Mineralized Oils challenge mainstream mouthwash market

Homemade mouthwashes could lead to a new trend in the mouthwash market. Today people are mixing minerals with oils as an alternative to mouthwash. Oil pulling, which is essentially rinsing with sesame oil is very popular on the Internet. If one looks a little further, one will find those that mix oil with clay to make toothpaste or mouthwash. 

The big questions is do these alternative mouthwashes work and if they do, why? To answer these questions, one place to look is the mineral content of oils and clays.  There are several minerals that are known to help bone and tissue health. These include magnesium, silica and zinc. 

If a mouthwash or toothpaste has these minerals it may well help nutritionalize the mouth. To what degree is an open question. However, it is not only mineral content of these homemade mouthwashes that may help improve dental health or stop decay, but also the pH level of these mouthwashes. Bacteria in the mouth emit lactic acid which tends to lower the pH level (make more acidic) of the mouth.  On the other hand, solutions that are high in minerals tend to increase the pH level (make less acidic). Bacteria, like all living organisms,  require a healthy environment to live.  Environments that are high in pH, such as a baking soda solution or just plain mineral water, may make it more difficult for harmful bacteria to survive. 

On the other hand, there are bacteria that don't emit lactic acid and are considered beneficial to your health.  For example, yogurt is sometimes done to replenish the supply of good bacteria in the mouth. 

Still where does this put the mainstream mouthwash companies. Well many are making new concoctions that have natural ingredients. On the other hand, one has to wonder if the profit margins on these products will allow for mouthwashes or toothpastes with a high enough mineral content to be effective.