Disclosed herein are orally acceptable topical analgesic gels comprising a mixture of analgesic oils comprising (a) clove oil and/or eugenol, (b) a cooling agent, and (c) camphor, in an orally acceptable gel base, the gel base comprising an anionic polymer and a basic amino acid, and the analgesic gel providing controlled release of the mixture of analgesic oils following application to a tooth together with a methods of making and using the same.