Clove Oil: Uses & Benefits

Do your gums and teeth need additional help to stay healthy?

Does your cardiovascular system need a health boost?

Is your baking missing that extra hint of spice?

Clove essential oil has been used for years as an aid in tooth and gum health. It’s been commonly used in dental preparations (1, 2), as well as candy, as both a flavoring agent and a means to create a healthy smile.

This oil has a reputation for its antioxidant properties (3, 4, 5), which can help improve cardiovascular health. It can even been applied to the skin for a relaxing and warming massage.

What is Clove Essential Oil?

Principal Benefits

• Clove oil can improve cardiovascular health
• Has powerful antioxidant benefits
• Can be used in dentistry and food to promote healthy teeth and gums
• Provides a delicious flavor component to baking and other cooking

How to use Clove Essential Oil

This essential oil can provide both internal and external health benefits. It can be applied in multiple different ways to improve internal organ systems, act as a mouth cleanser and serve is a relaxing agent in massages or aromatherapy.

Use all three methods, or choose just one to target a problem area.

Directions for Use:

This essential oil can be used aromatically, topically and internally. For aromatic use, add a few drops of it to a diffuser. It can also be combined with other energizing essential oils to wake up the senses.

For topical use, it should be applied with a carrier oil, since it can easily irritate sensitive skin.

For internal use, always dilute each drop with four ounces of water before ingesting or using in cooking and baking.

Clove Essential Oil Uses

• Aromatic: Use the essential oil aromatically in a diffuser by itself or with other essential oils to perk the sense and feel more awake, if you are feeling drowsy.
• Internal: This oil has a multitude of benefits, thanks to it’s powerful antioxidant properties. Dilute each drop in four ounces of water before using. It can be ingested to stop free radicals and boost the immune system, as well as promote healthy cellular function. This means almost all internal areas of the body can benefit from clove oil, such as the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal system, your joints, your liver and your metabolism. Add this essential oil to just about any baked good, or it can be added to dishes inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine.
• Topical: The essential oil has proven to be a great help and maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Every night before bed, gargle four ounces of water with one drop. You can also add a single drop to your toothpaste before brushing your teeth. The oil can also be combined with a carrier oil for a soothing massage to relax tense muscles during cold weather.

Clove Essential Oil Benefits

• Combine this essential oil with other sense enhancing essential oils in a diffuser for a quick dose of energy. This is great for when you are feeling drowsy or need help focusing on a project.
• For another source of energy, combine the essential oil with a citrus flavor in tea or other hot beverage.
• Combine it with a carrier oil and other warming essential oils, and massage it into tense and aching muscles for pain relief. This is great for when muscle cramp up from cold weather and winter months.
• Use it in cooking and baking regularly, and ingest internally to get all of the benefits of clove’s antioxidant powers. Regular internal application can boost immunity and catch free radicals. It can also promote cardiovascular health and lung function.
• Regularly ingesting the essential oil can maintain a healthy gastrointestinal system (6), as well as the liver (7, 8) and nervous system. It can also maintain a regular blood sugar level (9).
• The oil also helps in repelling insects (10, 11). Add a few drops to a diffuser, and leave outside to deter mosquitos before hosting your backyard barbeque.
• Regularly ingesting it helps enhance the absorption of other nutrients, which is beneficial to promoting a healthy and consistent metabolism.

Clove – Eugenia caryophyllata

Clove Essential Oil Research

This essential oil is mostly regarded for its possible abilities to improve internal health and organ function, and the main chemical component, eugenol, has proven to be the possible component that gives clove essential oil it antioxidant and antifungal qualities (12).

A study was published in 2007, which suggested that it may be used as a natural source of antioxidants and in pharmaceutical applications. Hydrodistillation was used to isolate it, and it was tested against a 50% antiradical inhibition for its scavenging abilities.

The antifungal activity was tested against human pathogenic yeast, and the eugenol was believed to be highly effective in its radical scavenging ability.

This oil should not be used in place of a prescribed treatment, but it’s antioxidant properties are effective against fighting free radicals (5, 13).

None of these claims are FDA approved, and studies are ongoing to uncover the full effects of the essential oil.

Clove Essential Oil Nutrition

Not only does this essential oil taste great in Indian inspired cuisine and baked goods, but the essential oil has also proved to be very helpful in promoting an all over healthy body function, as well as provide energy and muscle pain relief.

When applied aromatically in a diffuser, it can wake the senses and provide energy for a sleepy mind or anyone having trouble focusing.

When applied topically, it can be combined with a carrier oil to warm up and sooth tense muscles, especially during winter months. You can also apply clove to your teeth and gums to fight smelly bacteria (14).

The oil can be ingested for internal application, and it promotes a healthy immune system, gastrointestinal system, respiratory system and metabolism.

Clove Essential Oil Safety

This essential oil provides many benefits, but it should be used with caution, especially for topical and internal applications, because it can cause irritation.

For aromatic use, this essential oil should be used in a diffuser and inhaled.

For internal use, always dilute each drop of the oil with four ounces of water before ingesting or adding to cooking and baking.

For topical application, combine it with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil, before applying to the skin.

Always avoid areas that are already sensitive, or areas that are too delicate for application.

Clove Essential Oil Substitution

This essential oil can be substituted for many over the counter products you would normally purchase. However, never replace a prescribed medication with it.

Instead of spending way too much money on products to kill bacteria in the mouth, add a drop of this essential oil to your toothpaste before brushing.

You can also gargle the oil diluted with water before bed. Instead of paying for a cup of coffee, add a few drops to a diffuser to wake up the mind and feel energized.

Instead of using Pepto-Bismol or Tums, drink some tea with the oil to remedy an upset stomach or to reduce vomiting.

Clove Essential Oil Blends Well With

This essential oil provides many wonderful benefits by itself, but it can be even more effective when combined with other essential oils.

To feel energized and awake, combine it with bright-smelling oils, like orange, lemon and grapefruit, in a diffuser. This would be great to do in the morning before a long day. You can blend it with other relaxing essential oils, like ginger and cardamom, in a hot tea to sooth an upset stomach.

For cooking and baking, this oil tastes very good with cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, turmeric and black pepper. Simply dilute before ingesting.

Never apply it directly to your skin or mouth, and always dilute each drop of essential oil with four ounces of water before consuming.

Conclusion

Clove essential oil has been used for years in dental practices, as well as in food and candy to help sustain healthy teeth and gums.

The flavor qualities of it are great for baking and cooking, and do well with Indian inspired cuisine. The chemical, eugenol, in it has powerful antioxidant properties, which help contain free radicals (5, 13) and boost almost every system in the body.

This essential oil is also great for massaging into the skin for aching muscles.

Disclaimer

Clove oil has many benefits, but it should never be used to cure, treat or prevent any ailments or diseases. Always talk to your doctor before using clove essential oil for health benefits. Make sure to always dilute it in water or another liquid before consuming or cooking with, and never apply it directly to your skin. If you are pregnant or nursing, do not use clove oil without speaking to your physician.