Spruce resin has been recorded as being traditionally used by Indigenous peoples of the Americas for dental hygiene. Resin is very anti-microbial, trees produce it in order to protect themselves from invading microbes. I particularly enjoy making mouthwash from the resin. I like to use spruce resin from white spruce (Picea glauca), a native species that grows locally where I live. However, you can use other species of spruce that live near you.
About Resin
Resin is also called pitch and oleoresin. The term oleoresin refers to the fact that conifer resins are composed of both volatile oils (monoterpenes) and resin acids (diterpene acids). When resin is fresh it has a very liquid consistency due to the higher composition of volatile oils. Over time the volatile oils evaporate and the remaining resin acids become very hard, acting as a sort of permanent scab on the tree.
Resin is not the same as sap, which carries sugar and other dissolved compounds up and down the tree. Resin is produced in special resin canals, and exudes from damaged tree bark.
Collecting Resin
Resin is produced on injury to the tree so it is very important not to worsen tree wounds when harvesting resin. Resin is often produced in excess and so extra resin that lifts easily from the tree is what I recommend collecting. I don’t use tools like knives to gauge out the resin, as this can damage the tree and worsen the wound. This is also a way of learning to ask for permission, the tree is saying no when the resin does not remove easily.
Trees do not heal from wounds like animals, instead they wall off damage. A chronically open wound leaves a tree vulnerable to microbial infection that can significantly shorten the lifespan of a tree.
It is important to collect from areas where harvesting is allowed, for example, public lands or private land with permission. Avoid trampling other plants when you are harvesting. If you have access to your own trees you can explore tapping resin similarly to the way maple syrup is traditionally harvested with a spigot.
Be aware that resin is very sticky so you will want to wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Use glass or silicone to collect the resin, it can stick firmly to metals and some plastics. Winter is an ideal time to collect fresh resin because it is frozen and less sticky.
Making a mouthwash
Resin is only soluble in high proof alcohols. I use 95% ethanol, often as a grain alcohol, but other sources are also available. In Canada not every province allows high proof alcohol, unfortunately lower alcohol percentages will not be effective. Do not use other types of alcohol like isopropyl alcohol, these are not safe to consume!
I like to make a 1:5 resin tincture. For example, if I weigh 100g of tree resin I will add 500mL of 95% ethanol. The resin dissolves very quickly, often in a couple of hours, you can speed up the process by shaking the tincture. Depending on the age of the resin you collected there may be debris, I simply remove this with a clean spoon or similar utensil, but be aware resin will coat and stick to anything you put in the tincture.
Mouthwash recipe
This is my favourite mouth wash recipe:
- 30 mL 95% 1:5 white spruce resin tincture
- 20 mL 60% fresh sage (Salvia officinalis) tincture
Mix tinctures in a 50mL glass bottle, preferably without a dropper (it will get gummy).
Dosage: Pour 1-2 mL in a dosage cup, mix with 5-10mL of water, gargle in mouth for 1 minute and spit out tincture.
Note:
- It is possible that your resin tincture will precipitate (turn cloudy) when you add the sage depending on the water content, add more resin tincture to compensate.
- When you add water to the tinctures in the cup, the tincture will precipitate and turn white. This is normal, don’t worry.
- Don’t use straight tincture as a mouthwash, this will be highly irritating to the mucous membranes.
- The resin will stick to the all the surfaces of your teeth. I find this quite pleasant as I know my teeth are being kept clean for a long time. However, it is a strange sensation to get used to.
When to use spruce mouthwash
You can use spruce resin mouthwash daily as part of your dental hygiene routine. I have not found an issue with teeth staining with my formula, however, be aware some tinctures can stain teeth (similar to tea or coffee).
Spruce resin tincture is particularly effective for mouth sores, bleeding gums, and other mouth irritations. Spruce resin has been shown in small clinical trials to be very effective for wound healing, and has a long traditionally precedence of use for this purpose.
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