The Top 5 Essential Oils for Healthy Teeth and Gums
DIY Oral Care DIY Skincare & Beauty Essential oils
Naturally healthy teeth and gums? Look to these essential oils! They’re best for keeping breath fresh, bacteria at bay, and overall oral health.
I take oral health *very* seriously.
I think it all stems from my childhood — watching my grandfather remove his dentures. You have to admit, it’s a pretty shocking and potentially scarring act to witness if you don’t quite understand what’s going on! I mean, here was a man I knew and loved, my very own Dido, and he could actually remove his teeth at night. It titillated and terrified me at the same time. Mostly terrified.
Now that you have that image in your head (heh)…
So when I began adopting a more “natural” lifestyle, my toothpaste and mouthwash were the last to be converted. I thought I really *needed* those chemicals to keep my teeth extra sparkly and my gums healthy!
But nope! Just as I learned that all-natural deodorant can keep you perfectly odor-free, I found that all-natural oral care practices can keep your teeth and gums in tip-top shape without subjecting your body to a whole bunch of nasties.
Essential oils are a key part of my natural oral care routine.
As we know, the benefits of essential oils are far more than aromatic. They have amazing therapeutic, healing qualities.
I use the following 5 essential oils in my DIY all-natural whitening & remineralizing toothpaste and DIY all-natural herbal mouth mouthwash.
The Top 5 Essential Oils for Healthy Teeth and Gums
Cinnamon essential oil
Cinnamon essential oil has long been used for its medicinal properties, specifically its antifungal, antibacterial properties. Recent research conducted in New Zealand showed that cinnamon EO has the greatest antimicrobial potency against streptococcus mutans, the bacteria responsible for tooth decay, and lactobacillus plantarum, one of the bacteria responsible in gum disease. Pretty darn impressive, huh?
Peppermint essential oil
Researchers have found that the peppermint essential oil is extremely effective at killing anaerobic bacteria, they type of bacteria that thrive in a low oxygen environment such as the mouth, and can cause gum disease.
Spearmint essential oil
Spearmint essential oil’s properties are very similar to that of peppermint essential oil: it is a strong antiseptic, eliminating germs and helping any wounds heal more quickly. It is also soothing to soft tissues like gum tissue.
Myrrh essential oil
Myrrh essential oil acts as both an antiseptic and a soother. For this reason, it has traditionally been to support gum health and to heal mouth ulcers. Myrrh essential oil may also assist gum tissue health by supporting the flow of blood to the tissue.
Clove essential oil
Clove essential oil has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years to relieve tooth pain. Clinical research demonstrated that clove inhibits many pathogenic bacteria. In the past, dentists have used clove to disinfect disturbed root canals, since clove has moderately strong germicidal properties. A recent study showed that clove essential oil has a particular ability to inhibit the growth of mutant and wild strains of bacteria, which is just fascinating.
How can you add these essential oils to your oral health routine?
These essential oils make a great addition to oil pulling. Simple add a few drops to your sesame or coconut oil (you will need to melt the coconut oil first if it is solid).
You can also add them to any DIY toothpaste, mouthwash, or teeth whitening treatment.
I have absolutely no idea. That sounds like a question for your dentist!
How long after an extraction do you think i should wait before using the mouthwash?
hello, can I use also a jojoba oil (certified for cooking oil)) into the mixture? thánxs
I’ve read dentist discussions where the doctors have said that killing the bacteria in your mouth is actually a bad thing and using the essential oils with these properties, whether it is antibacterial, fungal should be avoided.
99% of DIY blogs talk about using essential oils, but doctors do not, so who’s advice should we take?
I added frankincense, clove and tea tree oil to coconut oil, as the carrier oil and used the mixture to oil pull every morning and every night. As a result I was able to cure a cavity and get rid of an infection in my gums, that had prevented me from chewing and had caused pain and swelling. I literally avoided a dental emergency.
My normal routine for years was to oil pull with coconut or olive oil each morning and when I got lazy every other morning. It was during this lazy period, along with the early days of my pregnancy, a flare up happened. I’m thankful for the Lord’s wisdom in the earth…
Great advice Nadia, I will try your toothpaste and mouthwash recipe!
Hi, I’m a 54 year old male who’s suffered with bad dentist procedure with getting older also.
I have done much research for myself and offer this advice.
I no longer use conventional toothpaste and believe it’s a waste of money plus researching fluoride is poison to the brain. And when you think you brush your teeth then use mouthwash which basically washes and rinses all that you have put on your teeth to keep them healthy.
I use non fluoride toothpaste with a mixture of tea tree oil, clove and rosemary which helps with bacterial problems.
Mixing 6-10 drops of these oils on top of my toothbrush after the initial brush brushing teeth and gum carefully and fully and I don’t rinse anymore just spitting out the accumulated liquid and saliva created whilst brushing and have found after you get used to taste great feeling in your mouth and no tooth and gum problems for over two years now. This method also helps fight the high sensitivity I had before this method and now nothing as when I was a younger person.
When you think about conventional tooth cleaning methods and toothpaste purely a money making business for the companies who manufacture these products.
It’s not for every one but for me it’s part of my life now and highly recommend research pure organic oils as a mixture to add to fluoride free toothpaste and apply to your teeth cleaning maintenance.
Looking for something to help my gums regrow.
Mine is not a thought but a question. Saw your article on how to make your toothpaste for oral health and would like to know where I can purchase the items to make toothpaste. I am a user of essential oils and coconut oil,i currently use ground clove for brushing and it is absolutely great.
I’ve got a question. Can I use regular NOW essential oil’s as far as in my mouth ? Or do they have to be the ingestible types ?
That’s great to hear, Mary! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I have been using drops of clove, lemongrass, myrrh, and frankincense essentials oils mixed in liquid coconut oil to swish around in my mouth to pull the bacteria from my teeth, with very good success.
I have read that clove oil not only kills bacteria, but also pulp cells–the very thing we are trying to save. I don’t know what to believe.
Hi, I wanted to know whether I can use your toothpaste snd mouthwash on my 10 yr old daughter who started wearing braces? Would they be efficient at keeping pkaque at bay?
Thank you
When using essential oils in keeping a healthy mouth, how do you use them, add a drop to your toothbrush, those oils are so strong.
What’s the Protocol, (how many drops of each oil)