Cloves
Syzygium aromaticum
Aromatic spice with powerful natural pain-relieving compound eugenol
About Cloves
Cloves are the dried flower buds of a tropical evergreen tree native to Indonesia's Spice Islands. Their signature warm-sweet flavour comes from eugenol, a compound that comprises up to 90% of clove essential oil and is one of the best-studied natural analgesics for tooth pain — dentists have used clove oil for over a century as a topical numbing agent while patients wait for treatment. A 2006 trial in the Journal of Dentistry found clove oil comparable to benzocaine for gum-numbing efficacy. Also one of the highest-antioxidant spices in the world.
Key benefits
- Eugenol is a natural topical anesthetic — clinically comparable to benzocaine for gum numbing
- Broad-spectrum antibacterial against oral pathogens
- Warming spice with traditional digestive benefits
- One of the highest antioxidant levels of any spice
How to use
For tooth pain: hold a whole clove against the aching tooth, or dab 1–2 drops of diluted clove oil (in olive or coconut oil) on the sore area with a cotton swab. Do not swallow undiluted clove oil. In cooking: use ground cloves in warm spice blends, chai, and mulled wine.
Did you know?
Cloves were once so valuable that in the 17th century the Dutch monopolised production so aggressively they burned entire islands of clove trees to keep prices high — a 'clove massacre' that shaped centuries of colonial history. A single tree could once be worth more than a farmer's yearly wages.