hold it there for a few minutes. You’ll likely feel a warming or mild tingling sensation as the eugenol starts to numb the area. After a few minutes, remove the cotton and rinse your mouth with warm water.
You can reapply a few times throughout the day, but don’t leave oil-soaked cotton sitting against your gums for extended periods. Repeated or prolonged contact with eugenol can irritate soft tissue, and in some cases it has caused oral ulcers and contact reactions that took days or weeks to resolve after the source was removed.
Why Clove Oil Numbs Pain
Eugenol, the compound that gives cloves their distinctive sharp, spicy smell, works through several pathways at once. It blocks pain receptors directly, inhibits the nerve signals that carry pain messages, and enhances the activity of a calming brain chemical called GABA. Its numbing effect has been compared to that of clinical anesthetics in animal studies. Dentists have actually used eugenol-based preparations for decades in temporary fillings and dental cements, though it’s worth noting that eugenol is not currently included in any FDA-approved over-the-counter pain products. Several unapproved products do contain it and market it for toothaches, but the FDA has stated there isn’t enough data to formally classify it as safe and effective for that use.
That doesn’t mean it doesn’t work for temporary relief. It means homemade clove oil falls into a gray area: widely used, supported by lab and animal research, relied on in dental practice for generations, but not held to the same regulatory standard as drugstore pain relievers.
Safety and Side Effects
At low doses applied topically, eugenol’s main side effects are local irritation and, in rare cases, allergic contact reactions. Some people develop a sensitivity to eugenol that shows up as painful gums, burning sensations, or sores inside the mouth. If you notice any of these, stop using it immediately. A simple patch test on the inside of your wrist before putting it in your mouth can help catch an allergy early.
Swallowing large amounts of clove oil is a different story entirely. Ingesting concentrated eugenol can cause seizures, liver and kidney damage, and loss of consciousness. This is primarily a concern with store-bought essential oils, which are far more concentrated than a homemade infusion. Still, keep any clove oil preparation out of reach of children. Aromatherapy experts generally advise against using essential oils with children under age 3, and clove oil specifically is not on the list of oils considered safe for young children.
Homemade infused clove oil is naturally much milder than a distilled essential oil you’d buy in a bottle. That’s actually a safety advantage for oral use, since you’re less likely to irritate your gums or cause a chemical burn. If you do use a store-bought essential oil instead of making your own, always dilute it first. Mix one or two drops into a teaspoon of carrier oil before applying it to your mouth.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store your finished clove oil in a dark glass container in the refrigerator. According to food safety guidelines from the University of Georgia, oil infusions made without acidification should be refrigerated and ideally used within four days, though freezing extends their usability. In practice, the high concentration of eugenol in clove oil gives it some natural antimicrobial properties that help preserve it longer than, say, a garlic-infused cooking oil. Keeping it cold and away from light will maintain its potency for the longest time. If it starts to smell off or rancid, discard it.
Limits of Clove Oil for Dental Pain
Clove oil is a stopgap, not a solution. It numbs the surface tissue and can make a toothache bearable for hours, but it does nothing to address the cavity, crack, infection, or exposed nerve causing the pain. If your toothache comes with swelling in your face or jaw, fever, a foul taste in your mouth, or pain that radiates to your ear or neck, those are signs of a possible abscess. An abscess is a bacterial infection that can spread to surrounding tissue and bone, and no amount of clove oil will clear it. Antibiotics and professional treatment are the only way to resolve it.
Even without those warning signs, a toothache that persists for more than a day or two is telling you something needs attention. Clove oil can buy you comfort while you arrange an appointment, and that’s genuinely valuable. Just don’t let the relief convince you the problem has gone away.