On my journey to healing my gums after avoiding the dentist for 7 years, I have come up with a few handy tricks to help speed up the process. While my gums weren’t all THAT bad, the top being all twos and the bottom mainly threes and fours and the errant five, I didn’t want them to get any worse and have to face getting cadaver tissue sewn into them. No. Thanks.
Hence the reason or this post! If you’re adamant about healing your gums and keeping your teeth in tip-top shape, then today’s article on how to make your own healing gum serum is just what you need.
DIY Healing Gum Serum Recipes with Essential Oils
It is estimated that 70-90 percent of adults in the United States have some form of gum disease caused by the buildup of plaque along the gumline.
When the bacteria aren’t properly removed on a daily basis, the plaque starts to irritate and inflame the gums which can lead to pockets, gum recession, and in some cases, advanced gum disease.
Some of the symptoms of gingivitis and the progression of periodontal disease include:
- Mild swelling that worsens over time
- Puffy gums
- Dark red or reddish-purple gums
- Receding gums
- Bad breath that doesn’t go away
- Mouth pain
- Redness
- Bleeding gums
- Periodontal pockets – where plaque begins to form below the gum line causing the gums to recede and pockets to form
- Periodontitis – chronically present plaque, tartar, and bacterial infections that destroy gum tissue and the bone structure of teeth.
- Tooth loss
Having less than healthy gums isn’t always caused by poor oral hygiene. In fact, poor gum health can be caused by a number of different factors you may not be aware of.
Some of the main causes of gingivitis and gum disease include:
- Being 65 or older
- Braces, dentures, and other oral appliances that make cleaning difficult
- Certain medications like birth control and heart medications
- Crooked teeth that are hard to clean
- Currently has heart disease, diabetes, or rheumatoid arthritis
- Grinding or clenching your teeth at night
- High levels of stress
- Low immunity
- Obesity
- Poor diet that lacks nutrients
- Poor oral hygiene
- Predetermined genetic risk
- Pregnancy
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
If your root cause includes any of the above, it may be possible to improve your gum health just by focusing on things like upping your nutrient intake or taking steps to stop smoking.
In a lot of cases, however, gum health is solely dependent on good oral hygiene, and that means flossing, brushing, and using a good rinse twice daily.
What’s been frustrating for me is I DO these things yet still struggle with keeping my gums in the threes and below range for pockets. It’s been incredibly frustrating because looking at my teeth, they are straight, white, and LOOK healthy. My gums aren’t red or inflamed.
My dental hygienist is always wondering what the heck is up because I don’t have plaque buildup or tartar or any other typical indication that my gums are having issues.
So, my only guess is I’m not absorbing nutrients very well, or I’m not eating enough nutrient-dense foods to help support good gum health.
That brings us to today’s recipe which can help support the gums while getting to the root of the problem.
How to Make a Healing Gum Serum
Aside from focusing on getting in more veggies and dark leafy greens into my diet on a daily basis, I will also be using the following recipe as my daily gum serum.
I used to use one by Living Libations that I LOVED, but the bottle never lasted long enough, and it was a bit pricey to keep re-ordering it.
Instead, I’ve decided to make my own version.
Here’s what you’ll need to make my healing gum serum (fancy version):
- One 1 oz dropper bottle
- Fractionated coconut oil – anti-bacterial
- 1 drop cinnamon bark essential oil – one of the most potent antibacterials
- 1 drop clove essential oil – super high in antioxidants, reduces pain and kills bacteria
- 1 drop cypress essential oil – tightens gums and kills bacteria
- 1 drop diluted rose otto essential oil – a very astringent essential oil. Tightens gums and heals tissues
- 1 drop eucalyptus essential oil – cooling, healing, and reduces inflammation
- 1 drop German chamomile essential oil – heals wounds and reduces inflammation
- 1 drop lavender essential oil – kills bacteria
- 1 drop myrrh essential oil – one of the best oral essential oils. Supports healthy gums
- 1 drop peppermint essential oil – cooling, refreshing, and anti-inflammatory
- 1 drop spearmint essential oil – cooling, refreshing, and anti-inflammatory
- 1 drop tea tree essential oil – disinfectant and kills bacteria
- 1 drop lemon essential oil – whitens between teeth and kills bacteria
This recipe will make a 2% dilution. Feel free to lower the dilution if desired.
You can read more about essential oil dilutions and conversions here.
Recipe for healing gum serum (simple version):
- One 1 oz dropper bottle
- Fractionated coconut oil – anti-bacterial
- 1 drop cinnamon bark essential oil
- 1 drop myrrh essential oil
- 2 drops clove essential oil
- 8 drops peppermint essential oil
This recipe will make a 2% dilution.
This version contains only the most potent essential oils for healing the gums.
If you want to get really really simple, I would recommend going with 2 drops of clove essential oil in 1 oz of fractionated coconut oil.
Loving Preparation – Healing Gum Serum Recipe
- Add the essential oils to the 1 oz dropper bottle
- Next, fill the bottle to the shoulder with fractionated coconut oil
- Cap closed and roll between your palms to mix
To Use
I like to apply 1 drop to the length of floss I’m using after brushing my teeth 2x daily. You can also apply 1 drop directly on the gums or problem areas to help speed up healing.
Overall, I’m very happy with the strength and flavor of this serum and will continue using it for the next 6 months! I’ll come back and update this post to let you all know if it has helped make a difference.
Have you ever made a healing gum serum before? How did you like it? Please share in the comments below!
You may also enjoy reading:
10 Ways to Heal Your Teeth Naturally
Why You Should Never Use Toothpaste for Acne
Homemade Tartar Control Toothpaste
Sources:
Effects of two essential oil mouthrinses on 4-day supragingival plaque regrowth: a randomized cross-over study
Effect of rinsing with an essential oil-containing mouthrinse on subgingival periodontopathogens
Essential oils-containing mouthwashes for gingivitis and plaque: Meta-analyses and meta-regression
The effects of essential oil mouthrinses with or without alcohol on plaque and gingivitis: a randomized controlled clinical study
Are this serums good for healing the gums after a tooth extraction?
I need to do this like yesterday. I have been suffering from halitosis for so long and i always try to cover it with chewing gum. This has made it worse. A question…do you use fluoride toothpaste with the oils or you brush with the serum alone?
is am so confused. I was told that xilitol was great for killing the bad bacteria and that essential oils kill both the bad bacteria and the good bacteria in the mouth,therefore not good to use..is this true?
I’ve had to have gum surgery due to receding gums twice. I did lots of research and what has finally worked is using a round toothpick to outline the gum on the outside and inside of the gumline before flossing. You’d be surprised at the gunk that’s right there that isn’t removed by brushing. Since I started this I haven’t had any more problems but I will try the essential oil remedy. Best wishes.
Is this safe to use with children?
Hi Jen!
How old is your child?
I was thinking about this recipe today. I think I am going to make a mother recipe from yours, and then add a couple of drops to my coconut oil for pulling. I think swishing it around will definitely get in to all of my pockets. I have Ankylosing Spondylitis, Lupus and several other aoutoimmune and inflammatory diseases. I was also on long term high doses of prednisone, so my teeth are literally crumbling and my gums gave lots of pockets. I can’t floss because the floss gets stuck under my teeth. Speaking of flossing, I may add the essential oils to my waterpick as well! Great article!
Would like to make this for my daughter. She is pregnant and has some serious issues with her gums. Are there any precautions I should worry about.
Hi, Kelly!
The only oils you may want to leave out are myrrh and cinnamon 🙂
How do you apply one drop to the gums ? – do you brush it on or how is it done ? If a lot of the gums need treatment – one drop is enough ? – what about putting a bit of the serum in some water and then take a bit in the mouth and spread around your gums ?
I Sabine!
I typically apply a drop to a strand of floss but you can definitely add a few drops to your toothbrush. I like to make sure it gets between the teeth as much as possible since that is where most bacteria try to hide. You can also use your finger to apply a couple just. Just do what feels comfortable for you 🙂
Hi Tash, I’m going to try this and I wanted to know how this is working for you? Thanks!
Yes! It is really helping! Especially if I do it twice per day. It only takes a moment so I try not to skip using it 🙂
Hey Tash, thanks a lot for sharing! Gotta try this one out ASAP. The essential oils you’re suggesting are perfect for oral health!
I’ve recently made a mouth spray with echinacea and oak bark tinctures. I also used some of the essential oils from this recipe and it turned out great!
When it comes to oral health and strong gums, oil pulling can also work wonders.
Thanks again and keep it up!