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| All images from the Frugally Sustainable Blog |
Here is another great article from the Frugally Sustainable Blog.
By now you all should know that I love to make my own natural health, home, and beauty products. I love them because they work and I love them because they’re frugal. So when I was using my fancy-pants “eco friendly, 100% natural” mouthwash the other day, I thought to myself, “I think I could make this and save myself some money!”
Benefits of Using Homemade Mouthwash
Good oral care is vital to our health and vice versa. Health and diet have even been know to heal cavities! Rinsing out the mouth with a cleansing mouthwash is a large part of good oral hygiene. And there are many benefits to making your own:
It’s cheap. You can create your own mouthwash at a fraction of the cost of store-bought and still experience excellent results.
You control the ingredients. Making your own mouthwash allows you to control the quality of that which you put into your mouth
No hidden chemicals. Commercially-prepared products are often heavy-laden with additives such as preservatives, dyes, artifical sweeteners and a multitude of harmful chemicals. Eliminate them all by making your own!
Variety of Homemade Mouthwash Recipes
There are a variety of different recipes to meet the needs of every individual. Here are just a few:
Basic Mouthwash: 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 3 drops peppermint essential oils. Mix all ingredients in a glass jar and shake well. Swish in mouth, then spit out. Store on bathroom counter.
Old-Fashioned Disinfectant Mouthwash: 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Combine ingredients and store in a glass jar. Shake well prior to use. Swish mixture in mouth, then spit out. Will keep indefinitely on the counter.
Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash: 1 part hydrogen peroxide mixed with 1 part water. Swish mouthwash in mouth, then spit out. Mix enough for single use and discard extra solution.
Lemon Whitening Mouthwash: Not really a mouthwash, but you can rub a piece of lemon on stained teeth for a whitening effect.
Herbal Mouthwash: Create an herbal infusion by steeping 2 cups of boiling water, 1/2 ounce of whole cloves, 1 ounce of Oregon grape root, and 1 ounce of rosemary in a pint-sized glass mason jar, overnight. In the morning strain the infusion using a piece of cheesecloth. Swish in mouth, the spit out. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Will keep for 1 week.
Simple Essential Oil Mouthwash: To 1 cup of water add 20 drops of either cinnamon, clove, wintergreen, or tea tree oil. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar. Shake well prior to each use in order to distribute the essential oils. Will keep on the bathroom counter indefinitely.
Antiseptic Homemade Mouthwash
Gather the ingredients:
-5 ounces Rum or Vodka
-4 ounces water
-1/2 ounce vegetable glycerin
-1/2 ounce powdered myrrh gum
-5 drops essential oils of cinnamon
-5 drops essential oils of clove
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a pint-sized glass mason jar.
Shake well to blend.
To use:
I do not recommend that you use this mouthwash daily — due to the alcohol content of this mixture, it can have a drying effect. Use of this solution may be better limited to times when a more antiseptic oral cleanse is desired. Shake well prior to use. Swish in mouth, then spit out. Will store in glass jar on bathroom counter indefinitely.
Notes
Myrrh gum has broad-spectrum antiseptic properties. It is also well known as an anti-inflammatory — excellent for use in treatment of oral ailments…namely gum disease.
Cinnamon contains many antimicrobial properties as well. It also functions as a natural preservative.
Essential oils of Clove can be used to heal and prevent cavities. It relieves the pain of a toothache. And it can also act to decrease oral infections because of its antiseptic properties.
Rum and Vodka kill bacteria and freshen breath.
Most of the ingredients can be found over-the-counter at a pharmacy. You can purchase powdered myrrh gum and the essential oils from
Mountain Rose Herbs or
The Bulk Herb Store.
What does your natural oral care routine look like? Please share it with us.
Please note: These are my own opinions derived from my own research. The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or the American Dental Association. They are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease.
