8 homemade dental care remedies

You don't need to spend a lot of money for artificially flavoured mouthwashes that are primarily alcohol and tubes of toothpaste. Instead, try these homemade remedies that use all-natural ingredients.

• 5 ml (1 tsp) vegetable glycerin
• 5 ml (1 tsp) aloe vera gel
• 10 drops peppermint, wintergreen or spearmint essential oil
• 375 ml (1 1/2 c) water1. In a clean jar with a tight-fitting cap, mix vegetable glycerin and aloe vera gel with the essential oil you have chosen. Add water and shake well. Use as a gargle.

  2. Store in a covered jar and shake well before using.

• 1 to 2 fresh leaves spearmint, peppermint, fennel or parsley
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) fresh or dried caraway, cardamom or fennel seedsChew on the herb leaves or seeds for two or three minutes. Spit out and discard.

The tea tree oil provides an additional antiseptic boost to help prevent gum disease.

• 45 ml (3 tbsp) baking soda
• Water
• 10 drops tea tree essential oil
• 10 drops peppermint essential oil1. In a small bowl, mix the baking soda with just enough water to make a paste. Add the tea tree and peppermint essential oils.

  2. Use paste to brush your teeth and tongue. Cover the remaining paste and use for the next couple of days.

• 500 ml (2 c) distilled water
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) green tea
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) dried, crumbled peppermint, spearmint or rosemary
• 10 drops tincture of benzoin or 5 ml (1 tps) tincture of myrrh1. In a pot, bring the water to a boil. In a pint jar with a tight-fitting lid, mix the green tea and peppermint, spearmint or rosemary. Pour in the boiling water, let cool, cover and steep overnight in the refrigerator.

  2. Strain into a clean bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Add the tincture of benzoin or the tincture of myrrh and shake to mix.

  3. Use 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) at a time as a mouthwash for sore and/or bleeding gums. Swish and spit without swallowing.

This will treat bad gums with respect without running up your grocery bill.

• 1 dropperful of goldenseal tincture (about 20 drops)
• 2 drops myrrh essential oil
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) hot water1. In a glass, combine the goldenseal tincture and myrrh essential oil. Dilute with the hot water.

  2. Swish around your mouth and spit.

• 10 drops goldenseal tincture
• 3 drops myrrh essential oil
• 2 drops tea tree essential oil
• Dental floss1. In a small container, combine the goldenseal tincture, myrrh essential oil and tea tree essential oil. Cut off enough dental floss to clean between your teeth and dip it into the mixture.

  2. Use the dipped floss to clean between your teeth. Make a fresh batch every time you want to floss your teeth.

• 7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) whole cloves
• 250 ml (1 c) boiling water1. In a small pot, place the cloves. Pour in boiling water and steep for 10 minutes. Strain into a glass.

  2. Rinse your mouth with the warm infusion.

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) powdered ginger
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) red cayenne pepper
• Water1. In a small dish, mix powdered ginger and red cayenne pepper with enough water to make a paste.

  2. Saturate a cotton ball with the paste and put on the painful tooth. Keep the paste off your gums as it may be irritating.

• Until you can get to the dentist, try this quick numbing trick.
• Put one drop of oil of cloves on a cotton swab, dip the swab in water and then rub on the aching tooth and gum area.