Here is an absolutely great idea for a diy natural mouthwash recipe. It comes from The Zero-Waste Chef you has a fabulous blog and instagram that you must check out.
DIY mouthwash recipe:
- Steep 12 whole cloves (great for toothache), 3-4 whole star anise and 1 broken cinnamon stick in 1 cup of vodka for about a month.
- You can add essential tea tree oil (or peppermint oil) to improve the taste
- To use, dilute about 1/8 of a teaspoon in a few tablespoons of water, swirl around your mouth and gargle.
- Spit or swallow
Why make your own natural mouthwash? Well here's some info from @mrs_m_curiosity_cabinet that may have you running to try this.
Listerine was original marketed as a surgical antisceptic, then as floor cleaner and later as a cure for gonorrhoea before marketers persuaded us to rinse our mouths with it... Nice!as desired :p This stuff really works and looks much more appetizing than the electric blue commercial stuff.
@kootsac adds quite correctly that this is how you make a tincture so it should last for years as it is in alcohol. I would say that as long as it is over 9% alcohol there should be no mold issues. Make some homemade mouthwash for friends and family and perhaps give them a bamboo toothbrush as a great sustainable gift!