The Best Natural Mouthwashes – Zero Alcohol!

The best natural mouthwashes are free of all nasties – and that includes alcohol! Here’s why

By Courtney Yalen

Of all the personal hygiene battles we face every day, perhaps fighting bad breath is one of the most common. After too much coffee, a garlicky meal or a day without enough water, your breath could be offending not only the object of your smooching affections, but those in close proximity to you at the gym, on the subway, and in other confined spaces.  

Most of us would turn to a stick of gum or a mouthwash to solve the problem. But did you know that some common mouthwashes actually use ingredients that could be more harmful to your overall oral health in the long run?

For example, alcohol in mouthwashes can simply make your mouth dry or irritated, and it’s a no-no for those who follow halal rules.

But what’s worse is that many common mouthwash brands have questionable ingredients that can not only kill the good bacteria in your mouth, but seriously harm your health if you swallow a bit.

Harmful Ingredients In Mouthwashes

A short, partial list of harmful mouthwash chemicals includes:

• chlorhexidine
• cocamidopropyl betaine
• parabens
• poloxamer 407
• formaldehyde
• artificial colourings/flavourings
• saccharin – but there can be a lot more nasty chemicals hiding in what you’re putting in your mouth.

Luckily, Mother Nature provides plenty of natural products  to improve both bad breath and overall oral health.  Any rinse with pure, organic peppermint, eucalyptus, cinnamon, myrrh, clove, lemon, orange, or rosemary pure natural oils will make you smell amazing.

Here, I’ve found some of the best natural mouthwashes available, below. Some you can make, and some you can buy. But all of these are a combination of powerful antivirals, anti-fungals, antibacterials and antioxidants (many are at least three of these!) that will leave your breath fresh.

Natural Mouthwash Recipes

First, let me stress that the oils you use here should be 100% pure organic essential oils! Look for EcoCert or Soil Association labels to ensure you’re not using any synthetic flavours. Personally, I would recommend using distilled water, too, as a lot of tap waters in America have been found to be contaminated with fluoride and heavy metals.

Recipe 1: 1c Water, 1t Himalayan salt, pinch baking soda, drop organic peppermint, clove or tea tree oil. Add all into a glass, stir it up, take a swig, rinse and spit.

Recipe 2: Neem or coconut oil and warm water. Just rub the oil directly all over your teeth and tongue, then rinse with warm water. Bonus: these oils also prevent tooth decay.

Recipe 3: Well, it’s not really a recipe: it’s an ancient Ayurvedic technique known as ‘oil pulling‘ and it does a lot more than freshen your breath.

For example, it can:

• Actually cure tooth decay
• Help detox the body
• Heal bleeding gums
• Prevent heart disease
• Reduce inflammation
• Whiten teeth
• Soothe throat dryness
• Prevent cavities
• Heal cracked lips
• Boost your immune system
• Improve acne

How To Do Oil Pulling

All you need to do is swish a tablespoon of oil (typically  coconut  oil, but olive or sesame oil will do in a pinch) in your mouth for 10-20 minutes. It seems like a long time, and if you’re just looking at yourself in the bathroom mirror, it is. Try doing this while watching TV or something.

Oil pulling works by cleaning your mouth  in a similar way that soap cleans dirty dishes: it sucks up toxins from  your mouth and creates a clean, antiseptic oral environment that contributes to the proper flow of saliva and good bacteria  that are needed to prevent cavities and disease.

Just be sure to spit the coconut oil out into the rubbish bin or toilet, because when cold, it solidifies and can block your pipes!

No time to make your own recipes? Prefer something that’s already put together in a pretty bottle? Here’s our selection of some of the best all natural mouthwashes to freshen your breath and protect your oral health.

10 Of The Best Natural Mouth Washes To Try

1. AESOP Mouthwash

This alcohol-free luxury product looks great on the bathroom shelf! What you will find in this minimalist, dark brown glass package is a formulation that provides a solution to the sensitive problem of bad breath  without disturbing saliva production of the natural pH of the mouth. It has a rather pleasantly cinnamon-y flavour overall, and is packed with naturally deodorising oils.

Price: $25, but worth it! This is a large bottle, and it’s one you’ll want to keep in your bathroom even after it’s empty!

One of the best natural mouthwashes for: Displaying in your bathroom.

 

2. Olav Bioactive Mouth Rinse

Looking for a gentle, effective natural mouthwash? Look no further! Olav’s is formulated with marine ingredients that deliver fresh breath. But that’s not all! It also contributes to a balanced oral ecosystem. That’s thanks to its mineral-rich sea salts, organic essential oils, CoQ10, and echinacea. We also love that this ultra-refreshing minty formula is housed in an elegant, recycled whiskey flask.

Price: $24

One of the best natural mouthwashes for: Having a bottle you can re-use.

3. Happy Gums Oil Drops Swishing Serum

Your oral ecology is on its way to better health thanks to a bouquet of pure plant botanicals! This alcohol free mouthwash uses ingredients that balance, clean, refresh, and invigorate the mouth. Since time immemorial, oil swishing has been used to achieve healthy teeth and gums without a toothbrush or toothpaste. And it worked!  Simply swish a squirt of these action-ready drops for ten minutes for a deep clean and extra purifying oral care regime.

Price: $33

One of the best natural mouthwashes for: Taking with you when you’re out and about. Use it anywhere, any time!

4. Desert Essence Neem Mouthwash

This American, earth-friendly brand has been in business for thirty years. They create all kinds of all-natural self-care items such as their Desert Essence Neem Cinnamint Mouthwash. This gentle, alcohol free mouthwash freshens your breath with mint and cinnamon. It’s also beneficial to your teeth, thanks to the presence of neem essential oil. It actually helps to reduce enamel erosion!

Price: $5.29

One of the best natural mouthwashes for: Those with dental issues; repairing small cavities.

5. Auromere

If your smile needs holistic healing, Auromere’s Ayurvedic Mouthwash possess a variety of botanical extracts that provide a top-notch oral hygiene. Ayurvedic specialists recommend this product for its remarkable cleansing properties. It’s packed with neem oil, which kills bacteria in the mouth, and which can even help kill the bacteria that causes cavities.

Price: $10.99

One of the best natural mouthwashes for: Fans of Ayurveda.

6. Georganics 

Not crazy about the taste of coconut? This coconut-pulling blend is made with organic coconut oil and star anise essential oil, giving it a gently unique flavour. Activated charcoal from coconut shells is also added to make this formula a very mild abrasive, which also helps to gently whiten the teeth and detoxify the mouth of nasty bacteria.

Price: Around $10

One of the best natural mouthwashes for: Teeth whitening.

 

7. Tea Tree Therapy

Ed Heftman and Suzanne Dean founded Tea Tree Therapy in 1997, to provide people with a natural antiseptic option. They were inspired by the discovery Captain Cook made when he landed in Australia in the 1700s. Apparently, he noticed the Aborigines brewed tea tree leaves in water to use as a medicinal treatment.

Today, the founders of this tooth care brand use this ingredient in all their products to help heal your teeth and gums. This alcohol free mouthwash has a slightly unusual flavour, but is guaranteed to leave you feeling clean and fresh.

Price: $4.99

One of the best natural mouthwashes for: Its anti-microbial qualities.

8. Hello Extra Freshening Mouthwash

Putting black charcoal on your teeth may seem like a bad thing to do if you want to maintain white choppers, right? But actually, it’s an excellent natural ingredient to kill all germs and bacteria in your mouth. This is one of the best natural mouthwashes for its fresh taste, but there’s more.

This Extra Freshening formula is free of alcohol and fluoride, and has additional coconut oil, tea tree oil, and xylitol. All of which are known for helping to heal tooth damage. And the weirdest part? Charcoal actually helps whiten your teeth!

Price: $5.79

One of the best natural mouthwashes for: Those on a budget; healing small cavities.

9. Luminex Mouthwash

This mouthwash by Luminex is bountiful of positive elements for the well-being of your mouth. It is, of course, 100% free of nasty chemicals, and boasts natural ingredients such as mineral-rich dead sea salt, soothing aloe vera, xylitol to fight decay, and essential oils to eliminate bad breath.

Price: $11.99

One of the best natural mouthwashes for: Having a refreshing taste.

 

 

10. Banyan Daily Swish

Yet another of the best natural mouthwashes uses the power of Ayurveda! Freshen your breath and clean your pearly whites with this extraordinary mouthwash by Banyan. Their Daily Swish Pulling Oil revives the ancient Ayurvedic practice that has benefitted the oral health of millions over the centuries. Easy to use, and it contains 100% organic ingredients, too!

Price: $14.99

One of the best natural mouthwashes for: Using every day.