So you feel that buying a mouthwash could pinch your wallet but yet you can’t help but be concerned about the health of your mouth?

Commercial mouthwashes sold over the counter can be costly especially therapeutic mouthwashes that help reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth.

However worry naught as there are several homemade remedies available to make your own mouthwash when you are on a tight budget. Homemade mouthwash has mild antibacterial properties that can provide relief for mouth sores and reduce bad breath.

Benefits of making your own mouthwash

• Inexpensive
• Easy to make
• Alcohol-free
• No artificial flavoring
• Rarely any side effects with proper usage

Downsides of making your own mouthwash

• Over usage could lead to some adverse effects
• A strong or concentrated preparation can harm your health
• Homemade mouthwashes do little to heal gum disease

Salt Water / Saline Solution Mouthwash

Saline solution refers to a sterile solution of sodium chloride (salt) in water. Most commonly advised for use by dentists when you have mouth sores, bleeding gums or inflamed sore gums from pericoronitis or after extraction of teeth, saline solution mouthwash kills bacteria by creating a hypertonic environment.

This mouthwash is the simplest to prepare:

Ingredients needed: sodium chloride (salt), water

1. Prepare 8oz (1 cup) of lukewarm water.
2. Add ½ tsp of salt to the cup of water.
3. Stir well until the salt dissolves.
4. Pour the saline mouthwash into a bottle and close the lid.

Instructions for use of saline mouthwash

• Gargle the mouthwash for 30 seconds and spit out.
• Use twice a day as part of your daily oral health regimen.
• Do not swallow the mouthwash.
• Rinse every 2 to 6 hours if you are having mouth sores or inflamed gums.

Baking Soda Mouthwash / Sodium Bicarbonate Mouthwash

Baking soda or chemically known as sodium bicarbonate has a long history as an oral hygiene aid. Having abrasive and mild antibacterial properties, baking soda can help in stain removal on teeth surfaces and reduce bad breath by absorbing oral malodor. Sodium bicarbonate also assists in neutralizing the production of acid in the mouth to prevent tooth decay. Baking soda is also incorporated in toothpastes and dentifrices for its tooth whitening effect.

However researches so far show no improvement in gum health through Keyes technique which uses a paste of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and salt as a dentifrice in addition to cleansing the mouth with concentrated salt solution. You can’t find baking soda mouthwashes in the market but since baking soda is a common household product, you can easily just make your own mouthwash.

How to make your own baking soda mouthwash

Ingredients needed: baking soda, 3% hydrogen peroxide, water

1. Prepare 8oz (1 cup) of water.
2. Add ½ tsp of baking soda to the cup of water.
3. You can also add in hydrogen peroxide for a stronger effect by diluting it in equal parts with water (for example, one cap of hydrogen peroxide to one cap of water).
4. Stir well until the baking soda dissolves.
5. Pour the baking soda mouthwash into a bottle and close the lid.

Instructions for use of baking soda mouthwash

• Gargle the mouthwash for 30 seconds and spit out.
• Rinse your mouth with water.
• Do not swallow the mouthwash.
• Use twice a day as part of your daily oral health regimen.
• Rinse every 3 to 4 hours if you are having mouth sores.
• Keep the baking soda mouthwash stored in a cool, dry place away from sunlight for heat can induce baking soda to release carbon dioxide.
• Keep away from small children to avoid accidental ingestion.

To be continued in Part2