Have you looked at the back of a bottle of commercial mouthwash lately? In case you haven’t, the simple answer is that what you’re putting into your mouth is chock full of chemicals that I personally don’t want to be putting anywhere near my mouth. The chemicals in traditional mouthwash have been tied to things such as reproductive issues, blood clotting issues including clots in the brain, allergic reactions, unstable heartbeats, irritation of the skin, and even fatality to both children and animals. One specific chemical that is often found in commercial mouthwashes is known to be a mutangant. Yes, it does mean “causes to mutate.” Another common ingredient in commercial mouthwash is also used in muscle pain relief cream and has been shown to be fatal when used even in small amounts. Another ingredient is found not only in commercial mouthwash but also in contact lense solution. Yup. The same stuff that your contact solution bottle tells you not to ingest is in that “friendly” bottle of mouthwash on your bathroom counter. Not cool, right? So what are you supposed to do? Have bad breath and a mouth full of bacteria? No! Use this DIY mouthwash instead!
Quite a few of the DIY mouthwash recipes that I’ve seen include peroxide. While that’s fine for some people, I am not a huge fan of peroxide going into my mouth. It is essentially a chemical bleach so I try to stay away from it since my body doesn’t react well to most chemicals. For me, I’d rather keep the ingredients I use when I make my own DIY mouthwash as simple as possible. Not only because it uses fewer chemicals, but also because of cost.
DIY Mouthwash
There are 3 of us in the home who use mouthwash twice a day so if I’m not careful, I could easily blow a lot of money on mouthwash alone. Commercial mouthwash is even more expensive for us at an average cost of $5.00 per bottle. With this DIY mouthwash recipe, I usually have most of what I need on hand so it isn’t adding any additional cost to my expenses. Whether you’re looking to save money on groceries or to live a more natural life, this DIY mouthwash recipe pairs incredibly well with a homemade toothpaste recipe and will do the job you’re looking for it to do! If you’re looking for more products you can stop buying and make homemade, we have a huge list of over 200 things you can make yourself that I’m positive will help. It includes things such as homemade cleaner recipes, homemade beauty products, homemade foods and more!
When you make this DIY mouthwash for yourself, you’ll be using both tea tree oil and peppermint essential oil. It doesn’t matter what brand of essential oil that you use as long as it is 100% pure oil and isn’t cut with anything. There is no grading system for essential oils and anyone can use the label “therapeutic grade” whether it is pure oil or not. Making sure that you’re using 100% oil is all that is really needed. I personally prefer Plant Therapy essential oils, but feel free to use what you would like. I like Plant Therapy though because I know they’re 100% pure. To help sweeten your DIY mouthwash a bit, you’ll be using Xylitol. Yes, it can be more expensive than you’re used to, but if you look at the amounts you’ll be using, you will get quite a bit of uses out of one bag. I actually use it as my main sweetener for things since it is better for me and my diabetes than most substitutes and any artificial sweetener is.
This DIY mouthwash is great for removing harmful bacteria that live in your mouth, for restoring your mouth, for killing bad breath and more. Tea tree oil is known as a disinfectant that is very effective at killing harmful bacteria including some that are antibiotic resistant. It has been used for years in the dental field due to its antiseptic properties. If you’re starting to get a mouth infection or have minor cuts in your mouth, tea tree oil can help get rid of that infection or heal the cuts. Peppermint oil is not only great for flavoring your DIY mouthwash, but it is also antiviral and analgesic making it perfect for removing bacteria that is harmful and for soothing pain from conditions such as sensitive teeth.
You Will Need:
- 1 1/2 cups distilled water
- 1/2 teaspoon Xylitol
- 3-5 drops peppermint oil
- 1-2 drops tea tree oil
In a medium saucepan, heat the water and Xylitol on low heat. Make sure that you stir constantly to help the Xylitol to dissolve. I use a balloon whisk to stir since it allows the mixture to move freely. Heat it only until the Xylitol is fully dissolved. Your pan should look as if it has nothing but water in it when it’s ready. Yes, that is the reason I showed you the pic.
Once the Xylitol is fully dissolved, pull it off of the heat immediately. Allow it to cool then add the tea tree oil and peppermint oil. Stir well to mix it. Don’t add the essential oils while the mixture is too hot. Heat will cause the essential oils to lose their healing properties so make absolute certain you let it cool quite a bit.
That’s it! See? I told you that it was super simple to make! The biggest thing that I love about this DIY mouthwash is that it can be customized a bit! If you’ve been suffering from toothaches, it will function as an amazing home remedy for toothaches! Simply add 2-4 drops of clove essential oil to the mixture. If you’re suffering from receding gums, you can use it as a home remedy for receding gums too! Add the Clove oil like above with 2-4 drops of eucalyptus essential oil.
To use, swish a mouthful around your mouth for 60 seconds or so after brushing your teeth.. Spit like normal. Technically you could swallow it, but don’t. Your mouth is full of nasty bacteria and you would only be sending that bacteria into your body if you did so. Not to mention that essential oils can be hard on the lining of your stomach if you’re not careful.
Store your DIY mouthwash in an airtight container on the bathroom sink. It does not need to be refrigerated. To help it last longer, use a dark colored glass container. Light is an enemy of essential oils and can cause them to break down and not retain their properties.
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Stacy Ott
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I’m Stacy, CEO extraordinaire and 1/4 of the Six Dollar Family. I'm on a journey to become a six figure family and I would love if you came along with me! We'll kick off our shoes, sip sweet tea, eat loads of goodies, save some money and maybe even learn a thing or two along the way!
What are some other things I could use besides Xylitol?
Liquid Stevia might work, but I don’t know what the amount would be since the level of sweetness is different between the two products.