Fresh Peppermint Mouthwash - DIY-Style!

As a continuation of this ongoing journey to green-up little areas in my life I've braved the unknown and -- quite frankly, scary -- waters of...(dun dun dunnnnn)...MOUTHWASH!!  

That label probably speaks for itself... Peppermint mouth wash...DIY style!

Oral hygiene is very important to me, so things like toothpaste, tooth powder, and mouthwashes just HAVE to work, and work well. I happened upon this blog, via my beloved Pinterest, several months ago, and thought, "huh, that looks interesting...I'll save that one for later."  Well, now it's later, and I've given it a try.

Results?  Let's rate it on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high), shall we?

• Tastiness:  4 - but only after adding a packet of stevia sweetener; before the stevia, it was a 3...not bad, but not great.  When you think about it, what mouthwash does taste good?  None that I've ever tried, so this was an improvement, even before the stevia. :)
• Mintiness:  5  - It's awesome!  Love this part of it!
• Long-lasting effects:  4  - Lasts nearly as long as Listerine, but without burning my mouth.

Now, you may be asking WHY I would do such a thing when there is a myriad of different mouthwashes available at the local grocery store or pharmacy.  Well, many of them contain more alcohol than can legally be sold outside of a liquor store, and you don't have to produce a driver's license or be of legal drinking age to buy it.  Whoa!  AND, did you know that extended use of mouthwash containing alcohol will alter the pH balance in your mouth, and has been linked to mouth and throat cancer?  Seriously scary stuff, folks!  (Source)

Research the alcohol content in this...yikes!!

There are also a number of other unknown chemicals and dyes in traditional mouthwash.  I've become increasingly skeptical of products that contain ingredients that I can't identify or pronounce.  Some of the ingredients might well be natural stuff that the manufacturer has chosen to hide by using it's scientific name. Why? If it's natural, just call it what it is!

Overall, I think it's an industry who wants us entirely-too-vain Americans to spend more money on stuff that can't possibly do all it promises to do without having serious, negative side effects.  

Okay, enough of my soap box!  :)  This is the first of a couple of different mouthwash recipes I plan to try, so you can count on another article or two when I've tried the next ones.

Ready for the INGREDIENTS??  

• 1 cup aloe vera juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tsp witch hazel
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp, or packet, stevia
• 40 drops peppermint essential oil

Put it all in a cute bottle (I found mine at the local craft store for about $2), and shake, shake, shake!  Then, take a swig and swish around your entire mouth for about 30-60 seconds before...well, you know what to do next.  :)  Your mouth is going to feel sooooo clean, and minty fresh!

(Tempted as I was, I will refrain from including yet another photo of my teeth...I'll just let your imagination go to work seeing stars and sparkles around my super-clean mouth!  Haha!)

Here are a couple other recipes I plan to try next... If you get to them first, be sure to come back and post a comment to tell me what you think?!

• Honey peppermint mouthwash (yummmmm!)
• Peppermint, clove, rosemary mouthwash (whoa, sounds refreshing!)

I'd love to hear your experiences with green living, and how it can be done in REAL LIFE!!

Till next time, friends...

Tooth Powder with... CHARCOAL??

Oh yes, CHARCOAL!  Activated charcoal is a great whitener and also helps with remineralizing teeth and removing toxins, right there along with bentonite clay.  Awesome!  And what's more fun, is that it turns your teeth BLACK while you're brushing!  So cool!

The kids LOVED the black teeth!

But why do this, you ask?  Why not toothpaste like normal people use... from the store?  Even those that are approved by the ADA?  Well, have you read the ingredients?  CAN you read the ingredients?  That's point number one.  The other point is that commercial toothpaste contains glycerin, which is awesome when added (in small doses) to things like lotion or conditioner, but creates a barrier on your teeth that prevents your teeth from being able to absorb vitamins and minerals.  Our teeth are meant to absorb vitamins and minerals, so why would we want to prevent that?  Our teeth are BONES and bones need to be nourished!

Okay, let's talk about the ingredients of this super nourishing and whitening tooth powder and each of their benefits:

• 1 Tbsp Activated Charcoal:  This extremely porous ingredient attracts and traps toxins and nastiness, and hangs onto them until you spit them out.

• 3 Tbsp Bentonite Clay:  Bentonite produces an electrical charge when it becomes wet, and is able to absorb and remove toxins, heavy metals, impurities, and chemicals.  It also provides minerals to the body...something our teeth can't get enough of!  Benefit?  No more sensitivity!!!

• 1 tsp Baking Soda:  Toothpastes (or powders) with baking soda have better whitening power and are better at removing plaque than those without.  It is rather abrasive, so this is optional, but it is kind of awesome, in my opinion. :)

• 1/2 to 1 tsp Natural Stevia:  An all natural sweetener that is many times sweeter than sugar, and also comes with many other health benefits, such as treating diabetes and high blood pressure.

• 45-50 drops Peppermint Essential Oil:  GREAT for freshening your breath and adding a nice flavor to your tooth powder.  It's also reduces any inflammation in the mouth and helps with toothaches if you happen to have one.

Directions: 

• Mix all of the dry ingredients in a glass or plastic container.  
• Be sure to use a plastic or wooden spoon to do this. You do NOT want to use metal with the charcoal or clay, because they will both absorb impurities from metal, making them less effective.
• Wet your toothbrush and shake or tap off excess water.
• Dip the tips your toothbrush in the powder, and brush as you normally would.
• For extra mineralization and whitening power, leave on your teeth for a few minutes before rinsing with water or mouthwash.
• Rinse well.

And VIOLA!!  Pearly white teeth!

Please give this one a try, it's totally worth it!  It'll save you money, and your teeth, in the long run.  

Thanks for reading!  I'm having a blast trying these new "tricks" to clean up and green up, and I'd love to hear from others out there who are doing the same thing.  :)

Till next time!