DIY Minty Mouthwash with Essential Oils
By far, the most popular post on this blog is the Homemade Coconut Oil Toothpaste recipe! I get why - it's an easy recipe and great alternative to store-bought, glycerin and fluoride-filled toothpaste. It's also inexpensive to make, works, and the taste....well, it's not awful, but to be honest, not amazing either. That being said, that doesn't stop my toddler from eating it! Toddlers are grossy.Although I'd grown accustomed to this rather salty, non-sudsing toothpaste, I REALLY missed that minty-fresh-breathe feeling that lingers after a good brush--like you'd expect to see your breathe if you blew air.
So, I decided to go out and buy some Listerine. Just Kidding! You know me better than that. You certainly don't need a commercial, alcohol-based mouthwash, full of articifial dyes, flouride, harsh detergents, and other toxic chemicals, to achieve your oral goal!Instead, in true Modern Hippie form, I began my hunt for a DIY Minty Mouthwash, to perfectly pair with my Homemade Coconut Oil Toothpaste, and have concocted a beauty, that uses dried, mint from my garden, and tinctures that I've worked so hard to create this summer.This DIY Minty Mouthwash contains mint, which is responsible for that fresh breathe feeling, aloe vera which soothes the skin inside your mouth, and tinctures and essential oils which all contain antibacterial properties, naturally killing any germs and bacteria inside your mouth.Unlike store-bought, this DIY Minty Mouthwash needs to be kept in the fridge, and needs to be replaced, if you don't use it up, about every 1-2 weeks. This is because, this homemade mouthwash is water-based, instead of alcohol based, and doesn't contain preservatives--in my opinion, a small price to pay for an all-natural mouthwash.
- 3/4 cup Water
- 1/4 cup dried Mint Leaves or 2 Mint Tea Bags
- 1 tbsp [url href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00028POGA/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B00028POGA&linkCode=as2&tag=modehipphous-20"]Aloe Vera[/url], pure
- 3-5 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
- 3-5 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil
- 4 droppers full [url href="http://modernhippiehw.com/wp/2014/07/30/tincture-tuesday-week-6-oregano-tincture/" title="Tincture Tuesday! Week 6: Oregano Tincture"]Oregano Tincture[/url]
- 2 droppers full [url href="http://modernhippiehw.com/wp/2014/08/27/week-9-peppermint-tincture/"]Peppermint Tincture[/url]
- Boil water, measure oil 3/4 cup, and make a tea with the mint leaves or mint tea bags.
- Let the tea sit until it cools to room temperature.
- Strain out the mint leaves or remove the tea bags.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir.
- Store in an airtight container and store in the fridge.
- Will keep for 7-10 days (max 2 weeks).
