The clove tree produces flower buds which, when harvested and dried, become the familiar spice of the same name. It has long been known that cloves contain an ingredient with an anesthetic property that is particularly effective against dental pain. Before modern medicine developed better remedies, people often chewed on cloves to dull the pain of a toothache. The active compound responsible for this effect is found in the essential oil of cloves, which makes up approximately 16-18% of the clove by weight. The major component of this oil is the compound eugenol.