Homemade Mouthwash
Traditional mouthwash is usually made with a
sharp minty flavor to make our breath smell fresh and pleasant.
However, mint only masks the smell and actually feeds odor-causing
bacteria with more sugar. Also, most commercial brands of mouthwash
mainly consist of synthetic colors, flavors, and chemicals that are not
so good for you.
Better than masking your breath smell, you can make your own mouthwash
at home using natural ingredients that will clean your mouth from the
bottom up. This mouthwash is made from ingredients that you likely have
at home, so give it a shot (so to speak) and get to know the homemade
goodness you've been missing!
About the ingredients
Honey: This ingredient has a number of
antibacterial properties that kill off all the bad bacteria in your
mouth instead of feeding them with sugar. Also, adding honey makes the
wash taste better. Use organic or raw honey for the best results.
Cinnamon:
A miracle spice in every way,
cinnamon gets rid of odors by killing off the odor-causing bacteria in
one blast. The International Association for Dental Research found that
people who chewed cinnamon gum had a 50 percent decrease in oral
bacteria versus people who chewed mint gum.
Lemon:
The last ingredient of this
mouthwash is a given - lemon is strong, refreshing and cleansing, so it
will wash all the hidden food and bacteria from your mouth. It also has
whitening properties. Just make sure not to add too much lemon because
it can erode your enamel if not used properly.
Recipe for one small bottle of mouthwash
Ingredients
Juice of 2 freshly-squeezed lemons
½ tbsp. ground cinnamon
½-1 tsp. baking soda (more whitening properties)
1-½ tsp. honey
1 cup warm water (to melt the honey)
A clean bottle or jar with a lid
Directions
1. Mix together all of the ingredients and give it a shake.
2. Swish or gargle 1-2 tablespoons of the mouthwash for a minute after
brushing your teeth or whenever you want to freshen your breath.
3. Don't use the mouthwash more than once to twice a day (the lemon is
very acidic).