5 Different Mouthwashes You Can Make at Home

Many people think toothbrushes and floss when it comes to dental hygiene, but putting a good mouth rinse in the mix can sometimes be helpful, too. For avid toothcare aficionados, mouthwash is not a replacement for brushing and flossing. That said, it can help with getting to areas hard to reach with brushing.

According to the ADA, there are two types of mouthwash: cosmetic and therapeutic. Cosmetic mouthwashes are primarily for freshening breath and pleasant flavor. Therapeutic washes have ingredients that can help with fighting plaque, tooth decay, and gingivitis. Some of these ingredients are as simple as hydrogen peroxide and/or essential oils.

Our attitude is that both have their place and in either case, it’s something that can be made at home. Homemade mouthwash will be less expensive, it can be tailored to specific tastes, and it can be designed to perform particular functions. Here’s how to make them.

DIY Mouthwash Recipes

This collection of mouthwashes is meant to cover a range of dental hygiene needs. The special ingredients in these mouth rinses will be noted for how they are useful so that, if you want to, you’ll be able to combine recipes or alter them to suit your own needs. That’s part of the beauty of DIY mouthwash.

Some of the ingredients we’ll be including are essential oils, great for adding flavor and health benefits. Abrasives like activated charcoal and baking soda can help with whitening teeth, as can hydrogen peroxide. Salt and apple cider vinegar are great for balancing pH levels.

1. Basic Breath Freshener

The classic flavor for mouthwash is peppermint, so a breath-freshening mouthwash can be as simple as peppermint oil and water. It’ll make your mouth feel nice and zingy, as well as deal with bad breath issues.

Other essential oils can be added for some health-related benefits. Clove oil and tea tree oil can help treat mouth sores. Clove gives that super tingly, Listerine feeling, and it is said to help remineralize your teeth. Cinnamon oil is another good choice.

A good recipe for a basic breath freshener is to add 10 drops each of peppermint oil, tea tree oil, spearmint oil, lemon oil, and clove oil to about a quart of fresh/spring water.

2. Antiseptic Mouthwash

Hydrogen peroxide is an ideal ingredient for making an antiseptic mouthwash, and peppermint oil, tea tree oil, and clove oil can help to keep the mouth from getting infections and other similar problems.

A simple antiseptic mouthwash can be half a cup of hydrogen peroxide and a teaspoon of salt mixed in a cup of clean water. Some essential oils can be included, too. All that said, for a mouth rinse after surgery or dental work, a purely salt-water rinse is probably the best bet.

3. Soothing Mouthwash

For an oral situation where the mouth needs a bit of relief, say having burnt a tongue or gums with hot food, it’s no surprise that aloe vera can feature in the mix. In this case, aloe vera water can replace some of the purified water to aid in soothing the pain.

Other helpful ingredients for a soothing rinse are peppermint oil, baking soda, and liquid coconut oil. For a starter recipe try a cup of water, a cup of aloe vera water, a tablespoon of baking soda, 25 drops of peppermint oil, and a couple of teaspoons of coconut oil.

4. Remineralizing Mouthwash

There are certain, maybe less readily recognizable ingredients, that make a good remineralizing mouthwash. This kind of mouthwash can help with healing teeth and preventing tooth decay.

L-arginine (1/2 tsp) is an amino acid supplement. Calcium carbonate (1/2 tsp) works on surface stains and removes debris. Star anise (3 pods) freshens up breath without getting in the way of these other ingredients. Blue-green algae (1/4 tsp) stabilizes a natural pH level.

Soak the anise pods in water and combine the L-Arginine and calcium carbonate in a different container of water. Blend the algae and anise in a blender before combining them with the other ingredients. Use only about a teaspoon of this mixture per rinse.

5. Balancing Mouthwash

Having a good pH balance in your mouth is one of the best ways to prevent bad breath. A couple of good ingredients for helping with this are baking soda and thieves oil. Thieves oil has a blend of essential oils: clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary.

Combine 16 ounces of water with 10 drops of peppermint oil, 10 drops of thieves oil, and 3 tsp of baking soda. Shake this mixture up before using the mouth rinse and use about a tablespoon for each rinse.

The basic method for using mouthwash is to brush your teeth first. Following that, use the mouthwash, swishing around in all areas of the mouth, gurgling for at least 30 seconds, and then spitting out the mouthwash. These mixtures are never meant to be swallowed. The ADA suggests not giving mouthwashes to children for this very reason.

Related Content:

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• 8 DIY Personal Hygiene Products to Make at Home
• DIY Natural, Zero-Waste Turmeric Toothpaste [Video]
• 10 Eco-Friendly Toothbrushes

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