Lavanga (Clove) in Ayurveda: Properties & Everyday Use

What it is

Lavanga is the dried flower bud of Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merrill & L. M. Perry, an evergreen tree in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae) native to the Maluku Islands of Indonesia and now cultivated across the tropics. The European Medicines Agency's herbal monograph defines the medicinal preparation as the essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the dried flower buds (EMA/HMPC/534924/2010). The oil's dominant constituent is eugenol, the majority of the oil, with beta-caryophyllene the next most significant component, and eugenol is the compound responsible for both the numbing effect and the safety concerns (IJSR review of lavanga/article/therapeutic-and-medicinal-uses-of-lavangaa-review/MjI5ODk=/?is=1&b1=85&k=22)). Small trials have tested it for brief topical numbing, which is why this folk remedy has an unusual evidence trail (PMC review).

Classical properties

• Taste (rasa): pungent (Katu), bitter (Tikta)
• Qualities (guna): light (Laghu), sharp (Tikshna)
• Potency (virya): cooling (Sheeta)
• After digestion (vipaka): pungent (Katu)
• Doshas: traditionally said to settle Vata and Kapha; may increase Pitta

Traditional use

In Ayurveda, lavanga is a classic of oral care: clove oil or powder applied to the aching tooth for dantashool (toothache), and mouth rinses for oral ulcers, gingivitis, and foul breath. Ayurvedic reviews also record its use as a digestive stimulant and carminative, and for cough and respiratory complaints (IJSR review of lavanga/article/therapeutic-and-medicinal-uses-of-lavangaa-review/MjI5ODk=/?is=1&b1=85&k=22)). Europe's herbal regulator has gone further than most traditional-use recognitions: its community monograph grants traditional-use registration to clove oil for (1) symptomatic treatment of minor inflammations of the mouth or throat, and (2) temporary relief of toothache due to a dental cavity, explicitly noting this is "exclusively based upon long-standing use" (EMA monograph). Traditional use is not clinical proof; the research follows below.

What research has looked at

Dental pain — randomized trials

The key trial is Alqareer et al. (2006, Journal of Dentistry): 73 adult volunteers had four topical agents applied to the gum, homemade clove gel, benzocaine gel, and two matching placebos, followed by needle sticks, with pain rated on a 100 mm visual analogue scale. Both clove and benzocaine produced significantly lower pain scores than placebos (p = 0.005) (abstract reproduced at hortus-medicus.ch). A 2025 randomized trial in 44 children aged 6–10 undergoing dental procedures also compared clove gel with benzocaine gel for procedural pain (Egyptian Dental Journal). An exploratory review of herbal topical anesthetics in dentistry summarizes these small trials of clove gel for needle-prick pain (PMC).

Caveats

These are small, short-term trials of topical application for procedural pain: they support clove as a brief numbing measure, not as treatment of the underlying dental disease, and they are too small to show clove works like a medical anaesthetic. Never use it in place of, or alongside, prescribed medicine without your doctor. The same review notes the main drawback of clove-based preparations: eugenol can cause local irritation and mild cytotoxic and hypersensitivity reactions (PMC). The EMA monograph is explicit that toothache relief with clove oil is "only a provisional measure" and that "dental attention should be sought as soon as possible" (EMA monograph).

Safety notes

• Children. This is the sharpest warning. WebMD rates clove oil as likely unsafe to take by mouth in children: even small amounts can cause seizures, liver damage, and fluid imbalances (WebMD). The EMA reports life-threatening conditions after small amounts of clove oil were swallowed by children under 2, with overdose causing CNS depression, anion-gap acidosis, liver deterioration, coma, seizure, and low blood sugar (EMA monograph). The EMA does not recommend clove oil use under age 18 for lack of adequate data.
• During pregnancy and breastfeeding. Safety has not been established; in the absence of sufficient data, the EMA does not recommend use in pregnancy or lactation (EMA monograph). Food amounts are the familiar ground.
• Local effects. Mucosal irritation and allergic reactions have been reported; frequency unknown. Avoid contact with the gums when applying to a tooth (EMA monograph).
• Bleeding and surgery. Eugenol slows blood clotting; people with bleeding disorders should be cautious, and clove should be stopped at least 2 weeks before scheduled surgery (WebMD).
• Genotoxicity. Eugenol showed equivocal results in genotoxicity and carcinogenicity test systems; adequate tests on whole clove oil were not performed (EMA monograph).

FAQs

Does clove help with toothache?

For temporary relief, yes: with limits. A small 2006 RCT found clove gel and benzocaine both reduced needle-stick dental pain compared with placebo (Alqareer et al. abstract), and Europe's herbal regulator registers clove oil for temporary toothache relief (EMA monograph). It numbs the pain; it does not fix decay, cracks, or abscesses. See a dentist promptly.

How is clove oil used for a toothache?

The EMA monograph describes applying it on cotton wool directly to the decayed part of the tooth while avoiding the gums, as a short-term measure only. Swastik does not suggest amounts or how often to apply it; ask a dentist or pharmacist (EMA monograph).

Is it safe to swallow clove oil?

No. Clove oil is for topical and oromucosal use only. Overdose, including small amounts swallowed by a small child, can cause life-threatening CNS depression, acidosis, liver damage, seizures, and coma (EMA monograph).

Can children use clove oil for teething or tooth pain?

Not recommended. The EMA does not recommend clove oil under age 18 for lack of adequate data, and oral clove oil is considered likely unsafe in children, with reports of seizures and liver damage from small amounts (EMA monograph; WebMD). See a pediatric dentist instead.

Does clove thin the blood?

Eugenol appears to slow blood clotting, so people with bleeding disorders should be cautious with clove oil, and it should be stopped at least two weeks before scheduled surgery (WebMD).

Sources

• EMA/HMPC/534924/2010 — Community herbal monograph on Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merill et L. M. Perry, floris aetheroleum (adopted 13 September 2011): ema.europa.eu
• Alqareer A et al. "The effect of clove and benzocaine versus placebo as topical anesthetics." Journal of Dentistry. 2006 (RCT, n=73; abstract): hortus-medicus.ch
• El Sharkawy FI et al. "Effect of topical application of clove gel versus benzocaine gel on pain perception in children undergoing simple dental procedures: a randomized control trial." Egyptian Dental Journal. 2025 (RCT, n=44): journals.ekb.eg
• "Herbal topical anesthetics in dentistry: an exploratory review." PMC: PMC · PMC9763823
• WebMD — "Clove: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing": webmd.com
• Garg N, Jain A. "Therapeutic and Medicinal Uses of Lavanga: A Review." International Journal of Scientific Research (Ayurvedic/traditional background): worldwidejournals.com)/article/therapeutic-and-medicinal-uses-of-lavangaa-review/MjI5ODk=/?is=1&b1=85&k=22

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Herbal products can interact with medications and are not suitable for everyone. Talk to a qualified healthcare practitioner before use — especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, managing a medical condition, or taking prescription medicines.