Is Aloe Vera in mouthwash good? 

It’s no secret that we love Aloe Vera. The ‘wonder plant’ has long been a favourite ingredient in our best sellers at Truthpaste. As well as being soothing and cooling for gums, it works with your body to help absorb the natural minerals that fight plaque and gum disease. 

It’s a great choice as a base for toothpaste. But what if it was used in a mouthwash? The benefits of aloe vera as a mouthwash were overlooked for some time, but ongoing research has shown that aloe vera has been underestimated. It turns out, aloe vera can help with everything from receding gums to bad breath!

Aloe vera health benefits

Aloe Vera is packed full of vitamins and anti-inflammatories. In particular, vitamins C and E are what helps to heal wounds, and so aloe vera is often applied topically.

 Used in dentistry it has been proven to tackle common oral care issues such as bad breath (gingivitis), plaque and more serious periodontal concerns and root canal filler. 

Adverse or side effects are minimal, although long term studies are ongoing. However, the studies show overwhelming evidence that the benefits of aloe vera in mouthwash and tooth gels are as good as, if not more effective than the artificial alternatives used in many commercial brands. 

Aloe vera mouthwash and bad breath

Amongst other things, research shows that aloe vera helps to break down acids and bacteria that cause bad breath. A 1994 study showed that aloe vera was successful, when used with brushing to reduce plaque and bad breath. 

Aloe vera mouthwash for receding gums

At the time of writing, there is no known cure for receding gums. However, with the correct treatments, it is possible to stop gums from receding any further. 

Many commercial mouthwashes use chlorhexidine digluconate as its active ingredient for receding gums. This acts as an antiseptic killing the bacteria that aren’t layered onto the teeth. 

A 2014 study showed that Aloe vera was just as effective as chlorhexidine when used as a mouthwash. More importantly, the research showed that aloe vera did not cause any of the side effects (staining, an increase in tartar) that were found with chlorhexidine. 

Aloe doesn’t work alone

The evidence for an aloe vera mouthwash - in fact aloe vera in many aspects of dentistry - is great news for anyone wanting to up their oral health game. It’s important to point out that, as wonderful as this plant is, it’s not a substitute for a thorough oral care ritual. Flossing, brushing and rinsing all have their part to play when it comes to keeping healthy teeth and gums. 

Sources

Davis RH, Donato JJ, Hartman GM, Haas RC (1994) Anti-inflammatory and wound healing activity of a growth substance in Aloe vera. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc

Swathi Vangipuram, Abhishek Jha, and Mamtha Bhashyam (2016) Comparative efficacy of aloe vera mouthwash and chlorhexidine on periodontal health: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry

Bushra Karim et al. (2014)  Effect of Aloe vera mouthwash on periodontal health: triple blind randomized control trial. Oral Health Dent Manag.