Homemade Natural Minty Mouthwash

Mouthwash is a staple just about everyone has in their home, but do you know what’s actually in the mouthwash you've been using? Unless you use a natural organic product, chances are the ingredient list is toxic. “Certain types of mouthwash increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke and are a “disaster” for health, scientists have warned.” I am referring to chlor­hexidine, an ingredient found in some mouthwashes that can kill helpful bacteria that help the blood vessels relax.

My dentist has been prescribing a medicinal mouthwash Chlorhexidine Gluconate 0.12% to me for some time now and I thought it was helping my gums and teeth until I researched this product.  I was shocked to learn how harmful it really is!  Now I'll NEVER use this mouthwash again!! This is a list of the ingredients:  11.6 % alcohol, glycerin, PEG-40 sorbitan diisostearate, flavor (which tastes terrible), sodium saccharin, and FD&C Blue No 1.   

My homemade mouthwash fights bacteria and leaves your breath minty fresh without all the toxins! Plus, this recipe is really inexpensive to make!


What’s Harmful About Store Bought Mouthwash

When I was researching about how harmful many mouthwashes are, I found one site that said that if your dentist recommends using mouthwash, you need to ask him if he even knows what's in this stuff! Good point!

Benefits Of Using This Homemade Natural Mouthwash

1. Freshens breath – One of the main reasons I like to use mouthwash is because it leaves my breath minty fresh! If I don’t have time to brush my teeth or even just want that nice clean feeling after I brush, this is a great option. All you do is take a teaspoon of this recipe, swish it in your mouth and you’re set to go! It’s easy, if you have no time and much better than grabbing one of those breath freshening mints with all those questionable ingredients.

I used peppermint in this recipe to give the minty fresh affect, but if you don’t like mint taste, you can replace it with your favorite kind of essential oil.

2. Improves Oral Health – The ingredients in this homemade natural mouthwash help fight bacteria and improve your gum health. The antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of coconut oil and peppermint essential oil help to get rid of the bad bacteria. I added a little salt to this recipe to increase the benefits even more because, just like when you do a salt water mouth rinse, the salt helps eliminate bacteria and also promotes healing of the gums.

3. Prevents Cavities – In addition to leaving your breath minty fresh, this natural mouthwash is also great because it helps prevent cavities! I added coconut oil to this recipe to boost the antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties. Peppermint essential oil is great in this recipe because it not only eliminates bad breath, but it helps fight off bad germs and decreases dental plaque. It has great antiseptic and ant-inflammatory properties, which is why it is often added to toothpaste recipes and mouthwashes.

How To Make Homemade Natural Mouthwash

What You Need:

1/2 cup spring water
1 teaspoon organic coconut oil
2 drops peppermint essential oil (or another oil such as cinnamon, clove, or wintergreen)
Pinch of sea salt
Optional: add a drop or 2 of another essential oil, such as spearmint or tea tree oil
Optional: pinch of baking soda


Other popular mouthwash ingredients include alcohol (dries the mouth and disrupts the natural pH of the mouth), sodium saccharin (sweetener, carcinogen, linked to bladder cancer in animals), artificial colors, benzoic acid (preservative & antibacterial agent, linked to allergies, asthma), and Poloxamer 407 (a detergent, linked to high cholesterol in mice). These harmful ingredients barely touches the surface as there are a vast amount of chemical agents found in different brands of mouthwash.

Aside from the chlorhexidine and toxins discussed above, many mouthwashes have a warning label that reads like this:

Keep out of reach of children. If  accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.

I don’t like putting a product in my mouth that if swallowed requires a call to poison control! Here is my simple recipe for an all natural homemade mouthwash recipe you can make in about 30 seconds.




Laurel ♥