Can you use DMSO with clove essential oil?
Posted By Lydian Shipp
AliveNHealthy.com
NOTE: Clove essential oil can be diluted with a carrier oil such as MCT oil for use in teething, but it should not be combined with DMSO when being used in infants. We talk more below about how to use clove essential oil for teething and also how to use DMSO for teething pain, but these two medicines should be used SEPARATELY in babies and young children.
Clove essential oil is extremely effective in the treatment of dental pain, and can be combined with DMSO to enhance its pain-relieving effects and to encourage healing on a deeper level. While clove essential oil is most commonly used to treat dental problems, it also has been studied as a treatment for various other health conditions, both with and without DMSO. Clove essential oil has the following medicinal actions in the body:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antibacterial
- Antifungal
- Candida spp.
- Aspergillus spp.
- Microsporum spp.
- Trichophyton spp.
- Epidermophyton floccosum
- Antioxidant
- Anticancer
- Wound healing
- Antimicrobial
- Antiviral
- Ebola
- Influenza A
- Herpes Simplex 1 and 2
- West Nile Virus
- Dengue virus
- Zika virus
- Yellow fever
- HIV-1 (initial stages)
- Feline calicivirus (a substitute for human norovirus)
- Antimutagenic
- Spermicidal
- Anesthetic
- Antiseptic
- Carminative
- Anticoagulant
- Antihelminthic
- Antidiarrheal
- Antispasmodic and spasmolytic
- Hepatoprotective
- Anticonvulsant
- Antidepressant
- Antipyretic
- Renal reinforcing / Supports kidneys
- Neuroprotective
- Antistress
- Antiallergic
- Antidiabetic
- Hypocholesterolemic
Clove Essential Oil, Pain, and Inflammation
When applied topically, clove essential oil and eugenol (a primary compound found in clove oil) have been found to have comparable pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory effects to diclofenac gel. Within 3 hours of application clove essential oil/eugenol can reduce inflammation by 20-60%. In fact, clove’s analgesic effects are so powerful that they resemble those produced by lidocaine, a widely used local anesthetic.
The analgesic, or pain-relieving effects, of clove essential oil comes from clove’s interaction with the opioid and cholinergic systems.
Specific pain-related issues that have been successfully treated with clove essential oil include:
- Acute corneal pain
- Headaches and migraines
- Dental pain
- Joint pain
How to Use DMSO and Clove Essential Oil for Toothaches and Dental Problems
There are 2 methods for using clove essential oil as a remedy for toothache and dental issues (you can choose one of these methods, or use them both, depending on what feels right to you based on your individual situation):
- Apply the clove essential oil (with or without a carrier oil) directly to the treatment area
- Make an oil pulling mix with clove essential oil
Using the first method, we recommend diluting the clove essential oil with a carrier oil like coconut oil or olive oil first. Consider adding 10 drops of clove oil to 1 teaspoon of carrier oil at first. You can reduce the dilution if needed, and even apply the clove oil in small quantities directly to the area that you’re treating. Some people may be more or less sensitive to clove essential oil. Apply as-needed or every 2-3 hours throughout the day/night.
To do oil pulling, combine 1 tablespoon of extra virgin coconut oil with 10-15 drops of clove essential oil. Swish the oil in your mouth for at least a few minutes; ideally, you should keep swishing for 15-20 minutes before spitting the oil out. Beginners may only be able to do a few minutes at first though, so work your way up slowly if needed. Oil pulling should be done once a day, in the morning upon waking, preferably on an empty stomach and before brushing your teeth (read this article to find tooth-safe, natural toothpaste alternatives to use instead of commercial toothpaste). Do NOT swallow the oil; spit the oil out into a trash can after you’re finished (don’t spit oil into the sink, to avoid clogging the drains!).
With whichever treatment method you choose, be aware that a numbing or even a slight burning sensation is normal at first after applying clove essential oil. This usually passes and quickly leads to pain relief.
DMSO can also be used to relieve dental pain. In most cases, we don’t recommend combining DMSO directly with clove essential oil, however it can complete a dental pain protocol. 15-20 minutes after using clove essential oil, you can either apply DMSO directly to the affected area OR add 10 drops of DMSO to some clean, fresh water in a glass container, and use this mix as a mouthwash 2-3 times per day. Both the clove and the DMSO will work together to not only kill pain, but also to treat infections, sores, and other dental problems.