Alcohol-Free Mouthwash and Natural Toothpaste…Finally Something to Smile About

Mouthwash and Toothpaste have evolved!   In our search for natural products we have finally come to a day when chemical laden, artificially sweetened oral care goods are a thing of the past.  Now there are alcohol free mouthwashes and organic toothpastes that are non-toxic and not harmful to your mouth.

Mouthwash has always contained alcohol.  Alcohol is ethanol which is a desiccant – which means that it removes water from the oral cavity.   This is that “burning” feeling you get when rinsing with an alcohol-based mouthwash.  It is actually drying out the mouth and destroying the “good bacteria” that aid in digestion and also help ward off bad breath.   Some studies are examining the long-term effects of alcohol based mouthwashes in regard to chronic bad breath and oral sores, so until the verdict is out the recommendation is to use an alcohol-free brand.

Some mouthwash products have become popular like Nature’s Answer PerioWash Cool Mint which contains natural ingredients like Green Tea, Echinacea and Olive Leaf.  Tom’s of Maine also makes a Natural Cleansing Mouthwash using organic aloe barbadensis leaf juice, and xylitol.

As far as natural toothpaste goes, there are a variety of brands to choose from.  The toothpastes produced throughout history usually contained Sodium Lauryl Sulfate which has been linked to canker sores and drying of mouth.  Now there are dozens of brands offering a SLS and toxic-free mouth cleaning experience.  The SLS can cause damage to your gums and mouth tissue, so you may be at risk for disorders like halitosis if you use these old varieties of paste.

You might notice that the toothpaste is not as foamy as your Crest or Colgate brands, but that is the absence of the Sodium Lauryl Sulfate which is a detergent added to fulfill consumer expectation for the “suds”.  Guess we have just been programmed to believe that in order to clean something suds must be involved!

You have to check all of the labels of the natural products, because natural may refer to natural sweeteners.  The product that I found that does not have the SLS is Now XyliWhite Toothpaste Cinnafresh 6.4 oz. This is available in some health food stores and online.

We work hard to have a nice smile, so keep your mouth happy and healthy by making these minor changes to your personal hygiene routine.  Most of these brands are also cruelty free and use green packaging.  So switch today – don’t let your toothpaste adapt and evolve faster than you do!