I wasn't quite sure what to do with them, until I stumbled across some information while I was researching Thieves essential oil for respiratory support. I saw that Thieves may also be good for oral health! That sounds pretty NOT bad, right?
Why Use DIY Mouthwash
I use homemade mouthwash because of the same reason that I make all of my own DIY products: less chemical exposures and more money in my wallet. Not only is this CHEAP (less than $0.50 to make an entire batch), but you know exactly what is in this product!
Did you know that there are little regulations for chemical ingredients like thymol, hexetidine, methyl salicylate, cetylpyridinium chloride, methylparaben and finally alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (how do you even SAY THAT!?) Apparently nobody knew how to say it so they shortened it to Benzalkonium chloride which I guess is better, right? Eehhh...
Anyways, these chemicals can do a number of things just check out the EWG's safety rating ;)
And then there is that whole alcohol debate-- is that bad for you? Let's go ahead and say, "Maybe, probably, yes". It can cause dry mouth, halitosis, and there are some studies which raise concern. So, until their are more studies that show that it's safe-- I think I'll pass!
Have I convinced you? Well, let me try again! It can save you money and health, but also time, too! It literally takes less than 30 seconds to make. 30 seconds!!! That's as much time as it would take to walk down the dental care aisle and pick out a bottle of mouthwash (if you didn't read labels).
- 1 cup of Purified or Distilled Water
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5-10 drops of Thieves Essential Oil (depends on how strong you want it)
- 4 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil
- 2 drops of Frankincense Essential Oil
- Optional: 1 tsp baking soda
- Glass bottle (essential oils can degrade plastic)
Put the salt in the bottle, add the essential oils to the salt, add the water and shake. BAM! Done! Easy right! 30 seconds tops!
I add the essential oils to the salt before I add the water because the salt helps to keep the oils and water from separating (it'll still happen a little bit). You can also use some baking soda if you want a little extra cleaning power, but I use baking soda in my toothpaste so I usually skip that step.
You may want to adjust the ratios of essential oils. Thieves has some cinnamon flavor (which I love) but some people may enjoy peppermint more. You can definitely switch the Peppermint and Thieves in this recipe. In fact, that's exactly what I do for my man-- he is a peppermint fiend! You may also like it the flavor to be stronger or weaker so feel free to use a drop more or a drop less per your tastebuds.
Remember it's very important to use quality essential oils especially when you want to use them for therapeutic value. The regulations are poor for labeling of essential oils so to be labeled as "pure" the companies actually only need 10% "pure" product and the rest can be synthetic additives. {rolls eyes} So "pure" on a bottle means diddly squat. If you want to know more about essential oils, then please read this fancy little summary that I wrote. Psst… it's not fancy.
I hope you enjoy this mouthwash recipe! I'd love to know what you think about it.
If you'd like to join my Natural Living Support Group on Facebook please fill out this form!
Important consideration: Tap water has chlorine, mercury, fluoride, nitrates, and may even contain some carcinogens. I want to avoid all of that so I use distilled or purified instead.
Want more natural ideas for oral health?
Mary Vance talks more about the benefit of Thieves for oral health
I add the essential oils to the salt before I add the water because the salt helps to keep the oils and water from separating (it'll still happen a little bit). You can also use some baking soda if you want a little extra cleaning power, but I use baking soda in my toothpaste so I usually skip that step.
You may want to adjust the ratios of essential oils. Thieves has some cinnamon flavor (which I love) but some people may enjoy peppermint more. You can definitely switch the Peppermint and Thieves in this recipe. In fact, that's exactly what I do for my man-- he is a peppermint fiend! You may also like it the flavor to be stronger or weaker so feel free to use a drop more or a drop less per your tastebuds.
Remember it's very important to use quality essential oils especially when you want to use them for therapeutic value. The regulations are poor for labeling of essential oils so to be labeled as "pure" the companies actually only need 10% "pure" product and the rest can be synthetic additives. {rolls eyes} So "pure" on a bottle means diddly squat. If you want to know more about essential oils, then please read this fancy little summary that I wrote. Psst… it's not fancy.
I hope you enjoy this mouthwash recipe! I'd love to know what you think about it.
If you'd like to join my Natural Living Support Group on Facebook please fill out this form!
Important consideration: Tap water has chlorine, mercury, fluoride, nitrates, and may even contain some carcinogens. I want to avoid all of that so I use distilled or purified instead.
Want more natural ideas for oral health?
Mary Vance talks more about the benefit of Thieves for oral health
Do you want to know more about Essential Oils that are good for oral care and learn about oil pulling at the same time? Check out this post.
Now that you have DIY mouthwash, do you want some DIY toothpaste too?
If you'd like to join my Natural Living Support Group on Facebook please fill out this form!
Now that you have DIY mouthwash, do you want some DIY toothpaste too?
If you'd like to join my Natural Living Support Group on Facebook please fill out this form!
