Natural Mouth Rinse

This homemade herbal mouth wash combines herbs that are naturally cleansing and healing to the teeth and gums in a convenient tincture for easy use.

This herbal mouth wash cleanses and freshens the mouth while naturally killing germs and alkalizing the mouth.

Cloves are traditionally used in oral health preparations for their natural antiseptic, antibacterial and antiviral properties. Clove paste and clove oil even help sooth toothache or minor cavities until they can be healed or filled.

Peppermint adds the traditional mint flavor, but is also antibacterial and cooling to the mouth.

Plantain is antibacterial and antimicrobial and is traditionally used in healing preparations for its ability to speed wound healing. You can find your Plantain supplies here

Rosemary is an aromatic and cooling herb that is also antibacterial and soothing to sore gums. I got my essential oils from my doTERRA wholesale membership and the dried herbs from my garden or my Amazon Prime account, including:

• dried Peppermint Leaf
• dried Plantain Leaf
• Rosemary Leaf
• Cinnamon or Peppermint Essential Oil

Herbal Mouth Wash Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of rum or vodka (for tincture)
• 1 tsp dried cloves or clove powder
• 2 tablespoons dried Peppermint Leaf
• 2 tablespoons dried Plantain Leaf
• 1 Tablespoon Rosemary Leaf
• 15 drops of Cinnamon or Peppermint Essential Oil (or more to preference-optional)

Instructions

1. Place herbs in a pint size mason jar. Pour enough boiling water over herbs to just dampen all of them. (this helps release the properties of the herbs).
2. Pour the rum or vodka into the jar with the herbs and hot water.
3. Cover tightly and put in a cool dark place for 2-3 weeks. Each day, shake the jar to help the herbs infuse into the alcohol mixture.
4. After 2-3 weeks, use cheesecloth or a very fine mesh strainer to strain the herbs out of the tincture. Discard the herbs and pour the tincture into small dropper bottles or other glass jar to store.
5. Add the essential oils, return lid and shake well.

How to Use Herbal Mouth Wash

Keep glass bottle with herbal tincture on bathroom counter with a small cup or glass.

For each use, mix a mouthful of water with about 40 drops of the tincture and swish well for 30 seconds.

For extra cleansing, add 40 drops of the tincture to a half and half mixture of hydrogen peroxide or applecidar vinegar and water instead of plain water and swish for 30 seconds.

Mouthwash Alternatives:

If you’d prefer to avoid the hassle of making mouthwash, oil pulling can be a simple one-ingredient alternative. The basic idea is that an oil, like fractionated coconut oil, is swished in the mouth for up to 20 minutes as a way to help remove plaque and support gum and tooth health. There is even some evidence that coconut oil may be effective against the streptococcus mutans bacteria that causes tooth decay.

Though oil pulling is somewhat controversial and experts debate its ability to whiten teeth or benefit other parts of the body, they all seem to agree that it is a safe and effective alternative to mouthwash.