Jandourek A, Vaishampayan JK, Vazquez JA. Efficacy of melaleuca oral solution for the treatment of fluconazole refractory oral candidiasis in AIDS patients. AIDS. 1998;12:1033–7. Anderson S, et al. (2021). Evidence that daily vinegar ingestion may contribute to erosive tooth wear in adults.

Lime essential oil is known for its energizing and calming effects, and its ability to help with concentration. Mouthwash can be an excellent way to clean your mouth and freshen your breath, but standard mouthwashes can contain potentially irritating ingredients. “Alcohol is drying to the oral cavity,” Dr. Tiffanie Garrison-Jeter, D.M.D., a dentist at Definition Dental Studio tells Byrdie. “And a dry mouth makes an environment that’s more prone to getting cavities.” Dr. Garrison-Jeter says other common mouthwash ingredients, like artificial flavors, synthetic dyes, and parabens can also be irritating. In addition, tea tree oil may provide relief from bug bite reactions by reducing the itching, redness, and swelling that occurs when your body releases histamine to defend against the insect’s saliva ( 27).If your gums are bleeding, your breath is smelling. (To prove it, floss 2 or 3 teeth and smell the floss. If there is an odor on the floss, there’s odor on your breath). Oil pulling is safe to practice. Be careful not to swallow the liquid, as it contains toxins and bacteria pulled from the tissue in your mouth.

In a controlled study of 158 people, 72% of the tea tree oil group had significant clinical improvement in athlete’s foot, compared with 39% in the placebo group ( 31). Known as the "Gentler Mint", spearmint offers a softer scent and its effects are milder than peppermint Today, tea tree oil is widely available as a 100% undiluted, or neat, oil. Diluted forms are also available, ranging from 5–50% strength in products designed for the skin.The rational mechanical removal of the plaque daily appears to be the only practical means for a long-term improvement of oral hygiene, although it may be flanked by a chemical control ( 5 – 7). The results of one 2015 study suggest that turmeric gel is able to effectively prevent plaque and gingivitis. This could be due to its anti-inflammatory properties. You can use one of several popular essential oils, depending upon your flavor preference; or use a combination of different oils. Some great choices are clove, cinnamon oil, tea tree, spearmint, peppermint, and wintergreen. (I elaborate more below.) Tea tree oil has also been proven to be a great adjunct in the treatment of periodontal disease. The goal of non-surgical periodontal treatment is to halt the disease and resolve inflammation, but many studies have shown that mechanical debridement alone cannot eliminate causative bacteria.

There is high-quality evidence of a large reduction in dental plaque with chlorhexidine mouth rinse used as an adjunct to mechanical oral hygiene procedures. There are quite a few natural alternatives to mouthwash. Most mouthwash alternatives are made with simple ingredients that you can find in your kitchen or at the grocery store: baking soda, aloe vera, essential oils, and mineral-rich salt. You may use turmeric or curcuma gel as a treatment. Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, so you may see it labeled as either. Laleman L, et al. (2017). Influence of time brushing and scraping on the oral microflora of periodontitis patients. Ylang Ylang oil is an exotic and sweet-smelling oil that is known for its calming and sedative properties.Having a dry mouth makes you more susceptible to getting cavities. If your main goal in using mouthwash is to prevent cavities, using an alcohol-based mouthwash may actually be doing more harm than good. That is why it has to be reiterated how tea tree oil, despite a minor efficacy, can still reduce or control the bacterial load without causing nor dyschromia or taste alteration; in fact, all the patients undergoing the treatment with the essential oil complained about nothing in any study. Everything should be considered without leaving out the eventual conditioning of a poor or wrong domestic oral hygiene realized by the patient. At the end of the revaluation session, no toxicity manifestation due to the consumption was shown; the two pregnant patients are an example of this affirmation, given that they did not report any disturb. As reported by the study realized by Hammer et al, My whole reason for starting this blog was to share my knowledge and empower you to take control of what you eat and use.