Composition
Orange oil (Citrus dulcis), cornmint oil (Mentha arvensis), lavender oil (Lavandula angustifolia), clove oil (Eugenia caryophyllus), lemon oil (Citrus limonum), thyme oil (Thymus vulgaris), mastic oil (Pistacia lentiscus), tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia), manuka oil (Leptospermum scoparium), kanuka oil (Kunzea ericoides).
The plants and the oils
- Orange oil comes from the peel of the sweet orange; it is pressed from the peel or steam-distilled.[2]
- Cornmint oil is distilled from the herb of Mentha arvensis. The natural oil contains so much menthol that it solidifies at room temperature; after part of the menthol is frozen out, the "dementholised" oil is liquid and still contains about 55% menthol.[2]
- Lavender oil comes from lavender: its freshly cut flowering tops are distilled with steam.[2]
- Clove oil is usually distilled from the buds of the clove tree; clove bud oil contains up to 85% eugenol.[3]
- Lemon oil is usually cold-pressed from the peel of the lemon; steam-distilled lemon oil is also sold.[4]
- Thyme oil is distilled from the flowering plant of garden thyme (Thymus vulgaris) or of Thymus zygis.[5]
- Mastic oil. Mastic is an oleoresin of the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus) that contains essential oil; it is often called Chios mastic gum after its main origin, the Greek island of Chios.[6]
- Tea tree oil is steam-distilled from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia.[7]
- Manuka oil is likewise steam-distilled from mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium).[8]
- Kanuka oil is obtained the same way from the leaves of kānuka (Kunzea ericoides).[9]
How to use
Mouth rinse. Put 5 to 10 drops into a glass of water and rinse the mouth and throat with it. For the best result, do not eat after rinsing. The concentrate can be used several times a day.
Do not swallow. Use the solution only for rinsing. Do not drink it: swallowing essential oil drops added to water counts as ingestion, which can irritate the mouth and stomach.[10]
Storage. Store at room temperature (15-25 °C).
Precautions
Never use the concentrate undiluted, and keep it away from the eyes. Keep the bottle out of the reach of children.[11]
- Clove oil and thyme oil of the thymol type irritate the mucous membranes, the moist linings of the mouth and nose, so use the concentrate only diluted as directed.[11]
- Menthol, which is in cornmint oil, should not be inhaled by an infant or small child or put on their face, because it may affect their breathing.[12]
- The oil burns easily: keep it away from candles and flames.[11]
Sources
- ↑ Vivasan, product packaging of Oral Hygiene (E 157).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Steffen Arctander, Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, Elizabeth, NJ, 1960: Lavender Oil; Mentha Arvensis Oil; Orange Oil, Sweet, distilled; Orange Oil, Sweet, expressed.
- ↑ AromaWeb, Clove Bud Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ AromaWeb, Lemon Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ United States Pharmacopeia, Food Chemicals Codex, Thyme Oil, 2008: Description.
- ↑ European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products, Assessment report on Pistacia lentiscus L., resina (mastic), EMA/HMPC/46756/2015, 2 February 2016.
- ↑ AromaWeb, Tea Tree Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ C. Mathew et al., Mānuka Oil—A Review of Antimicrobial and Other Medicinal Properties. Pharmaceuticals 2020, 13(11), 343.
- ↑ AromaWeb, Kanuka Essential Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA), Statement on Internal and Undiluted Use of Essential Oils. November 2019.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), Safety. Retrieved 8 November 2026.
- ↑ National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Peppermint Oil. Retrieved 8 November 2026.