TOOTHACHE PLANT| BULLSEYE | spring 2025

With a bright bulls eye on the tip of each flower, these funky little flowers look great in a border, especially when planted en masse. As potent as they are beautiful, these flowers pack a punch.

It can also reduce inflammation in the mouth, helping soothe a condition called stomatitis. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it can also help improve symptoms of dermatitis and help during cold and flu season. Have a dry mouth? The people of Sri Lanka have been using spilanthes to stimulate the salivary glands for thousands of years. Clearly, it’s an important plant to have on hand!

uses:

Spilanthes is remarkably versatile and is used to help soothe a variety of ailments. For example, you can use spilanthes to:

1. Treat dry mouth: cut a fresh leaf off the plant and chew vigorously to help activate your salivary glands.
2. Treat a sore mouth, including toothaches, canker sores, or stomatitis: both the leaves and the blooms are effective, but chewing the blooms especially will make your mouth tingle and feel numb. The plant also has antifungal and antiviral properties to help your mouth heal and can be taken in a tincture.
3. Act as a diuretic: chewing the leaves or blooms fresh or drinking them in tea can help increase kidney function.
4. Treat dermatitis: drink spilanthes tea or take a tincture regularly to help treat sore, itchy, or inflamed skin.
5. Boost the immune system: in teas and tinctures, spilanthes can help bolster your immune system and soothe inflammation throughout the body, especially in winter during cold and flu season.

1. According to a 2021 animal study, the toothache plant may also help gastric ulcers. It contains a polysaccharide, or complex carbohydrate, called rhamnogalacturonan (R

• Annual
• 8-12 hours of Sun
• Ideal Temperature: 70 Degrees F
• Plant Spacing: 10"
• Frost Hardy: No