How to Use Clove Tea for Teething Babies

Last Updated on February 12, 2025 by Kiersten James, BS, RN

Clove tea is an excellent natural pain reliever for teething. Learn how to use it safely for babies and toddlers.

How to Use Clove Tea for Teething Babies

Teething can be a tough phase for families, but natural home remedies like clove tea offer safe, effective pain relief for sore gums without commercial medications or synthetic numbing agents.

This simple, old-fashioned clove tea is easy to prepare and can be used in combination with other soothing teething remedies like homemade teething balm, DIY chamomile teething gel, and from-scratch teething biscuits.

When properly diluted, clove tea is a safe and effective way to help ease your baby’s pain while also reducing inflammation.

Clove Tea for Teething

Cloves have been used in herbal medicine for centuries due to their natural pain-relieving and antimicrobial properties. They contain eugenol, a natural compound known for its mild numbing effect which helps to greatly ease gum discomfort in teething babies.

Why clove tea is a great natural teething remedy:

Numbs painful, sore gums
Anti-inflammatory properties reduce swelling and irritation
Antibacterial benefits keep gums clean reducing the chance of infection
Safe when diluted properly for babies over 6 months old

Is Clove Tea Safe for Babies?

The safest way for babies to get the pain-relieving benefits of clove is to make a weak clove tea.

Important Safety Notes:

Always use a whole clove, never clove oil or ground cloves, which are too strong.
Steep the tea for a maximum of 5 minutes to keep the infusion mild. Set a timer. If you get distracted and the clove infuses in the water for longer than 5 minutes, throw out the tea and start over.
Do not use the tea more than twice a day.
Never give your baby a hot or strong clove tea to drink—clove should always be used in very diluted amounts for infants.
Avoid using clove tea if your baby has any known allergies to cloves or other spices. If you notice any redness, rash, or discomfort, discontinue use.

How to Use Clove Tea for Teething

First, Make A Weak Clove Tea

This very mild clove infusion will provide relief without medication and without overpowering your baby’s sensitive gums.

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 whole clove (do not use ground spice)

Instructions:

Bring 1 cup of water to a gentle boil.
Add 1 whole clove to the water.
Let steep for 5 minutes, then remove the clove.
Allow the tea to cool to room temperature before use.

Once the clove tea has cooled, it can be used right away to help relieve teething pain.

Dip a clean finger or soft baby toothbrush into the clove tea and gently rub it onto your baby’s gums. The mild numbing effect can help soothe discomfort and reduce inflammation.

Since you can do this twice daily, it may be most beneficial right before a nap and bedtime.

Save It For Later!

Always monitor your child’s symptoms and trust your instincts—if something doesn’t seem right, or if you simply feel that something isn’t right, do not hesitate to bring them into the doctor or ER for medical evaluation. Nurses and doctors are always the happiest when we can send home a healthy child within a few hours.

This information is intended for educational purposes only. The content created for www.naturalhomeapothecary.com has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider for personal healthcare decision-making guidance.