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Natural mouthwash: Does it work?
Botanical and natural products have seen a rise in popularity in many aspects of healthcare, including oral health. However, there still remains a certain cynicism around natural ingredients and products. Can they really be as effective as the synthetic alternatives cooked up by commercial companies?
There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer to this as we are constantly learning, discovering and rediscovering the benefits and disadvantages of both natural and synthetic ingredients. Where mouthwash is concerned, though, there is some interesting evidence emerging that natural is the way to go.
Does natural mouthwash work?
This depends very much on which one you are using and what you expect a mouthwash to do. A cosmetic mouthwash will do little more than rinse the mouth and freshen the breath. A therapeutic mouthwash can help to fight bacteria, reduce and prevent plaque, protect gums and keep a balanced pH and happy oral microbiome.
It is certainly possible to find an array of natural ingredients that can do just this. In fact, often natural ingredients have the benefit of causing fewer adverse reactions.
It has been proven through case studies that mouthwashes that contain alcohol (ethanol) can actually cause bad breath to worsen as it dries out the mouth. Similarly, chlorhexidine used for receding gums was found to cause staining and an increase in tartar amongst frequent users.
Natural alternatives to synthetic compounds such as aloe vera or ginseng were found to be just as effective and with the benefits of fewer adverse effects on both the mouth and the environment.
Does natural mouthwash fight bacteria?
This can depend on the ingredients. Some mouthwashes work mostly to refresh breath. Look for natural ingredients such as aloe vera, and botanical extracts that can fight plaque and bacteria. There are an ever-increasing number of studies to back up this claim. That is not to say that commercial mouthwashes don’t fight bacteria. They do, but some of the chemicals tend to be strong, and can potentially leave the whole mouth with damage to cheek and gum tissue.
Natural ingredients vs synthetic ingredients
Given the obvious benefits of natural mouthwashes, it begs the question; why even use synthetic ingredients?
Largely, this comes down to money. It is much cheaper to mass-produce mouthwash made of synthetic ingredients than it is to harvest them from organic plants. This inevitably has an impact on the environment in terms of toxic wastes and carbon emissions.
It could be argued that the existing cynicism surrounding natural products has been perpetuated by commercial manufacturers and used to generate mistrust in their overall effectiveness.
On the other hand, research in this area is relatively new and ongoing. It’s encouraging to see natural ingredients holding up to scientific scrutiny.
Should I use a natural mouthwash?
It is always worth looking at what ingredients are used in any of your oral care products. Whilst any adverse effects were minimal in comparison to commercial mouthwash, it’s important to take into account allergies and other health conditions.
The research leans very much towards natural mouthwash as the best choice for your mouth and for the planet!
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 randomised 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
Nadeem Jeddy, Shivani Ravi, T Radhika, and L J Sai, Lakshmi (2018) Comparison of the efficacy of herbal mouth rinse with commercially available mouth rinses: A clinical trial. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
Let customers speak for us
from 1425 reviewsOne of the best toothpasts I have ever used,
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This Truthpaste is fabulous a real game changer! My teeth feel amazing, my gums no longer bleed! The taste is strong, but you get used to it and nice not to have the artificial saccharine taste of reular flouride toothpaste. It cleans really well and my mouth feels clean afterwards and stays cleaner for longer! Thank you guys for making such a great product with no Flouride!
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I’d wanted to change my toothpaste for a while, partly due to environmental reasons but also because I hated the way it stripped my mouth and left me feeling thirsty. This is now a thing of the past. The mint flavour is fresh and subtle but leaves teeth feeling clean. A little goes a long way too. Very happy with my purchase and will continue to use.
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I absolutely adore this toothpaste I even spread it on toast ! (Joking) but love the taste
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Great tasting and great cleaning.. teeth feel lovely and clean after using this paste. Was sick of using chemically filled crap from the high street .. found these guys and haven’t looked back.
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This is great for your gums. Also leaves your teeth feeling as if they've just been cleaned all day. Wish I'd discovered this before but will now not use anything else.
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Not used this interesting flavour yet. Expecting it to be as good as the charcoal and fennel Im using now. It leaves your teeth smooth. Looking forward to hearing what the dentist has to say about my teeth.
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Has sorted out my bleeding gum in less than two weeks. Tastes much nicer than normal toothpaste and I think my teeth look brighter. Would definitely recommend.
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I was really apprehensive about departing from fluoride toothpaste. As we are brainwashed from being young that it’s the best option for our teeth and gum health.
Thank goodness for companies like this that make the change so easy.
My teeth and gums feel as healthy as ever.Great packaging,great flavour,great product.No looking back 👍🏼
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This paste leaves your teeth feeling dentist clean. Leaves a nice aftertaste.
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So happy with this product! Just ordered my 2nd jar! My mouth feels so fresh & tingly after brushing...and to know it's all natural ingredients is just great! I've had comments on how much brighter and whiter my teeth look. It's such a great product. I'm going to introduce it to my dentist!
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Used in conjunction with truthpaste my teeth feel really clean and healthy.
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I have used mint toothpaste for 70 years and never realised I don’t like the taste! I love the fennel flavour and my teeth feel really clean after use.
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After a lifetime of 6 monthly chiselling by the hygienist - at today’s appointment I was told she couldn’t see any calculus. This is 6 months of Truthpaste use & daily interdental brushing (which I was doing anyway to no avail). No bleeding either when I was poked with the pointy stick. I had my clean anyway but my teeth feel exactly the same as when I went in. Result!
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