Clove Tea for Toothache: Does It Work and How to Use It?
A toothache can quickly ruin your day. Eating might hurt, sleeping can be tough, and even a sip of something hot or cold can cause…
A toothache can quickly ruin your day. Eating might hurt, sleeping can be tough, and even a sip of something hot or cold can cause pain. If you can’t see a dentist right away, you might try simple home remedies to ease the discomfort.
Clove tea is a traditional home remedy for toothache. Cloves have eugenol, a natural compound known for its pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. While research supports some dental uses of eugenol, homemade clove tea won’t cure the cause of your toothache. (PubMed)
Does Clove Tea Help a Toothache?
Clove tea might give you some short-term relief, but there is stronger evidence for eugenol and clove oil than for homemade clove tea. A 2025 review of 21 studies on plant-based dental pain treatments found that eugenol from clove had some of the best pain-relief evidence. (PubMed)
In that review, three randomized controlled trials involving eugenol consistently reported reductions in pain in conditions such as pulpitis and alveolar osteitis, although researchers rated the certainty of evidence as moderate. (PubMed Central (PMC))
This difference matters. Clove tea is much less concentrated than the eugenol products used in most dental studies.
How Does Clove Tea for Toothache Work?
Eugenol May Help With Dental Pain
Eugenol is one of the main active compounds responsible for clove’s familiar smell and flavor. It has a long history of use as a dental analgesic and antiseptic.
Research suggests eugenol interacts with several pathways involved in pain transmission. This may help explain why cloves can temporarily soothe dental discomfort. (PubMed Central (PMC))
Cloves Have Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Inflammation around a damaged tooth or irritated gum can contribute to soreness. Eugenol has demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity and can influence several inflammatory pathways. (PubMed Central (PMC))
This might help explain why some people feel better after drinking clove tea, but it should not be seen as a treatment for inflamed or diseased teeth or gums.
Cloves Have Antimicrobial Activity
Eugenol also shows antimicrobial activity against microorganisms associated with tooth decay and periodontal disease. Laboratory research has found activity against oral pathogens, including Streptococcus mutans, a bacterium strongly associated with dental caries. (PubMed Central (PMC))
But just because clove tea shows antimicrobial effects in the lab, it does not mean it can get rid of an infection inside your tooth.
How to Make Clove Tea for Toothache
Making a mild clove tea at home is simple. All you need is water and whole cloves.
What You Need
Use approximately one cup of water and three to five whole cloves. You will also need a cup and a small strainer.
Since there is no official medical recipe for clove tea for toothache, think of it as a mild kitchen remedy, not a medical treatment.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Bring one cup of water to a boil and remove it from the heat. Add three to five whole cloves and allow them to steep for around five to ten minutes.
Strain out the cloves and let the tea cool until it feels warm but not hot. Sip it slowly. Avoid putting very hot liquid on a sore tooth or gum, since it can burn your mouth and make the pain worse.
How to Use Clove Tea for Toothache
You can slowly drink warm clove tea for toothache. If your teeth are sensitive to temperature, let the tea cool down more before you drink it.
You can also gently swish the cooled tea around your mouth to reach the sore spot, then spit it out. There is no proven rinsing time or frequency for homemade clove tea, so be cautious about claims that holding it in your mouth for a certain time works better.
Keep in mind that any relief from clove tea is probably temporary. If your pain comes back, don’t just keep using home remedies to cover it up.
Clove Tea vs. Clove Oil for Toothache
Clove tea and clove oil are not the same. Clove tea is a weak water infusion made from whole cloves, but clove essential oil is much more concentrated.
| Method | Concentration | Main consideration |
| Clove tea | Low | Gentle infusion, but direct clinical evidence is limited |
| Whole clove | Moderate/local | May irritate sensitive oral tissue |
| Clove oil | High | Concentrated and requires careful use |
Stronger is not always better. Clove oil has much more eugenol than clove tea and should not be used the same way.
Can Clove Tea Treat an Infected Tooth?
No, clove tea for toothache cannot cure a dental infection or abscess. It might make the area feel better for a while, but it does not remove infection, fix a cavity, or heal a damaged tooth.
This is important because pain can go away even while the dental problem gets worse.
See a dentist quickly if your toothache comes with swelling in your face or gums, fever, pus, trouble swallowing, or pain that gets worse fast. Do not use clove tea as an excuse to put off treatment for a possible dental infection.
Other Ways to Use Cloves for Toothache
Whole cloves are another old-fashioned remedy. Some people gently hold a clove near the sore tooth and let saliva soften it. Do not bite down hard, especially if your tooth is cracked or damaged.
Some home remedies use ground cloves, but the small pieces can irritate sensitive gums. You can also try oral products that are made with clove and designed for dental use.
Clove oil requires greater caution. Eugenol is widely used in dental preparations, but concentrated essential oil is different from clove tea for toothache and can cause irritation when used incorrectly. (PubMed Central (PMC))
Is Clove Tea for Toothache Safe?
Eating cloves in food is not the same as using strong clove products for health reasons. Mild clove tea is much weaker than clove oil, but it can still cause irritation or allergies in some people.
Stop using clove tea for toothache if you notice burning, swelling, itching, or more irritation in your mouth. Never swallow clove essential oil, and keep strong oils away from children unless a healthcare professional says it is safe.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking blood thinners, or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before using strong herbal products regularly.
When Should You See a Dentist for Toothache?
Home remedies are best used as a short-term fix while you get proper care. Problems like cavities, cracked teeth, damaged fillings, gum disease, or infections do not go away just because the pain fades.
Call your dentist if your toothache is very bad, keeps coming back, or does not get better in a day or two. Swelling, fever, pus, a bad taste, pain when biting, or a broken tooth all need a dentist’s care.
See clove tea for toothache as a way to feel a bit better, not as a substitute for finding and treating the real cause.
FAQs About Clove Tea for Toothache
How long does clove tea take to help toothache?
There is not enough research to say exactly how fast homemade clove tea works. Eugenol can help with pain, but how well the tea works can be very different from person to person.
Can I drink clove tea when I have tooth pain?
Many adults can drink a mild, warm clove tea. If your tooth is sensitive, avoid drinking tea that is too hot.
Can I rinse my mouth with clove tea?
You can gently rinse your mouth with cooled clove tea. But there is not strong proof that homemade clove rinses fix the real cause of dental pain.
Is clove tea better than clove oil for toothache?
You can’t really compare the two. Clove tea is much weaker, while clove oil is very strong and can cause irritation if not used properly.
Can clove tea cure a tooth infection?
No, clove tea for toothache cannot cure an infected tooth or abscess. You may need to see a dentist for treatment.
Can I use clove tea every day?
Eating cloves or having clove tea once in a while is not the same as using it every day for tooth pain. If you need clove tea daily for the same tooth, it is time to see a dentist.
Helpful Dental Health Video
Here’s a video about benefits of clove tea:
Final Thoughts on Clove Tea for Toothache
There is a reasonable scientific explanation behind the traditional use of cloves for dental discomfort. Eugenol has documented analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, and a recent systematic review found moderate-certainty evidence for pain reduction with eugenol in several dental applications. (PubMed Central (PMC))
Even though there is evidence for eugenol and clove oil, that does not mean homemade clove tea can treat dental disease. Mild tea might help you feel better for a short time, but if you have ongoing pain, swelling, fever, or signs of infection, you should see a dentist.
References
- Reddy MS, et al. Analgesic Efficacy of Phytotherapeutic Agents in Dental Pain Management: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Dentistry, 2025. (PubMed)
Read the study on PubMed - Khalil AA, et al. Biological Properties and Prospects for the Application of Eugenol—A Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021. (PubMed Central (PMC))
Read the full review on PMC - Pramod K, Ansari SH, Ali J. Eugenol: A Natural Compound With Versatile Pharmacological Actions. Natural Product Communications. (PubMed)
View the PubMed record - New Perspectives about Relevant Natural Compounds for Current Dentistry Research. Review of eugenol’s antimicrobial, analgesic and anti-inflammatory applications in dentistry. (PubMed Central (PMC))
Read the article on PMC - American Dental Association. Sensitive Teeth. Educational video. (YouTube)
Watch the ADA video on YouTube
