Plants used in dentistry: Cloves

This item is adapted from the British Dental Journal: Plants used in dentistry past and present (January 2015)

• Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the Myrtaceae family, Syzygium aromaticum.
• In the past cloves were used as a remedy to ease the pain of toothache. Clove oil has a local anaesthetic effect and temporarily numbs and relieves pain.
• It is used in the preparation of some toothpastes and in Clovacaine solution, a local anaesthetic used in oral ulceration and inflammation.
• Eugenol, which is extracted from essential oils including clove oil, is also mixed with zinc oxide to form temporary tooth restorations.

Do you know of other plants used in dentistry? Email us at oasisdiscussions@cda-adc.ca