Why Clove Essential Oil Is A Must In Your Collection

Clove is perhaps more popular as a spice used in the kitchen. However, clove also comes in the form of essential oil, and it offers numerous benefits for the body. It is an all-around essential oil that you can use as a mouthwash, as a massage oil, as well as an insect repellent. Read on to learn about the uses and benefits of clove essential oil.

What Is Clove Essential Oil?

Clove essential oil comes from the buds and stems of the clove tree. The clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum) is native to Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia. Clove itself has culinary applications. Clove essential oil, on the other hand, which has a strong spicy aroma, also has numerous uses and benefits.

When applied topically, it is warm. For this reason, topical application of cove oil should be done carefully. Always mix this essential oil with a carrier oil to avoid skin irritation. Furthermore, since it is a “spicy” essential oil, it is not advisable to use this for children. It is, however, completely safe for diffusion and topical application for adults. Though clove essential oil is not as popular as lavender or tea tree essential oil, this is a must-have for those who love to diffuse essential oils.

Uses And Benefits Of Clove Essential Oil

Relieves Toothache

Clove oil is well known for its uses in dental care. One of its most common uses is in relieving pain in the teeth and gums. It helps alleviate these types of pain by temporarily numbing the nerves in the gums and mouth. Research shows that Eugenol, a major component of clove oil, is responsible for its pain-relieving abilities in the oral area. When used for toothaches, clove essential oil can be applied onto the painful area through a cotton ball.

Fights Oral Bacteria

Eugenol has also been found to be effective at inhibiting common oral pathogens. Because of its anti-septic abilities, clove essential oil is used for treating mouth ulcers, sore gums, and bad breath. Clove essential oil can be used as a mouthwash to fight bacteria that live in the mouth.

Soothes Muscle And Joint Pain

Clove oil’s ability to relieve pain also works for muscles and joints. In addition to its numbing effect, clove oil tends to feel warm when applied topically, so it also helps encourage blood circulation toward stiff joints and tense muscles to loosen them up. Clove oil works great as an addition to massage oils and muscle ointments.

Relieves Headaches

Clove essential oil’s abilities extend to headaches as well. It can help relieve tension in the forehead, temples, and head by helping the muscles calm down. While relieving tension, clove essential oil also temporarily relieves pain.

Insect Repellent

Clove is also one of the essential oils that insects and mosquitoes do not like. Various studies have confirmed that clove essential oil repels mosquitoes and various insects. You can add the essential oil to your lotion or use aromatherapy to keep the insects away.

Antiseptic For Insect Bites

Mosquito bites and insect bites carry irritants that make the skin swell up and itch. In addition to repelling insects and mosquitoes, love essential oil can be applied onto mosquito and insect bites to lessen their effects. The essential oil also helps avoid infections that could develop from insect bites.

Clears Nasal Passages

Allergies, colds, and flu often come with blocked nasal passages as this area becomes swollen. Clove essential oil has anti-inflammatory properties that help clear up swollen and blocked nasal passages. This is great support for those with colds or flu as they will not only be more comfortable but they will also be able to release phlegm and potentially recover faster.

Natural Remedy For Athlete’s Foot

Another property of clove oil is anti-fungal. It can inhibit the activity of fungi, which are primarily responsible for athlete’s foot. Using clove essential oil regularly on your feet will also likely address unpleasant odors that persist due to microbes.

Remedy For Acne

Clove essential oil has also been found to be effective against acne-causing microbes. This means that clove essential oil can be used as a spot treatment or applied to the whole face to prevent further acne breakouts. Moreover, eugenol also has rejuvenating properties, so it can promote healing of acne scars.
Helps Boost The Immune System

This essential oil can also be used to support the immune system. It has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, which are useful during flu season. This essential oil can help prevent the spread of common colds or flu as well as help you recover faster.

Fights Against Candida

Candida is a fungal infection caused by an overgrowth of yeast. Candida that affects the mouth, also called oral thrush, is characterized by white patches in the mouth, redness, a burning sensation in the mouth, and cracks at the corners of the mouth. Clove essential oil, due to its anti-fungal abilities, has been found to be effective against this yeast infection by this study.

Helps Maintain A Youthful Glow

A little-known fact about clove is that it is packed with antioxidants—30 times more antioxidants than blueberries. These antioxidants are useful for fighting the effects of free radicals, which include aging. Clove essential oil, thus, can help slow down the process of aging.

How To Use Clove Essential Oil

As we have outlined in the previous section of this article, clove essential oil has a multitude of benefits. Its benefits span the entirety of the human body. It follows, then, that there are a few ways to use clove essential oil. Here are the safest and most effective ways to get the benefits of clove essential oil:

For Dental Care

Clove oil is renowned for its use in dental care due to its anti-septic property. Here are the ways you can use clove oil for your mouth:

As Mouthwash

You can mix 2 to 3 drops of clove essential oil with a glass of water to make a mouthwash. This can be used for general oral care or for treating mouth ulcers or candida.

Topical Application

For tooth or gum pain, clove essential oil works best when applied topically. However, you should mix the oil with a carrier oil before applying it to the affected area either with a finger or a cotton swab.

For The Body And Skin

For body pain, headaches, fungal problems, and as skincare for acne, apply clove essential oil to the affected area. As mentioned, the oil should be mixed with a carrier oil to avoid skin irritation. Alternatively, you could add clove essential oil to your favorite massage oil to enhance its benefits.

For Overall Health

If you intend to use clove essential oil to alleviate headaches, clear up nasal passages, or experience its benefits for the skin and immune system, the diffuser is the best method. Diffusers release essential oil particulates into the air so you inhale it, allowing the essential oils to take effect through the olfactory gland. This way, you can experience the benefits that clove essential oil has to offer for your internal body.

Final Thoughts

Clove essential oil is not one of the most popular essential oils, but it has just as much to offer as lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, and all the other staples in your essential oil set. Some of its benefits are unconventional, particularly its uses in dental care, but that is exactly why we love clove essential oil. Clove essential oil is definitely one that you should keep in your cabinets for regular use.

With the holidays just around the corner you can learn more about essential oils in our blogs here