When I took my first child to a (conventional) dentist I asked her if she thought mouthwash was a good idea for kids. She said no, which was surprising. Later after being very unsatisfied I traveled far to see a holistic dentist who was an advocate for natural mouthwashes for children. To me, mouthwash sounded like a really easy way to upgrade our nightly brushing routine. Getting kids to do a lot of complicated things before bed can be a challenge so I liked the thought of something easy like this.
I started reading and shopping around for different mouthwashes for kids. The first problem was that many had fluoride in them, which I am opposed to using. After ruling out those products, I starting seeing mouthwashes with more unfavorable ingredients like artificial colors and flavors, high alcohol content, and glycerin (this is a safe ingredient but just inhibits mineral absorption when used in oral care products).
Even after all that, my children hate mint toothpaste and mouthwash. It was literally impossible to find a mouthwash that would work for us so I started making my own, which is surprisingly easy.
Ingredients I Use & Why
- Xylitol – Research has shown that this sweetener helps to repair tooth enamal. It also balances the PH in the mouth to prevent decay.
- Aloe Vera- Aloe helps to fight plaque and gum disease.
- Calcium Carbonate – Calcium helps to keep teeth strong and harden soft or weakened enamal
- Witch hazel – Witch hazel is astringent which means it helps to keep gums tight and healthy
- Essential Oils – Essential oils are anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory which helps to keep teeth and gums healthy while getting rid of germs. Some good oils to use:
- Lemon
- Orange
- Clove
- Peppermint
Natural Mouthwash Recipe
- 2 cups distilled water
- 1 tbsp. witch hazel
- 1 tbsp. aloe vera juice
- 2 tsp. xylitol powder
- 1 tsp. calcium carbonate powder
- 10 drops essential oil (any brand will do, I prefer Young Living & Mountain Rose Herbs)
Add all of the ingredients into a mason jar, cap the jar and shake until everything is combined. Pour the mixture into a smaller bottle to keep in the bathroom.
The xylitol makes it sweet tasting and when you use essential oils like lemon and orange it's very kid-friendly. My children gladly use this mouthwash every night before bed.
I am usually the one who has to tell my 9 and 6 year old to brush their teeth 20 times before going to bed. I wish it could be easier, and I can’t find a way to make it easier. We live in rural Missouri, and thankfully we rely mostly in filtered rain water for drinking a washing, so fluoride is not a concern. My kids don’t have cavities, since they don’t really eat sweets or junk food, but I always thought about maybe adding some kind of a mouth wash, so it could make the daily tooth brushing a pleasant experience. So, I will definitely give a try that recipe and will let you know how it goes!
Yes I’d love to hear if this works for you! It’s been an easy way for me to have a bit more peace of mind about their teeth 🙂
I will have to try this recipe! Silly question- does the essential oil have to be medical grade? I use NOW Solutions oils and I’m not sure the grade.
Yes I would recommend using top quality oils since it’s going in your mouth. I’m not sure about NOW either. I’ve tried a lot of brands and used some that were pretty bad. The only two brands I can comfortably vouch for are the ones I use regularly which is Young Living and Mountain Rose Herbs.
Thanks for this! Any suggestions for preserving it? I know that water based recipes don’t last long….
I make it this amount and it doesn’t last long enough for it to go bad. I supposed you could keep it refrigerated if you want to do so.