DIY Herbal Mouth Oil
The ancient Ayurvedic practice of oil pulling - the act of swishing oil in the mouth - is an easy way to keep teeth and gums strong, healthy, and squeaky clean. While just using pure organic, extra virgin oils such as, coconut, sesame, and olive oil, is totally fine, sprucing up your oil not only takes seconds, but helps elevate the effects.
Here’s a simple recipe that you can try at home:
Herbal Mouth Oil
50 ml sesame oil (unfiltered & organic)
6 drops peppermint essential oil
2 drops myrrh essential oil
2 drops frankincense essential oil
2 drops wild oregano essential oil
Instructions: Before brushing your teeth or scraping your tongue in the morning, use a tsp of the mouth oil and swish for as long as feels comfortable. This may only be a few minutes when you start, but working up to 10-15 minutes is ideal. TIP: try oil pulling during your morning dry brushing session and/or shower!
Why these essential oils?
Peppermint - a powerful antioxidant that helps fight tooth decay and makes your mouth feel so minty fresh!
Myrrh - with its highly effective healing and soothing actions, this oil is perfect for oral health and to treat mouth ulcers, bad breath, and gum disease.
Frankincense - is highly anti-inflammatory which is ideal for sore, red and inflamed gums. It’s also wonderful for healing wounds, so next time you feel a mouth sore coming on add in an extra drop to your mouth oil.
Oregano - according to Nadine Artemis in her book, ‘Holistic Dental Care’, “Oregano has a broad range of antimicrobial activities, effective against fungi, viruses and bacteria… can improve dental hygiene as it destroys plaque-causing bacteria and reduces the risk of gum disease.” Warning: oregano oil is highly potent and must be diluted before using. I learned this the hard way :(
Enjoy this mouth oil and try your hand at making your own blend. Other essential oils to consider are: cardamom, cinnamon, clove, neem, rose, tea tree, and thyme.