Has anyone actually tried honey and had it backfire? I know you mentioned it's safe, but honestly, I've always been wary of using honey in homemade dental stuff. Sugar—even natural sugar—makes me nervous about cavities or bacteria buildup. Maybe I'm just overly cautious, but I always wonder if the antibacterial properties really outweigh the sugar risk?
I've personally stuck with chamomile tea rinses instead. It's gentle, tastes okay, and doesn't leave me worrying about hidden sugars or strong minty burns. Ginger is definitely tricky, though—tried it once and my gums felt irritated for days. Anyone else experienced that, or was it just my anxiety flaring up again?
Totally get your hesitation about honey—I felt the same way. Chamomile rinses are my go-to as well, super gentle and calming. Ginger irritated my gums too, you're definitely not alone there...maybe it's just too strong for some of us?
Chamomile's always been gentle for me too, but weirdly enough, ginger worked fine. Maybe it's about concentration or freshness? Did you try diluting it down a bit to see if that helps?
Diluting is a good suggestion, especially if it's too concentrated. Another thing you might try is blending it with something neutral like almond or jojoba oil to mellow out the scent and potency. I once made a peppermint tincture that was way too strong—felt like mouthwash! Mixing it down with a milder carrier oil really helped balance things out. Also, storing it somewhere cool and dark for a bit can sometimes soften harsh smells or flavors. Hope it works out for you.
I agree diluting helps, but sometimes it's not enough. I once made a clove oil tincture for toothache relief—way too intense, felt like my gums were on fire. Ended up mixing it with coconut oil, which mellowed it nicely and tasted better too.