Secrets of clove
It wasn't until a journey to India that I learned the true, medicinal benefits of clove bud oil. I was deep in the jungles of Kerala doing an herbal Ayurvedic class and learning about all the botanicals used for skin and oral care. The benefits of clove bud oil were so fascinating!
I took it upon myself to take the time to research more and here are some interesting facts I found:
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The Journal of Dentistry, for instance, published a study in 2006 proving that clove essential oil had the same numbing effect as benzocaine, a topical agent commonly used before needle insertion.
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The Indian Department of Public Health Dentistry recently conducted a study that evaluated clove’s ability to slow tooth decalcification, or dental erosion, compared to eugenol, eugenyl-acetate, fluoride, and a control group. Not only did clove oil lead the pack by significantly decreasing decalcification, it was observed that it actually remineralized teeth.
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Second only to raw sumac bran, ground clove has an astounding ORAC value of 290,283 units! This means that per gram cloves contain 30 times more antioxidants than blueberries which have a value of 9,621.
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Oral Microbiology & Immunology, a study was conducted to see how clove fared against other antifungal treatments and observed that it was as effective as nystatin, a drug commonly prescribed to manage yeast infections of the mouth (thrush), which has a slew of ugly side effects.
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One of the most well-known clove oil uses, as a remedy for toothaches, was first documented in 1640 in the French “Practice of Physic,” although there is reason to believe that the Chinese were applying this homeopathic remedy for over 2,000 years.
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Antimicrobial Activities of Clove Extracts
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Scientific research demonstrates clove oil’s ability to effectively kill off both the planktonic cells and biofilms of a bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus or S. aureus. (3) What does this have to do with skin health and, more specifically, acne? S. aureus is one of several strains of bacteria that have been scientifically linked with the pathogenesis of acne.
https://www.pharmacy.mahidol.ac.th/journal/_files/2012-39-2_28-36.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1027811715001457
