"I'd start with way less peppermint next time; braces or not, nobody wants mouthwash that burns their tastebuds off."
Haha, yeah, peppermint oil can be sneaky strong. I remember once trying to DIY a clove oil rinse because I'd read it was great for gums and tooth sensitivity. Thought I'd be clever and just eyeball the amount...big mistake. It tasted like I was chewing on a spice rack, and my tongue went numb for like half an hour. Lesson learned: always start small and dilute more than you think you need to.
If you've already made it too strong, maybe try diluting it down with more of your base oil? Grapeseed is a good call since it's pretty neutral. Or you could even blend in a milder essential oil like spearmint or orange to balance things out a bit. Curious though—did you notice any difference in how your mouth felt afterward, aside from the burning sensation?
"Curious though—did you notice any difference in how your mouth felt afterward, aside from the burning sensation?"
Actually yeah, once the initial shock wore off (lol), my mouth did feel surprisingly fresh and clean. But honestly, it was hard to tell if that was just relief from the burning finally stopping or an actual benefit from the peppermint. I think you're right about diluting it more with grapeseed oil—it's neutral enough not to mess with the flavor too much.
Your clove oil story reminded me of when I tried making a cinnamon tincture for tooth sensitivity. Thought I'd nailed it until I tested a tiny bit...felt like I'd bitten into pure cinnamon bark. Took forever to get rid of that spicy aftertaste. Definitely learned my lesson about eyeballing measurements after that one.
Anyway, blending in something milder like spearmint sounds smart. Orange might be nice too, but I'd worry about acidity if it's for oral use. Maybe chamomile or lavender could mellow things out without adding extra bite? Just thinking out loud here...
Chamomile sounds like a pretty solid idea, actually. I've tried mixing it into homemade mouth rinses before—it has this subtle sweetness that balances out harsher oils nicely. Lavender could work too, but personally I'd worry about it tasting kinda...soapy? Could just be me though, haha.
"Lavender could work too, but personally I'd worry about it tasting kinda...soapy?"
Yeah, I totally get the lavender concern—it's easy to overdo it and end up with something that tastes more like bath products than mouthwash. Have you thought about peppermint or spearmint instead? They're pretty forgiving flavor-wise and can mask some of those weird herbal notes if things go sideways. Anyway, chamomile sounds promising; keep experimenting, you're definitely onto something there.
"They're pretty forgiving flavor-wise and can mask some of those weird herbal notes if things go sideways."
Yeah, mint's usually a safe bet. Ever tried lemon balm? It's mild, refreshing, and doesn't have that soapiness lavender sometimes brings. Might balance things out nicely if your batch gets funky...
