6 all – natural mouthwashes to help break your Listerine habit
Today, i’m sharing the benefits and negatives of mouthwash, plus 6 all-natural mouthwash options for you to consider, including a recipe. Article7 Recommendations By Dr. Burhenne
Do you remember those commercials that told you to suffer through your mouthwash routine? Well, a lot of us still follow that regimen. After all, mouthwash kills harmful bacteria in the mouth and leaves your breath smelling minty fresh… right?
Not exactly. While mouthwash does kill bacteria, it doesn’t distinguish between harmful bacteria and the helpful flora that live in your mouth. Since antibacterial mouthwashes can wipe out all of the good bacteria, the bad bacteria come back at a different rate, making the problem of bad breath even worse.
Antibacterial mouthwashes can have even more adverse effects for some people due to their destruction of the oral microbiome. The oral microbiome is an essential part of a healthy gut microbiome, so blasting bacteria in the mouth can have repercussions on your digestion and even cardiovascular health (through disruption of nitric oxide production).
If we think of the gastrointestinal tract as a river, then the mouth is the source of that river. What you do in the mouth sets the stage for everything that comes after in the gastrointestinal tract and in the whole body.
The alcohol in most mouthwashes also dries out your mouth, which can make bad breath even worse, since saliva is what maintains a healthy pH in the mouth. Without saliva, bad bacteria run rampant and encourage halitosis (that’s the technical term for bad breath). The drying effects of mouthwash can even increase your risk of oral cancer, according to some studies.
The best way to keep your mouth smelling fresh is to brush, floss, and scrape your tongue at least once a day – no mouthwash needed.
But maybe you’re one of those people who loves their mouthwash routine and the fresh feeling it gives you. Especially if you’ve already transitioned to a better toothpaste that doesn’t have that super-minty flavor, you might not be entirely ready to give up mouthwash, and that’s okay!
There are a few products that aren’t as harmful as some of the bigger conventional brands and can even promote a healthy mouth. Check them out below.
When you’re picking a better mouthwash, go for something made with natural ingredients and avoid the following ingredients:
Alcohol, Chlorine, dioxide, Chlorhexidine, Cocamidopropyl, betaine, Parabens, Poloxamer 407, Formaldehyde, and Saccharin.
Here are a few products we like for their all-natural approach to making your mouth taste and smell a little bit sweeter:
3. Georganics Coconut oil Pulling Mouthwash
4. Auromere Ayurvedic Mouthwash
5. The Natural Dentist Antigingivitis Mouthwash
6. Homemade MouthwashOral Microbiome-Friendly Mouthwash
1. aesop mouthwash
This alcohol-free mouthwash from Australian skincare line Aesop boasts a pleasant flavor combo of clove bud, aniseed, and spearmint. No alcohol is used in this mouthwash, though it does use essential oils, which tend to kill bacteria as well, so be wary of using this product too often.
2. Oral Essentials
Oral Essentials is a dentist-formulated mouthwash made with Dead Sea salt, well known for its rich mineral content. This ingredient can actually help remineralize your teeth (remineralization is the process of restoring minerals to your teeth). This mouthwash also contains holy basil oil, a known adaptogen (a substance considered helpful in helping the body adapt to stress), and aloe vera juice, which is renowned for its soothing and healing properties.
3. georganics
This mouthwash was formulated in accordance with an ancient Ayurvedic remedy for bad breath known as oil pulling. The mouthwash has a light coconut aroma thanks to organic coconut oil.