Before you apply the clove oil to your mouth, you should rinse it with a warm salt water solution. This will flush out your mouth and allow the oil to work effectively on your dental issue. If you are using clove oil as a mosquito repellant, you do not need to rinse your mouth out before applying it to your skin. Applying clove oil to your skin can repel mosquitos for up to five hours. Soak a clean cotton ball in the clove oil. Then, gently hold it against your sore tooth or gum. Try to get as much of the clove oil as you can on the sore tooth or gum. You can also use a clean tissue to apply the clove oil by soaking the tissue in clove oil and applying it to the sore tooth or gum. Clove oil has been shown to help manage dental pain and act as a temporary solution to dental issues like root canals and dental plaque build up. But you should not use clove oil as a permanent medical treatment for any of your dental issues. See a dentist if your dental issue is severe and requires medical attention. While clove oil is known natural remedy that can work effectively, there are also several health issues associated with clove oil. Never apply clove oil to broken skin and do not take large amounts of clove oil. Side effects of ingesting too much clove oil include mouth pain, vomiting, sore throat, difficulty breathing, kidney failure, and liver damage.  Keep in mind children should not take clove oil via the mouth as it can cause severe side effects like seizures and liver damage. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should avoid using clove oil as there is not enough reliable information to confirm clove oil is safe for use in these medical conditions. If you are scheduled to have surgery of any kind within the next two weeks, you should not use clove oil. Clove oil contains eugenol, which slows blood clotting and can lead to bleeding during or after a surgery. Do not use clove oil if you are taking any anticoagulant drugs or medications that slow blood clotting, for example, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, clopidogrel, diclofenac, or dalteparin.

Summary:
Rinse your mouth with warm salt water. Use a cotton ball to apply the clove oil. See a dentist if your dental issue is severe. Be aware of the risks of using clove oil.