Best Way to Make Your Own Tooth Powder and Mouthwash

Although toothpaste was one of the first organically certified beauty products, you may still like to try making your own tooth powder and mouthwash since they are so easy to create.

Try these alternatives to commercial toothpastes and mouthwashes.

Baking soda tooth powder

Simply dab a dampened toothbrush in baking soda, then brush your teeth. You can also add one drop of tea tree essential oil onto the brush: it serves as an antiseptic and is great if you suffer from bleeding gums.

Herbal tooth powder

This recipe is particularly good if you have fragile or bleeding gums; myrrh is a well-known treatment for gum disease, while tea tree oil works against plaque buildup.

• 1/2 cup (100 g) white clay powder
• 4 oz (100 g) baking soda
• 1 tsp dried herbs, to taste: choose from peppermint, spearmint, sage, fennel, or wintergreen
• 1 tsp myrrh powder
• 1 tsp dried raspberry leaf
• 1 tsp dried yellow dock root peppermint essential oil (optional)

Pour the white clay powder and the baking soda into a mixing bowl. Grind the herbs into a powder with a spice mill or coffee grinder (or by hand in a mortar and pestle). Add all the other dry ingredients and mix well with a wire whisk. You can also add 5 drops of peppermint essential oil if you want a zingier blend. Cover the bowl with a clean towel or dishcloth and leave it overnight; in the morning, mix well again and package in an opaque, widemouthed jar. Use by wetting your toothbrush and sprinkling a little of the herb powder onto your brush; if you keep moisture out of the mixture, it will keep indefinitely.

For Fresh Breath

Many people like the extra freshness of using a mouthwash after brushing or to freshen up between meals. However, some are extremely high in alcohol, and a study in 1991 of people who had used high-alcohol mouthwash at least daily for two decades, linked mouthwash use with an increased risk of cancer in the mouth and tongue zone.

If you want to use a mouthwash, look for one of the natural brands, such as Logona or Weleda. Alternatively, you can make your own with this simple non­alcoholic recipe.

Herbal mouthwash recipe

• 1 tbs dried eucalyptus leaves
• 1 tbs dried lemon balm
• 1 tbs dried peppermint
• 1 tbs dried sage
• 1 tbs dried rosemary
• 1 tbs dried thyme

Mix all the herbs together and keep in an airtight jar. Every few days, make a new batch of mouthwash by boiling 4 teaspoons of the mixture in a cup of water and letting it stand, covered, for another 10 minutes. Strain and pour into a sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Keeping the mixture in the refrigerator maintains its freshness and its ultra-refreshing taste.

Bad breath banishers

• Eating acidophilus yogurt every day or taking acidophilus supplements (consult your natural food store or practitioner) helps maintain digestive health, which in turn helps combat bad breath.

• Halitosis (bad breath) often results from having a dry mouth. Chewing on parsley, an apple, or a carrot can help make breath baby-sweet, resulting from the saliva-triggering action.
• Eating parsley with, or after, a garlicky meal can help combat garlic breath.