How to make your own herbal mouthwash (with NO alcohol!)

Mouthwash is the bomb! It's so refreshing – but since commercial mouthwashes can be irritating, I prefer to use an herbal mouthwash with no alcohol. I love using a green tea water extract / infusion as mouthwash. You can add all kinds of different herbs to it to get different benefits, too. Using a cold water extract helps retain all of the beneficial compounds in the herbs you're using, especially the green tea.

Green tea makes up the foundation of this herbal mouthwash because there are so many oral health benefits of green tea and because I think it's wonderful to use ingredients that are readily available. But there are really many herbs you could use in your mouthwash, like:

• Peppermint – Peppermint has antibacterial and obvious deodorizing properties – add this for an herbal mouthwash that will seem familiar!
• Cinnamon – Another antibacterial and tasty herb you can include in your herbal mouthwash.
• Clove – Clove has been used for ages for oral healthcare – it's especially effective for battling tooth or gum pain.
• Plantain – Plantain is a good choice if you have mouth ulcers or canker sores as it speeds healing.
• Chamomile – A great choice for irritated, sore gums! Chamomile's anti-inflammatory properties come to the rescue.

You can buy herbs in bulk at your local health food store, from Mountain Rose Herbs, or even get them out of tea bags from the grocery store. (Organic is ideal!) You can also wildcraft any that are local to you, of course!

Here's what you do:

1. Place 7 tablespoons of green tea and 2 tablespoons of other herbs of your choice in french press or jar.
2. Cover with cool distilled water.
3. Cover the container and allow it to sit for at least 6 hours.
4. You can gently swirl it around every now and then if you think of it, but life will most certainly go on if you don't.
5. Then you'll press or otherwise strain the liquid away.
6. Keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge. Use it as needed (morning and night for me!) Make a new batch each week.

I like using a french press to make my life easier, but you can always use a jar and strain it later with a cheesecloth or something.

What herbs will you add to your herbal mouthwash?! My last batch had green tea and chamomile.