If a swish of mouthwash is part of your daily brushing and flossing routine, there are better options than the antiseptic products sold in drugstores.

Instead, try a homemade, alcohol-free mouthwash that whitens and remineralizes your teeth without attacking all your oral bacteria. It’s easy to make and refreshing to use…

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons of calcium carbonate powder (available at health-food stores and online)

10 drops of organic liquid stevia

8 teaspoon of Himalayan salt

10 drops of sea buckthorn oil 

10 drops of spearmint or cinnamon essential oil

2 cups of filtered water

What to do: In a glass jar that can be closed, stir together the calcium carbonate powder and liquid stevia. Add the Himalayan salt (anti-inflammatory and remineralizing)…sea buckthorn oil (contains vitamins C and E for gum health)…spearmint or cinnamon essential oil (for breath freshening)…and filtered water. 

Close tightly and shake for 30 seconds. Keep this jar in your bathroom—refrigeration will cause the oils to separate—and always shake well before using. 

Source: Gerald P. Curatola, DDS, founder of Rejuvenation Dentistry, a biologic restorative dental practice and adjunct clinical associate professor at New York University College of Dentistry, both in New York City. He is also executive director of Bioregulatory Dentistry at the Providence, Rhode Island-based American Center for Bioregulatory Medicine and Dentistry, which provides holistic dental services that address the oral microbiome. He is author of The Mouth-Body Connection

Related Articles