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 1381 reviewsI love this toothpaste! My teeth feel so clean after using, and I hate the feeling of mainstream toothpaste now!
both are very good, but the kids toothpaste is on another level. we've had green people mandarin as well and this is just smoother and tastier. used the spatula all of three time before deciding to just plunge the brush in the pot. Got the mouthwash as well. feels good, but a bit strong for me. partner likes it though. funny how black toothpaste makes you realise how much it splatters when you spit!
Very herbal and fresh tasting, but I am only using a tiny bit as it is so strong... For this reason it should last ages.
It helps with sensitivity and definitely cleans better, so I will be ordering more.
A blast of fresh mint and super cleaning feeling.
I’ve been using Truthpaste for a few months now, I can truly say that my teeth feel so much cleaner and whiter, I don’t get any sensitivity using this paste compared to using an off the shelf one! I’ve even got my husband using it. I would throughly recommend switching too Truthpaste it’s a fantastic product you won’t be disappointed!
From the first time I tried this toothpaste, my teeth felt incredibly clean and fresh, almost like I'd just been to the dental hygienist. My husband loves it too. Will definitely be reordering. Customer service is excellent too.
The tooth paste seems great and the service is even better. I wasn't pleased with the brushes and this was resolved instantly.
Super happy with the charcoal. Will be buying more.
Love this toothpaste!
The best I've tried.
Written many reviews!
The first natural toothpaste I’ve used that actually works!
Nice taste and thick so goes a long way
I will never use ordinary toothpaste again, my teeth have never felt so clean and my mouth feels so fresh with none of the nasties in it - so glad I discovered Truthpaste
Excellent products, excellent service I will definitely be buying again! Nice taste and my sensitive teeth are less sensitive.
Leave a comment