Treating Paresthesia (or Toothache) with Cloves

In March this year I had my wisdom tooth extracted – for a while I had applied ground cloves on the tooth which had failed to penetrate through the gum, leaving a painful ‘flap.’  The cloves helped to relieve the pain, however after a few months, the flap hadn’t shown any signs of healing and so I went to one of Bali’s best dental hospitals.  With just one look at my wisdom tooth (lower left) the dentist told me he needed to take it out.  The operation was quick, and no x-ray was performed to check the tooth’s proximity to the mandibular nerve which runs along the lower jaw, or its branch-off nerve, the lingual.

The post-operative healing was successful, however I soon noticed a numbness and tingling sensation which steadily grew over the months.  This is a condition known as paresthesia and eight months after the operation, it has become extremely persistent – my lower and upper lips tingle, my mouth feels numb and the whole sensation feels uncomfortable.  Paresthesia is caused by nerve damage during the extraction process and as a result, a nerve may be bruised, stretched, crushed or severed.

In most cases, paresthesia should clear up after a few days or weeks after the operation – however for some, the condition is transient – lasting for more than 6 months.  In a few cases, it has been known to be permanent.   However it is recommended to wait for up to 12 months after surgery in order to wait for the nerve to repair naturally before treatment (surgery) on the nerves is recommended.

So here I am, eight months in, and the numbness and tingling sensations are steadily increasing.  Each day I meditate to learn to relax and not react against these sensations by focusing on my breath and I am now applying ground cloves onto the gum area which is reducing the symptoms. 

A quick Google search about the wisdom tooth extraction industry highlights the concerns – many operations have been completely unnecessary.  Some holistic doctors recommend focusing on your diet and nutrition as a way to strengthen the jaw bone, providing space for all the teeth.  More information on this topic can be found here:

http://worldtruth.tv/wisdom-teeth-dental-scam-why-you-need-your-wisdom-teeth/

Yet why Cloves?  Along with nutmeg and mace, cloves originated from Maluku (the Spice Islands) and were highly coveted throughout history – in 1522, Spain was the first to circumnavigate the globe to reach the Spice Islands of Indonesia and over the centuries the powerhouses of Europe competed to gain control over the spice market.  Cloves and other Indonesian spices were highly prized and became a status symbol in wealthy households. 

Used as a treatment for toothache for centuries – cloves and clove oil contain eugenol which has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities and it inhibits the growth of fungi.  Yet care should be taken when applying the oil - essential oils should never be applied directly to the skin or consumed.

In Indonesia today, cloves are mostly grown to supply kretek (clove cigarette) manufacturers, and the plant’s health benefits have largely been forgotten by the general public – even in America, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reclassified eugenol, downgrading its effectiveness rating in its treatment of toothache – further demonstrating just how much power the medical industry holds and its ability to downgrade the Earth’s healing plants.  

So please, if you have problems with your wisdom teeth, please consider the natural alternatives before you put your faith in any profit-making industry.

Update - Success with Treating the Paresthesia:
For the past week I have been doing a raw juice detox - everyday I've been consuming carrot, beetroot and turmeric juices along with lots of fruits.  After seven days, I noticed that the paresthesia seemed to have been aggravated and the sensations were increasing - I have read that this is a common sign of the healing process during a detox, if the wound becomes aggravated.  I applied a tiny amount of clove oil on the gum with a cotton bud, which was red and sore (I have read that this can be dangerous to apply the oil directly to the gum since it can deaden the nerves) - my whole mouth felt smooth and clear and the sensations began to dissipate.  Now, five days on, my mouth is beginning to heal, the sensations have reduced considerably and the site of the wound is no longer red.

 

A clove farm near Halimun National Park, West Java

 Clove trees in West Java