Toothache is one of the most irritating and painful conditions. Visiting a dentist sometimes become so much daunting that we all go through the internet for some home remedy for toothache. Our elders always tell us that holding a clove pod between our teeth relieves our toothache within a few moments.

Clove acts as a reliever for a number of dental conditions. It is the perfect home remedy for toothache all types. Let us have a look at what this tiny clove pod can show miracles.

Your kitchen pantry is your First Aid

When you open the pot of steamy white rice you get a mouth-watering aroma of amazing spices that enhanced the flavor and taste of the plain white rice.

India is a land of a variety of spices. Every spice has its own texture, aroma, and taste. Every curry and delicacy is incomplete without adding some kind of spice or a combination of spices.

We have a diversity of spices which has their own kind of taste and medicinal property. Ayurveda also tells that there are a number of medicines present in our kitchen pantry which are the remedies for a number of health conditions. One of them is “clove”. Cloves are the primary medicines for many health issues.

The aromatic cloves

Cloves are basically the buds on the flowers of the tree Syzygium aromaticum.

Cloves add an amazing flavor to the food. We all know that they are available in a variety of forms, such as clove pods, clove oil and even in powder.

Cloves are available in every supermarket in pods as well as powdered form.

The nutritional value of clove (2 tsp)

Calories:12
Manganese:110%
Vitamin K:7%
Fiber:5%
Iron:3%
Magnesium:3%
Calcium:3%

Origin of Cloves

Cloves are indigenous to countries in East Asia and are grown as the flower buds of the tree. Clove is native to the Moluccas, formerly known as the Spice Islands of Indonesia. They are used in Asia for more than 2000 years. Today clove is also commercially grown in West Indies, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, India, Pemba, and Brazil.

The villagers pluck the pink flowers from the tree and dry them for around 3 days. The texture of the flowers dries up and becomes a little hard and a strong aroma spreads in the surrounding.

Benefits of Cloves

Anesthetic property

Eugenol in cloves is a strong anesthetic. It relieves toothache in a few minutes if you have one. The affected area goes numb for a few minutes and the pain is reduced. Dentists also mix little cloves with zinc oxide and use it as a temporary filling to calm the nerve of the tooth. Have you tasted a little tinge of clove during your root canal treatment?

Anti-inflammatory factors

Eugenol is the primary component present in the clove. This acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Therefore if you have swollen gums, the dentist always recommends you to put some clove oil or keep a clove pod between your teeth in order to release the pain.

Antibacterial properties

Our mouth is filled with bacteria. Poor hygiene or high sugar intake may trigger the action of bacteria which may cause dental caries. Hence, clove oil fights the bacteria inside our mouth and reduces the chances of having tooth decay. Also, clove is an excellent source of mouth freshener. The strong smell kills the bacteria and reduces bad breath. So, if you are facing bad breath issues, ditch the chemical mouth fresheners or chewing-gums, and carry a few cloves instead.

Overuse of Clove

Using clove oil or clove pods once in a while is not harmful. But every product has its limitations.

The side effects of using clove oil may include damage to gums, tooth pulp, the inner lining of the mouth. Clove has a strong and pungent property. So, the spicy taste can cause mouth sores to a few patients.

Consuming clove oil can also be dangerous to children like liver damage, seizures, and fluid imbalance. Pregnant women are advised to stop using clove oil as a remedy as it is unsafe for them and the fetus.

How to make clove oil at home?

Take 2 tablespoons of cloves. Grind them into a powder. Place this powder in a cotton cloth and tight the cloth with a string. In a jar, take about 200ml of coconut oil. Dip the powder cloth in the oil and cover it airtight. Keep the jar at the lowest heat for 1 hour. Now remove the powder cloth and your homemade clove oil is ready.