Clove Oil for Teething: Why Parents Should Skip It

A fussy baby with sore gums makes a parent want to try anything, and clove oil has a long reputation as an old-fashioned teething remedy. Please do not use it that way. We sell our oils for aroma and external cosmetic use by adults, and never for a baby's mouth.

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What pediatric sources suggest instead

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends something simpler: rub the sore spots with a clean finger or knuckle, or offer a firm rubber teether, and avoid anything frozen solid. It says numbing gels made for gums usually are not helpful, because drool washes them away, and that topical anesthetics can be dangerous for babies (AAP HealthyChildren, Teething Pain). The FDA says the same of benzocaine and lidocaine products and homeopathic teething tablets, which offer little to no benefit and are associated with serious risks (FDA, Safely soothing teething pain in infants and children). The FDA lists the same simple steps, and clove oil is not among them.

Why a baby's mouth is a special case

Whatever goes on a baby's gums ends up swallowed, and swallowed clove oil has caused real harm. A 15-month-old developed acute liver failure after swallowing 10 ml (Janes et al., 2005, Eur J Pediatr), and a 3-month-old who swallowed under 8 ml developed it too, thankfully recovering fully (Eisen et al., 2004, J Toxicol Clin Toxicol). Poison Control also notes that children have thin skin and immature livers, which may make them more susceptible to essential oil toxicity (Poison Control, Essential oils). Neither case was about teething, and individual reports cannot give a safe dose, so there is no number we could responsibly print.

Eugenol can irritate soft tissue in the mouth even in adults (Sarrami et al., 2002, Br Dent J). Put those together, and the sensible line is that there is no dilution of clove oil we would suggest for a baby.

Why this feels like such a hard moment

Anyone who has paced a hallway at 3 a.m. with a crying baby knows how loudly a parent wants a fix. The old remedies are passed down because they come from people who cared and wanted to help. We would simply ask you to let this one stay a story. Clove has a long history in the family medicine cabinet, and its strong, familiar smell can make it feel like exactly the right thing. That feeling is what we want you to be wary of.

What actually helps is mostly simple and mostly free. Cool, clean and firm: a teether from the fridge (not the freezer), a washcloth to chew on, a lap and a lot of patience. Babies also pick up on how calm the person holding them is, so looking after yourself counts too.

Keeping the bottle out of reach

For households with a crawler, the realistic risk is a bottle within reach, not a deliberate dose. Poison Control's advice is that essential oils be locked up, out of sight and reach of children and pets. Our bud oil copy says to keep it away from children, and we mean it. Ask a pediatrician before diffusing around a baby or putting any clove dilution on a child's skin.

If you are ever unsure whether something is safe for the baby, a call to the pediatrician's office costs a few minutes, and nurses answer questions like this all day. You are never bothering anyone by asking.

Handling clove oil in a house with a little one

If there is clove oil in the house, a few habits make it a non-event. Keep it in a high cabinet that the baby cannot reach, not on a shelf at crawling height or in a diaper bag. Cap it right after use and wipe up any drip straight away. Put your oil away before you pick up the baby, not after, and wash your hands, since small fingers go straight to mouths.

The same goes for visitors. A relative who thinks of clove as a teething remedy may reach for it with the best of intentions, so a gentle word about why it stays on the shelf is kinder than leaving it to chance.

What to do, and who to call

Rub the gums with a clean finger, or offer a firm rubber teether that is not frozen.
If your baby seems very uncomfortable, has a fever or is not feeding, call your pediatrician or a pediatric dentist, since teething is not the only reason for a miserable baby.
If any clove oil has been swallowed or reached a child's mouth, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 in the US, or emergency services, right away with the bottle in hand.

More background is in our ingestion article, our benzocaine comparison and our pregnancy article.

Teething passes, and a cold teether and a patient cuddle will get you through it. Clove oil can stay up on the high shelf, where it belongs.