I require a lot out of my homemade mouthwash recipe. It needs to be minty, all-natural, whiten, & help remineralize my teeth. Here’s the recipe that actually does it all.
What makes the perfect homemade mouthwash?
I’ll admit: I require a lot out of my homemade mouthwash. All the artificial sweeteners and chemical additives in conventional mouthwash are a no-no in my book, but often “natural” mouthwash brands still don’t make the cut.
Either they aren’t really so natural, not very effective, or insanely expensive. Or they burn like unholy fire. Or sometimes all of the above.
My solution?
For a couple of years, I’ve been perfecting my own homemade mouthwash recipe.
Scroll down for the recipe, or check out the “why” behind all the ingredients below:
What I Look for in a Homemade Mouthwash
1. It must be minty. First and foremost – mouthwash should fight bad breath!
But I never went for the whole citrus mouthwash fad – and the herbal ones that taste like a snake oil remedy from 1894 aren’t my cup of tea either.
Of course, with homemade mouthwash, you get to choose the flavor – so it works no matter what you prefer.
2. It must be (a little) sweet. A touch of sweetness makes the whole mouthwash experience a little more pleasant. This is optional, so you can add more or less stevia, or opt out of it altogether if you’d like.
3. It should remineralize. Ideally, our saliva “bathes” our teeth in minerals to restore what might be lost through eating, drinking, and everyday life – this is how you keep your enamel strong.
Internal imbalances can interfere with this process (which is discussed in the book Cure Tooth Decay). I include specific minerals in this mouthwash recipe to help boost your saliva’s natural remineralizing process.
4. It should whiten. My teeth are battling coffee, chocolate, blueberries, tea, wine… they can use any extra whitening power they can get! This mouthwash is gently whitening to help fight everyday stains.
5. It should protect from cavities. All of the above measures help clean your mouth to prevent cavities from forming.
You can also add 1/4 cup of vodka alcohol if you like a “bite” to your mouthwash – and this will also help kill bacteria in your mouth.
With these five pillars in mind, I created my unique DIY mouthwash recipe below.
Why These Ingredients?
- Calcium carbonate powder: for remineralizing teeth
- Stevia: for sweetness without sugar (optional)
- Concentrated trace minerals liquid: for remineralizing teeth (buy here)
- Peppermint essential oil: for flavor and fresh breath
- Lemon essential oil: for whiter, brighter teeth
- Vodka alcohol: for that mouthwash “kick” plus germ-fighting ability
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How to Make Homemade Mouthwash
Ingredients
- 2 tsp calcium carbonate powder
- 40 drops trace minerals concentrate
- 10 drops liquid stevia
- 10 drops peppermint essential oil
- 5 drops lemon essential oil
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup vodka (optional)
Instructions
- In a large glass mixing cup, stir together the calcium powder and stevia.
- Add liquid minerals and essential oils. “Swirl” around until essential oils are absorbed into the calcium powder.
- Add water and stir.
- Pour mixture into a glass bottle (I reused an old apple cider vinegar bottle).
- Close the lid tightly and shake ingredients together for about 30-60 seconds.
- Shake well before using.
- Use as needed 1-2 times daily for 30 seconds.
Notes
Love It? Hate It? Need Some Help?
Have you tried this recipe? Do you have your own tips for making homemade whitening mouthwash?
If you have a question or comment, I’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments section below this post.
More Articles for Healthy, White Teeth (the Natural Way!)
- Try this Black Oil to Naturally Whiten Teeth – It Really Works!
- Natural Whitening Toothpaste Recipe with Activated Charcoal
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- Refined vs Unrefined Coconut Oil
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Lorna Matos says
Why does it need to stay in the fridge? I have sensitive teeth and using cold mouthwash is not appealing.
Elizabeth Walling says
That’s just a precaution, to be honest. I personally throw caution to the wind and keep it in my bathroom. 😉
Elizabeth Walling says
Good questions, Shannon! The calcium hydroxide might work, but I don’t have any experience with it. The essential oils might be enough to keep it stable, but I recommended refrigeration as a precaution. I personally just leave mine on the shelf in the bathroom.
Riversana says
I love the graphics on the bottle! That’s such a great label, except I guess having the word “recipe” on your product wouldn’t make much sense, but I think you should make this a printable and share it! Thanks for the recipe and links, since I wouldn’t know where to start to find the calcium. 🙂
Elizabeth Walling says
Glad you enjoyed it! I like the label, too. I might have to print it out. 😀
Sherry says
I like the label, too. Where it says recipe, would be a good place to put the flavor.
MHA says
Using the word “recipe” makes me think happy thoughts of Miss Emily and Miss Mamie Baldwin and “Papa’s Recipe” from “The Waltons.” 🙂
Karen says
Where do u get your calcium carbonate powder?
Elizabeth Walling says
I order online from stores like iHerb and Amazon.
Cami Brasher says
Is there something I can use besides the lemon. I am allergic to lemons.
Thank you.
Elizabeth Walling says
You can definitely leave the lemon oil out if you’re allergic. It’s there only for whitening. I’m not sure of other whitening essential oils, but some have had success with activated charcoal.
Tiffany says
Chamomile oil has lightening effects.
Elizabeth Walling says
Thanks, Tiffany! That’s good to know.
Dawnmarie says
Clove oil is very beneficial for your gums and teeth.
Victoria K. says
Where do you get calcium carbonate?
Elizabeth Walling says
I order online from stores like iHerb and Amazon. (There’s a link in the post to Amazon.)
Nicole says
think stevia drops would work in place of xylitol??
Elizabeth Walling says
Yes, they would work for sweetness, but they don’t provide the potential cavity protection.
Gloria says
thanks! I wanted to ask the same question! great site, I just signed up to get your newsletter.
Take care,
Gloria
ShannonN says
I’m confused! Nicole asks about using stevia instead of xylitol–but the recipe says stevia, doesn’t it? I was going to ask, why not xylitol instead, since xylitol too is supposed to be specifically good for killing bacteria, and for dental health. Can they be used interchangeably for this?
Elizabeth Walling says
Xylitol can be used as well, but many of the readers on this site have asked for a xylitol-free recipe, so I added stevia instead.
Sabrina says
When people are allergic to a food, for instance lemons, it is to the fruit. Essentials oils do not come from the fruit, but from the rind. As long as you are using certified pure therapeutic grade oils, you should be just fine. I recommend doTERRA essential oils company 🙂
April says
First, therapeutic grade is a marketing term…… second, you can still be allergic to the lemon EO.
Ali says
Yes, therapeutic grade is a term coined by DoTerra. But not so much as a marketing ploy, its bc they are the only company that does 3rd party testing to ensure their purity and safety regarding ingesting etc. “Therapeutic grade” is a reflection of that.
Secondly, while it is possibly to have sensitivity to certain EO’s that does not mean that bc you are allergic to X you will therefore be allergic to X EO. Just an example, my husband is allergic to eucalyptus, but has no problem using eucalyptus EO even neat.
Cathy says
Sorry, DoTerra is not the only company doing 3rd party testing, nor were they the first. Young Living Essential Oils have all been third party tested for years. Not only that but they do not outsource anything, as DoTerra does. Every oil they sell is guaranteed pure, grown and processed on their own farms and equipment for purity. I purchased Frankencense from both. Young Living is worth every $ spent. I can’t say that for any of the other brands I have purchased.
Jenny says
Young Living was started YEARS before DoTerra. In fact, DoTerra was started when a group of people left Young Living and started their own company. This is why everything DoTerra does mimicks Young Living. I am not saying that DoTerra is not a good company or product. Just stating the facts, unlike some others on here.
jsthepreacher says
A group of people that worked for Young Living Essential Oils would use the knowledge and experience they had gained at Young Living to start their own company. So they took all of the terminology, methodology, marketing strategies, etc. and started doTERRA.
So, “therapeutic grade” and 3rd party testing were actually started by Young Living.
Carmel says
Would the lemon oil be hard on tooth enamel (citrus)?
Elizabeth Walling says
I’ve thought about this and I’m not 100% sure, but here’s my theory: it’s the acidity of citrus fruits that causes problems for enamel. I don’t think the lemon essential oil is acidic (even if it was, the calcium carbonate in the recipe is alkaline and would neutralize it). So I’m personally comfortable using it on my teeth.
Rachel says
Hi! The acidity from the lemon comes from the vitamin c, which is water soluble, such as in the juice. The essential oil comes from the rind. Oil and water don’t mix, so you won’t find vitamin c in the oil. 🙂
Tiffany DiMiceli says
On doing my own research for remineralizing tooth enamel , what I came across was if you are going to use lemon… like for lemon water, etc… that using the essential oil ( the kind safe for consumption) has the same health benefits of using lemon, without the damage to the tooth enamel.
Dawnmarie says
I would say no. They use the rind not the actual juice from the fruit. You should be fine if you use a pure therapeutic essential oil. I love young living myself. Do your own research and make sure you check out the company. You get what you pay for.
Ladonna says
How many uses do you get from one batch?
Elizabeth Walling says
It makes about 16 fluid ounces, so it really depends on how much you use each time. I would estimate somewhere between 15-30 uses from this recipe.
diane says
some grapefruit seed extract might help preserve it at room temp and add some antibacterial action, as well.
Elizabeth Walling says
That’s a good idea!
Moriah says
I think my husband will like this alternative much better than the tea tree oil I used last time! ?
Linda Jones says
Thank you for the recipe! I will have to work on rounding up the ingredientsto make this. Though I think I will use peppermint rather than spearmint. Unless the spearmint has a particular benefit. I am not fond of spearmint. I’ve used Listerine my whole life This would be quie a change. But I am getting to the age(63) I want to protect and keep my teeth in a healthier way as we are doing in other areas of our lives. Who knew there would be such horrors in our products these days.
Elizabeth Walling says
You can definitely use all peppermint oil if you prefer–I just like the flavor of spearmint personally.
crazywoman/Billie says
You could use tea tree instead of the spearmint (and I think replacing the peppermint as well) if you would prefer the Listerine taste. UGH
Tea tree also has antibacterial properties, and might help preserve it. (Not positive about that, but this it would.)
Unless you’ve used the blue Listerine which is minty!! Then use peppermint.
Personally I’m the opposite, I prefer spearmint. We all have different tastes.
Tammyellis17 says
You have to be careful to not ingest any if the mouthwash if using Tea Tree oil. It is poisonous if ingested.
Moriah says
The tee tree will do as you say and is a fantastic choice, however, the taste may be an issue twosome. My husband wasn’t to fond of it and I didn’t like it either last time I used it, I’m going to try grapefruit eo that a couple comments above suggested.
Cindy Freeman says
You might want to do a little more research into xylitol: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/xylitol-not-as-sweet-as-its-cracked-up-to-be/
Elizabeth Walling says
That’s a great article! Interesting insights. I definitely do not recommend eating or consuming xylitol. Any studies where it has offered anticavity benefits, it was used topically and not consumed.
Julie says
I have read as long as its birch xylitol, its not a bad thing. 🙂
CharLee Christian says
What is the best bottle to store this in?
Elizabeth Walling says
Glass is best, so any glass bottle or jar will do. I use a 16-oz apple cider vinegar bottle myself.
Rachel says
Oohh! I have TONS of canning jars!! 🙂
Me says
Do you have a suggestion (product) for the essential minerals?
Thanks.
Carla says
If you click on it in the ingredient list, there is a link to an Amazon product. I’m going to use MineralPal, another brand of concentrated (and desalinated) ocean water (which is where the trace minerals come from) because I already have a bottle that I use in my garden. Great stuff.
Me says
Thank you so much. I totally missed that those were links.
Me says
I should also ask how much grapefruit seed extract would one want to use with the rest of the ingredients. Thanks for posting this. It sounds really great.
Thanks.
Elizabeth Walling says
From what I’ve read, about 10 drops in 16 fl ounces of mouthwash should be right.
Me says
Thanks very much.
jess says
Research says that the preserving effect of grapefruit seed extract is only due to the preservatives they put in it.
Check it out, they didn’t get any antimicrobial activity with homemade or 100% natural ones: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10399191
Elizabeth Walling says
Interesting, Jess, I’ll look into that!
Carrie says
I use 1-2 drops of GSE per serving in my mouthwash. Make sure you rinse well afterwards as the GSE will burn your mouth and strip the enamel off your teeth.
Liam's mom says
Thanks for sharing, I’ve been looking for something like this. Any reason to believe this should not be used by pregnant women?
Thanks!
Elizabeth Walling says
I’m not totally sure. If I were pregnant, I would want to do a little extra research to be sure.
Rosie says
All these ingredients should be fine for pregnancy. The only one I was worried about was peppermint (not recommended for nursing moms) and some sources said not to ingest while pregnant. I contacted a certified aromatherapist and published author and she said small amounts (1-2 drops) of ingested oils would be fine (I asked for nausea). The trace minerals would be awesome for developing baby, but watch out, some trace mineral supplements exceed the recommended doses of arsenic, cadmium, and cobalt which are natural, but you don’t want much at all in your system.
Aimee says
So I accidentally bought Calcium Citrate…will it work? I haven’t opened it yet.
Elizabeth Walling says
Calcium citrate is bound to citric acid, which is acidic. I’m not sure it would be recommended for your teeth.
Aimee says
Thats what I got from research, too. Thanks! 🙂
KochernutMama says
I wondered if I could use the eggshell powder I have made up in place of the calcium carbonate.
Elizabeth Walling says
Egg shells are basically made of calcium carbonate, so that might work!
Natalie says
I do prefer using Wintergreen essential oil for these kind of products the taste is wonderful !
Elizabeth Walling says
I believe wintergreen is not safe to ingest at all, so I recommend caution with that oil.