Bad breath can be a side effect of the foods you eat or an early sign of illness. Poor dental hygiene can also be a cause of halitosis. Smoking and alcohol can also make your breath unpleasant.
Don’t have time to brush your teeth or swish with mouthwash? You can chew on fresh parsley, peppermint, or spearmint leaves. Peppermint and spearmint are often very easy to grow in your garden; my grandfather had one plant that ended up taking over half the beds.
Mixing up your own natural mouthwash is surprisingly easy! Some essential oils that are great in a mouthwash are bergamot, cardamom, sweet fennel, peppermint, and sweet thyme.
For a post-meal mouthwash, try this recipe:
- 300 milliliters of distilled water
- 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
- 1 drop cardamom essential oil
- 8 drops bergamot essential oil
- 2 drops peppermint essential oil
Shake well before use to mix the oils into the water. You can make the mouthwash taste a little sweeter by switching 100 milliliters of distilled water for 100 milliliters of rose water or orange flower water. You can look for flower waters at your local pharmacy or health food store, but you may need to special-order them. Look for a distillate, rather than a synthetic floral water. Store in a cool, dark place for maximum life; after two months of storage, toss the remains and make a fresh mixture.
If you have gum disease or other mouth problems, try this mouthwash daily:
- 30 milliliters of myrrh tincture (myrrh in alcohol)
- 5 drops tea tree essential oil
- 10 drops cypress essential oil
- 20 drops peppermint essential oil
Shake well before use. This mixture is very strong and MUST be diluted before use. Add five drops of this mixture to a cup of warm water and swish. Store the mouthwash in a dark colored (blue or amber) glass bottle in a cool, dark place. You can use this mouthwash mixture up to three times daily if you want.