Featured

How to Use Clove Oil for Dry Socket Pain Relief

Editorial Team Last Updated: 26 April 2020

You can treat dry socket or alveolar osteitis with clove oil (eugenol) at home. Even dentists and pharmacists recommend it.

Dry socket is a common complication after tooth extraction. It happens when the blood clot that occurs after the tooth extraction to protect the bone is partially or fully lost and the bone inside the socket is exposed.

Dry socket is a painful condition as the bone and nerve gets exposed to air, fluid and food that enter your mouth. This can cause infection.

Clove oil gives you pain relief and protects you from infection in the dry socket.

Table of Contents

What is Dry Socket after Tooth Extraction?
How Clove Oil Treats Dry Socket?
How to Use Clove Oil for Dry Socket?
Additional Benefits of Clove Oil
Non Clove Oil Based Remedies for Dry Socket
Other Tips and Precautions

What is Dry Socket after Tooth Extraction?

It is estimated that 2-5% people may get dry sockets after the tooth extraction.

Let us begin to understand what really happens when a tooth is pulled out.

Once the tooth is completely pulled out from the root a whole is formed. Body’s protective mechanism immediately forms blood to clot in that hole.

This clotting archives two objectives, one is to stop bleeding and the other is to cover the jaw bone and nerves to get exposed. That is why the dentist will ask you to stop taking blood thinners if you are taking it a few days before the tooth extraction. Blood thinners make it difficult to clot the blood.

Dry socket generally occurs after a day or two of the tooth extraction. It causes severe pain as the bone and nerves get exposed to anything that goes to your mouth including air, fluid and food. The pain gradually increases and can radiate to your ears. You will get bad breath too.

Dentists usually prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), such as Aspirin or Ibuprofen for pain relief. stronger drugs may be recommended for more severe pain.

How Clove Oil Treats Dry Socket?

Let us first understand what a doctor does after pulling your tooth out.

Doctor cleans the area with antiseptic and places a medical dressing on the extraction site. Most dressings have eugenol or clove oil in it.

Clove oil contains eugenol which is anesthetic, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory. It helps to stop bleeding, fight bacteria and relieve pain.

How to Use Clove Oil for Dry Socket?

You can use clove oil alone or with other natural products to heal dry socket fast as under:

1. Clove Oil

You can apply clove oil dressing on your dry socket as under

Clean your mouth with saline water to remove any food debris from the tooth socket.
Dip a qtip in clove oil
Apply the clove oil on the qtip in the tooth socket
Cover it with a cotton ball which fits in the tooth socket
Remove and discard the cotton ball every 24 hours and repeat the process

Clove oil is strong and if it gives any irritation it allergic reaction then stop using it.

2. Clove Oil and Honey

Honey is anti-inflammatory and analgesic. It reduces pain inflammation and discomfort of dry socket and prevents further infection.

Clean the area with saline water to remove any debris.
Add a drop of honey and clove oil each on a cotton ball which can fit the extracted tooth socket.
Slide the cotton ball in the socket
Change this dressing every 24 hours or when it gets dislodged by accident

3. Clove Oil and Turmeric

Turmeric is also antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic to relieve you from pain and inflammation of the dry socket.

Add a drop of clove oil in a pinch of turmeric powder and mix well to make a tick paste
Place this mix on a cotton ball that can fit in the tooth socket
Slide the cotton ball in the socket with turmeric paste on the socket
Replace it every 24 hours by discarding the old dressing

You should consult your dentist during the entire self help process so that your dentist can monitor your progress and intervene when required.