
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 1864 reviewsMy teeth are so happy with this toothpaste. I love the flavour too. And they have become much cleaner/whiter. Unfortunately, I swapped this for the Hydroxyapatite toothpaste and have ended up with very sensitive teeth, so I have gone back to this one!

First time using this and I love it. Along with the hydroxyapatite toothpaste and enamel repair powder I feel my teeth are whiter and stronger.

Been using every night and I’m pleased with it so far

At night I put truthpaste on my brush then dip into the enamel repair mask and in the morning my teeth feel clean it’s truly amazing. I’m sure my teeth are stronger

I've been using it for some time and I love it!
I also bought the travel size, and it's really good for short trips.

Lovely fresh taste and really makes your mouth feel clean. Really like this toothpaste. Makes teeth feel clean afterwards and the jar seems to last ages. I’ve only just started my second jar. So great valve for money too

Lovely fresh taste and really makes your mouth feel clean.

Ooooh this is a fantastic product! After the first use I noticed a difference in the sensitivity. It feels odd brushing something on your teeth and not rinsing but it’s definitely worth it and you do get used to it.
I definitely recommend this great product, and of course, it’s planet friendly and sustainable. What could be better!

I’ve used the toothpaste and hydroxyapatite toothpaste before so I was keen to try the new Enamel Repair Mask. I’ve only been using it for a few days but if it’s like the other products the results will be excellent. I have a lot less sensitivity and no more bleeding gums. Love the mouthwash too.

I use everyrhing because it’s all good and ethically and sustainably great the best part is that it’s natural and everyrhing works better than anything else I’ve tried before.. sticking with this brand !

I’ve been using the mouthwash for a few months now and it’s good stuff 👍 strong and feels like it works. It’s good to know it has friendly bacteria and all natural ingredients

I've been using this for about a week and my sensitivity has improved a lot. My teeth appear whiter too. Would recommend.

I started using this and within hours, could feel my teeth were becoming harder, almost a tightening feeling. I have structural issues with my teeth, because of lifelong sleep grinding, so am hoping this will help with the cracks, over time. I am delighted to have found this and Truthpaste's other flouride free products, and feel my use of these products is a move in the right direction.

I just started using the enamel repair powder. I think it’s a good product to use. Great ingredients. bit weird sensation at first but then it’s actually fine to leave in at night and doesn’t bother me. I’m looking forward to using daily to feel the benefits I really want it to repair my teeth :) I read more reviews so might start using it twice a day. Hope I’m using it right could do with more explanation tbh so I know I’m using it correctly. So pleased this is on the market was looking for this for ages and can’t wait for results.

I’ve bought this to try on my daughter as she has hyperminralisation so she is using it every others night at the moment she said really easy to apply. Apparently the taste is very strong that’s the only thing she isn’t keen on but other than that great

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