Spilanthes (toothache plant)

Acmella oleracea

Herbs & Roots. Latin American & Amazon and Western & European.

Also called Paracress, Jambu, Electric daisy, Buzz button

Spanish: Jambú

Numbing; not a dental fix

Spilanthes is a small plant whose flowers cause tingling and numbness in the mouth. Folk healers have chewed it for toothaches for generations.

Did you know? Spilanthes makes the mouth tingle and buzz, which is why it is also called the electric daisy and buzz button.

What it may help, and how strong the proof is

Mouth, gums & teeth. One small 2025 trial in 40 people with gum inflammation tested a rinse with spilanthol and CBD against a tea tree oil rinse. Because CBD was also in the rinse, the plant's own effect is not shown. Larger trials are needed.See the research: 3 studies in people
Traditional proof
Pain & headaches. Chewing the flower causes numbness, and it is used for toothache in folk medicine. No good human trials test it for toothache.See the research: 1 study in people
Traditional proof

Parts of the body

Mouth & throat, Nerves & pain

Traditional use

In Brazil, Peru and the Amazon region, jambu is cooked into soups and dishes, and its flowers are chewed for toothaches. The numbing effect is the main reason for its folk use.

How it is classified

Herbal actions: Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial. Energy: neutral.

How people take it

People chew a fresh flower head or rub a little of the plant on sore gums for a short time. Mouthrinses with spilanthol are sold in some countries. No standard dose exists.

Food, topical and tincture.

Where to get it

Grows as a low, spreading plant in warm tropical areas and is also grown in gardens. Fresh greens are sold in some Brazilian and Peruvian markets, and mouth products with spilanthol are sold online and in some stores.

Be careful

Some people get tingling, extra saliva, or an irritated or swollen tongue or mouth. People allergic to daisy-family plants can react. It is not a substitute for a dentist when a tooth is infected, swollen or very painful. Its safety in pregnancy and children is not well studied.

Avoid if: pregnancy; breastfeeding; daisy-family allergy; children under 12.

Mixing with other things

Works well together
Clove oil is a classic toothache remedy, and folk healers often reach for both.

The honest take

Spilanthes has a real numbing and tingling effect that folk healers have used for toothaches for generations. Human research is still very small, with one 2025 gum trial and little else. It may ease mouth discomfort for a short time, but it does not replace a dentist or treat an infection.

Sources

Each “See the research” link opens PubMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's index of medical studies, showing only trials and reviews done in people. The number tells you how much a use has been tested, not whether it worked. The proof rating tells you that.

Study counts checked October 2026.